Lady Gaga thinks people need to "lighten up" and leave Miley Cyrus alone. The "Applause" singer has come to the defense of the "We Can't Stop" hitmaker, who caused controversy with her salacious on-stage antics at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) last month, insisting Miley was expressing herself as a musical artist.

In an interview with talk show Watch What Happens Live last night, she said, "I mean, I just think everybody needs to lighten up and leave her alone. Because it's pop music. Everybody's entitled to their own artistic expression, and if you have a problem with it, just change the channel."

Miley, 20, was seen gyrating and twerking on stage with Robin Thicke, 36, during a joint performance of his hit "Blurred Lines," and provocatively touching herself with a foam finger. However, Gaga gives the former Hannah Montana star "props" for forging her own path, despite the risque nature of her recent antics, which also include appearing completely naked in her new video for "Wrecking Ball."

"I don't understand the incessant need to constantly go on and on about hating things all the time because, what, she's 20 years old? And if anything, I give her props. You know, she's growing up in front of the entire world and maybe she's not so happy with stuff she did in her career when she was younger and she wants to be free, so let her do what she wants," she added.