Actress Lily Allen has described singer Lady Gaga as a "martyr" for choosing art over commercial success on her latest album "ARTPOP".

The "Air balloon" hitmaker has defended her fellow singer Gaga after she was criticised for her latest album being a relative flop, insisting she deserves credit for the risks she has taken, reports contactmusic.com.

Speaking to Rolling Stone magazine, Allen said: "If she's not succeeding commercially because she's standing by what she does as art, then that's a f*****g great thing.

That's to be commended. That's what makes a martyr. There's nothing wrong with that."

Facing similar problems with her own music, Allen said she had to choose her singles carefully to make sure that they were accepted for the radio play.

"I would love 'Hard Out Here' to have been a single, but you can't have a song that has the word b***h in it 72 times on the radio," she said.