Lady Gaga released on Sunday the cover art for Applause, the first single off her upcoming album ARTPOP, and revealed details about the song to Women's Wear Daily.

For the cover artwork for the new single,the pop singer's face is covered in white paint, with blue paint smeared across her eyes and red and yellow paint smeared across her lips. A black wrap conceals her hair and she is draped in a white cloak.

Gaga revealed the artwork via her Twitter account and announced that the photo was taken by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, who also shot the music video for Applause, according to the publication.

The pop icon chose the cover image because she thought it showed a different side of her performance; a vulnerable part that her fans don't often see.

"It's the end of the night after the show," she said. "When I look at it I see that there is a longing for the applause. I see that there is a void that is leaking onstage, that the performer is leaking, that the art is sort of becoming something else in front of your eyes. Something more human, something more honest."

She co-wrote Applause with DJ White Shadow and the single will be released on Aug. 19, which is also ARTPOP's pre-sale date. The New York City native didn't reveal much information about the highly anticipated single but did explain how the title of the song matched its content.

"I'll tell you that it is very fun," she adds. "And that it's full of happiness, because what I'm saying in the song essentially is that I live for the applause. I live for the way you cheer and scream for me."

Gaga will perform Applause at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards on August 25, while ARTPOP arrives November 11.

Tags
Lady Gaga, Artpop