Lady Gaga has released the artwork for her forthcoming single ‘Applause’ in which she appears with paint smeared down her face.

Gaga said she chose the artwork to show a more vulnerable part of her persona that the public does not often see.

She told Women’s Wear Daily: “When I look at [the image] 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.”

She has hinted that her new album ARTPOP, due for release in November, will draw on dark past experiences.

The release of the artwork comes a week after Gaga revealed a picture of herself online looking gaunt and barely recognisable without any make-up.

The star has been out of the limelight since February, when she had to cancel all remaining US dates on her Born this Way tour due to a tear to her hip.

Despite having to cancel part of her tour, Gaga was named the wealthiest celebrity under 30 by Forbes magazine with an estimated fortune of £52 million.

An official release date for ARTPOP has not yet been revealed, but it will be available to pre-order on iTunes on 19 August due to ‘public anticipation’, Gaga announced on her fansite littlemonsters.com.

ARTPOP will be the Grammy award-winning artist’s fourth studio album.