Katy Perry’s YouTube
It’s no secret that Perry’s comeback single, the seemingly female-fronted anthem “Woman’s World,” had a tumultuous journey, between the involvement of pop hitmaker Dr. Luke, who was accused of sexual misconduct by former artist Kesha (the case was resolved without Luke being convicted or admitted to guilt), and a heavy-handed video that was intended to be satirical but wasn’t received as such.
“Woman’s World” debuted at number 63 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, number 65 on the Global 200 and number 47 in the UK in its first full tracking week since its release. Streaming services were also relatively low at the time of the song’s release on the evening of July 11, ranking only at number 110 on Spotify’s US-based chart and number 58 on the Spotify Global chart.
Perry’s final solo Hot 100 hit was with her final full-length album, Smile, released in 2020. The album’s “Daisy” peaked at No. 40 but was dropped from the list shortly after its debut. Her final chart-topping song was “Witness,” whose lead single, the Max Martin-produced “Chained to the Rhythm” (also co-written with Sia), peaked at No. 4 on the Hot 100.
“Woman’s World,” the intro to Perry’s new album, 143, due for release on September 20, sets a questionable precedent: The accompanying music video, themed around the theme of “sacred femininity,” features feminist cliches, such as Perry dressed as a sexy Rosie the Riveter and a re-enactment of the historic “Lunch on a Skyscraper” photo, with women standing in for the men.
Perry explained the video, “We’re having fun and it’s tongue-in-cheek. It’s very slapstick and very honest. It’s like a reset for me and what I think is the sacredness of femininity.”
Perry has always maintained that “413” is something she’s “always wanted to make.” Speaking on Instagram Live, Perry said: [doing] “I’ve released two albums in the last eight years. One was a dance album and the other was an acoustic album. I haven’t done an acoustic album yet. Well, I’ll never stop writing songs. But I finally did a dance album, which is something I’ve always wanted to do.”
While the tracklist has yet to be revealed, Perry confirmed that the project will include “I’m His He’s Mine,” featuring Dauchy, which is built around a sample of Crystal Waters’ 1991 hit “Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless),” another upbeat pop song, “Nirvana,” and “Gimme Gimme,” featuring 21 Savage.