- Katy Perry has announced that her new single, “Woman's World,” will be released on July 11th.
- Perry also shared a short snippet of the song on TikTok, alluding to the theme of female empowerment.
- People on social media have already criticised the song's production and lyrics as “outdated” and “cliched”.
Katy Perry's new music isn't released until next month, but the pop star's highly anticipated comeback may already be in jeopardy.
Perry on Monday revealed the cover art and title of her upcoming single “Woman's World,” due out July 11. The single will be the lead track off her sixth album, to be released by Capitol Records.
“Prepare to explode,” Perry wrote.
The as-yet-untitled album will be Perry's first since 2020's “Smile,” which was met with a disappointing response from critics and fans. (Business Insider's music team gave the album a 4.6 out of 10.)
At the time, “Smile” was similarly touted as a rebirth following backlash against the so-called “intentional pop” of Perry's previous album, 2017's “Witness.”
Since then, Perry has kept a relatively low profile as a chart-topping, record-breaking superstar. In August 2020, she gave birth to her first child, a daughter, Daisy Dove, with Orlando Bloom. The following year, she began her Las Vegas residency, “Play.” She also served as a judge on “American Idol” for seven seasons, which aired its final episode in May.
As those efforts drew to a close, Perry began dropping hints about a splashy comeback, and the timing couldn't have been more different.
It's been over a decade since Perry released an acclaimed album (2013's “Prism”), and her most recent hit was “Daisies,” which peaked at No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2020.
In the words of pop culture commentary account @mazzypopstar about X, “With her last two albums flops, no hits since Bon Appétit and Swish Swish, Harley can no longer make a living on her Hawaiian stream, her landlord is knocking on the door, and she has one chance…”
Perry finally ushered in a new era this week, accompanying the announcement was a short TikTok video of “Woman's World,” in which she lip-synchs a series of lyrics that seem to focus on female empowerment, individuality and strength — themes she's addressed multiple times in songs like “Firework” (2010), “Roar” (2013) and “Resilient” (2020).
“Sexy, confident / So intelligent,” Perry sings. “She's heaven sent / So sweet, so strong.”
But Perry's return to her usual routine didn't inspire confidence among the public — at least judging by early reactions on social media.
“I was rooting for Katy but these lyrics are outdated,” one skeptic wrote to X. “They're fodder for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign.”
Some people have mocked the song's production and overall sound, leaving harsh comments on TikTok.
As of this writing, the top comment on Perry's own video reads, “Get in the studio right now and re-record this song,” while another asks, “Are these AI lyrics?”
In another video, multiple creators said the clip sounded like “cliché ramblings” and an “ARTPOP reject,” a reference to Lady Gaga's 2013 album.
Some fan accounts have gone so far as to claim that Perry shared the video as a prank, and that the snippet was generated by AI, as some kind of bait-and-switch promotional tactic. (It's true that the soundtrack to “Woman's World” has been removed from TikTok, but there's no hard evidence or confirmation from Perry's team to back up this theory.)
Many have criticized Perry's new visual direction, accusing her of appropriating the aesthetic from niche pop musicians such as Charli XCX, whose new album “Brat” has been well-received, and Venezuelan producer Arca.
A slamming post on X has garnered more than 57,000 likes, accusing Perry of inventing a particular look to appeal to “the lowest standards of gay men”.
Much of the anger directed at Perry was sparked by rumors that “Woman's World” was co-produced by Dr. Luke (real name Lukas Gottwald), whom Kesha has publicly accused of emotional and sexual abuse.
Kesha herself added fuel to the fire by simply writing “lol” over the X shortly after Perry made her announcement.
Rolling Stone confirmed Gottwald's involvement on Wednesday, and label sources said he is one of several producers collaborating on Perry's next album, joining hitmakers such as Max Martin and Stargate.
“Katy knows exactly what album she wants to make and has assembled the team to help her get it done,” a Capitol Records source told Rolling Stone.
A representative for Perry did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.
