From Teenage Dream to 143: Katy Perry’s Comeback Falls Flat
In recent years, Katy Perry’s reign as one of pop music’s most vibrant stars has dimmed.
Yet, when she announced she had been working on new music, the internet buzzed with hope. Fans were eager to see her rise from the ashes and reclaim her pop throne. After all, 2020’s Smile – while boasting a few catchy moments – was a lukewarm return, falling short of the chart-topping success that had defined her earlier career. The promise sparked by the infectious lead single, Never Really Over, seemed to fade, and many wondered: Wasn’t this meant to be the precursor to something greater? Those expectations were rerouted to her seventh album, 143, which, to many fans’ dismay, is shaping up to be one of the year’s most underwhelming records to date.
One of the album’s most contentious tracks, Woman’s World, has already drawn widespread criticism. What was intended as an anthem of empowerment has been marred by accusations of superficiality, with many listeners quick to point out the irony of male-dominated songwriting and production teams steering a supposedly feminist message. The track’s commercial failure earlier this summer highlights a larger issue at hand – Perry’s distinction as a performer rather than an artist.
Her performative vigour, the very thing that has fueled her career for so long, seems to have finally eclipsed her creative depth. The recent VMAs, which showcased her electrifying stage presence, proved that while she can still dazzle an audience, the thematic coherence and artistic growth in her music may have reached a stumbling block.
In interviews, Perry has often spoken passionately about motherhood, and fans hoped this life chapter would inspire a more personal and authentic creative direction. However, those hopes are dashed, as 143 delivers a mix of superficial coquetry and a soundtrack fit only for an empty club on a Saturday night. Tracks like Gimme Gimme, featuring 21 Savage, and Crush feel far removed from any previously alluded-to narratives. Instead, they recycle the same tired tropes of fleeting romances, raising the question: is Perry chasing a sound that simply no longer fits?
Even a performance from Doechii on I’M HIS, HE’S MINE can’t save this record from itself. Katy’s lazy vocal efforts are unenthusiastic, – I mean, does she even want to perform on her own track? It gives nothing.
Ultimately, the once-magic collaboration between Perry and longtime producers Dr. Luke and Stargate has fizzled out in 143. The polished pop anthems of Teenage Dream are a distant memory, replaced by uninspired production and hollow songwriting. Artificial, another lacklustre effort, attempts to evoke the futuristic allure of earlier hits like E.T., but unfortunately falls flat.
It’s not that Perry is incapable of offering more – fans know she has the potential to create pop music that’s both infectious and meaningful – look back at her greatest hits from the late 00s and early 10s. She has the recipe book open in front of her on the counter but is adding in far too much salt and not enough spice.
143 unfortunately leaves a sour taste in listeners’ mouths. The pop landscape has changed, and it’s clear that Perry’s approach needs to change with it. Whether she can correct course remains to be seen, but for now, 143 is an unfortunate misfire from a once unstoppable force in pop music.
