Katy Perry's new music video is embarrassing
If this is a 'Woman's World', I want no part of it
It is the summer of girly pop, with Taylor, Sabrina, Charli XCX (who I am now fully invested in, thanks for the education) and Chappell dominating our playlists. So, it’s understandable that Katy Perry wanted a piece of the viral pie.
Back in her blue hair era, I was the biggest KP stan, but I relegated her to the loser pile back in 2022, when she publicly endorsed Rick Caruso for LA mayor - a politician who has funded anti-abortion political candidates (amongst other things) - whilst she simultaneously tweeted in support of abortion rights and Roe v Wade.
Clearly bored of virtue signalling and those spinning chairs on The Voice, KP released what she thought would be the song of the summer: Woman’s World and I don’t even know where to begin with the rest.
For a start, partnering with a producer, accused of sexual assault by another female artist (Kesha), for a feminist anthem is so fucking stupid.
Even if you are a terrible person and don’t care about others, surely you’d consider your own reputation or at least have a PR team that would.
Then there’s the video itself.
Oh the video.
Now, I’ll be honest with you. From the moment I saw the teaser trailers of Katy in a tiny white bikini with bionic metal legs, I said to myself, there’s a woman who wants to show off her Ozempic/Wegovy results.
That isn’t very feminist of me, I know. But, the only thing I can think to compare it to, is when you take a group picture and you think you look so good, that you’re posting it regardless of what your friends look like, even if they’re mid-blink.
For me, the entire video does just seem to be a vehicle for Katy to show off her body, which she is entitled to do. But, the real empowering message would be to own that, rather than pretending there is a big, underlying feminine message here.
We don’t need Katy and her crew cosplaying as manual labourers in rhinestone thongs, to tell us that women can do anything.
This is such a male gaze coded video and insisting that’s the point and we’re missing the irony, just doesn’t make any sense to me.
Like, ‘Oh, women can be builders too, they can even do it with their boobs out’.
No. I hate it so much. This is not the women’s world I want any part of, Katy.
My favourite YouTube comment on the video so far is: “This is what a feminist video clip would look like if made by a guy.”
Watching Katy wobble her breasts at the camera, I couldn’t agree more. This isn’t a woman owning her body for herself and I just don’t get what’s meant to be ironic about the alternative.
This is without me even touching on the lyrics, “She’s a sister, she’s a mother”.
I’m not empowered by you reducing me to a role. Not to mention that everyone isn’t a sister or a mother and I’d argue that the latter is rightfully triggering for a lot of people.
Repeat after me: Being child-free doesn’t make you any less of a woman.
I’m not alone, the video has been panned and the critics have been savage, which does make me feel sorry for Katy, but ultimately, just shows how out of touch she is.
It reminds me of Jennifer Lopez’s current situation and part of the problem being that both Jennifer and Katy are so insistent they can still relate to us normies.
If you were in Katy’s position and could make a fun song and video about a “Woman’s World’ right now, would it look like this?
I just don’t think you’d bedazzle a drill and pretend to insert a petrol nozzle into your arse.
If you would, do let me know and if you haven’t had the pleasure, the video is below… for the lols of course.
I watched it, and just became really sad. Where I feel Taylor Swift’s similar song was anthemic and really was for all women, this feels totally for the male gaze - and it’s really sad that this is where we’re at in 2024. There also feels that there was a significant lack of body diversity in the video and again, it’s super sad in 2024 that this is what girls have to look up to!
It's giving Satisfaction video from 2002 vibes!