Katy Perry’s new album “143” was released on Friday and it is a failed attempt to regain the singer’s past glory.
Perry is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, after selling 100 million digital records, according to an Aug. 8, 2019 article from Recording Industry Association of America.
Growing up, anytime her songs came on the radio, my sister and I happily sang along to her hit “Firework” and my personal favorite “Teenage Dream.”
Perry’s songs made me feel good and lifted my spirits whenever I heard them play.
Unfortunately, her seventh studio album, which features 11 tracks, did not live up to the pop star’s reputation.
The album’s leading track, “WOMAN’S WORLD,” was released on July 11 as a single and is Perry’s attempt at empowering women.
Her lyrics, “She’s a winner, champion / Superhuman, number one,” helps capture the theme of feminism, similar to several of her past songs.
In her song, “Firework,” which was released in 2010, the lyrics, “You don't have to feel like a waste of space / You're original, cannot be replaced,” touches on real feelings that many women face, such as not feeling like they are enough.
As I listened to “WOMAN’S WORLD,” I couldn’t help but feel like I already heard it a million times because it wasn’t anything different.
Perry doesn’t touch on any serious issues that women face in today’s world but instead uses superficial lyrics such as, “Fire in her eyes / Feminine divine / She was born to shine.”
“WOMAN’S WORLD” seems more like a dispassionate, half-assed song that throws a bunch of lyrics praising women together and calling it a day.
Long gone is Perry’s charm from previous songs that were released throughout her successful career such as “Last Friday Night” and “Hot N Cold.”
I still hoped that Perry would return with the witty and fun songs I grew up listening to including “Roar” and “Firework.”
Not only is her leading track filled with disconnected lyrics but controversy surrounds several of her music videos.
Perry is receiving backlash for collaborating with producer and songwriter Łukasz Gottwald, who also goes by his producer name, Dr. Luke.
In 2014, pop star Kesha alleged that Dr. Luke had drugged and raped her in 2005, according to a Aug. 16, 2023 article from Rolling Stone.
Following the lawsuit, many of Perry’s fans criticized her for collaborating with Dr. Luke.
“The truth is, I wrote these songs from my experience of my whole life going through this metamorphosis, and he (Dr. Luke) was one of the people to help facilitate all that,” Perry said in a podcast interview on “Call Her Daddy” with podcast host Alex Cooper, according to a Sept. 4 USA Today article.
This controversy affects the album because it seems unsettling that an album made by a woman for women is collaborating with someone who has been accused of sexual harassment.
The album name “143” doesn’t give any emotional depth to this album even though Perry said it means “I love you,” according to a July 12 article from Cosmopolitan.
At the end of the day, the numbers just exemplifies the surface level approach Perry takes with this album.
“GIMME GIMME” featuring rapper 21 Savage, sounds like a mix of electronic programming and nursery rhymes.
The fourth track, “I’M HIS, HE’S MINE” featuring Doechii, has a more uplifting beat and this jolt of energy that was much needed in the album.
But much like the rest of the album, her lyrics are monotonous and makes me question if her decision to leave American Idol for this album is something she will regret.
Perry left American Idol in February 2024 after seven years on the judging panel to focus on her singing career, according to a Feb. 19 article from Forbes.
The lyrics, “I’m his main, I’m his side,” contradicts the feminist tone she attempts to establish in her album since it minimizes her to her partner’s food.
I see that she’s trying to say she’s her partner’s main girl and side piece, but the way it was put seems like she’s something on his plate instead of a partner.
“ALL THE LOVE” has a nice, cheerful beat and the simple lyrics are not bad compared to the rest of the album.
The lyrics, “Now there’s poetry in every moment / All the lost that I ever lost (came back to me)” is about the singer finding love again even though she had already given up on romance.
I didn’t find my favorite song from Perry’s album until the eighth track, “NIRVANA” which sounds new and exciting, with an 80s’ music tone and club-like feel.
The lyrics, “Dancing in blurry lights / Found you in paradise / Floating in the diamond sky,” reminds me of a song I’d listen to in my car with friends while we’re driving around at night.
This song will definitely be added to my playlist, but I will note “NIRVANA” is credited to 12 contributors, according to a webpage from GENIUS. This is a lot for a song that is not a masterpiece
“ARTIFICIAL” featuring JID, describes Perry’s album in one word.
By the time her album reaches the tenth track, “TRUTH,” it’s clear that all the songs have similar themes, which are repetitive and derivative.
The pop singer ends her album with “WONDER,” which is a cute finish to a boring album since it features Perry’s daughter's voice at the beginning.
“WONDER” is undeniably sweet but by the end of “143,” it’s hard to savor it because the album fell flat.
Her stale lyrics sound like they are 143 years old, and collaborating with Dr. Luke amid the ongoing controversy feels very off-putting for an album that is clearly trying to appeal to a female audience.
Even though she attempted to explore themes of feminism and motherhood, her superficial lyrics aren’t enough to make this album anything but forgettable.
