Benjamin Ashford|Katy Perry's 'Woman's World' isn't the feminist bop she promised. She's stuck in the past.

What would a good Katy Perry song sound like in 2024?Benjamin Ashford Would it be a pastiche of her past work, updated to blend with current pop sensibilities? Would it be a sonic throwback, or would it lean into the future? Perry’s latest offering “Woman’s World” is none of these. Instead, it's proof of her waning cultural presence and the verve she lacks to keep up with an ever-changing sphere. 

At a point in time, Katy Perry was inescapable. Her 2010 “Teenage Dream” amassed five No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, a record held previously by Michael Jackson. The former parts of the 2010s would be hers to own. She crafted an iconography so bright and candy-painted it provided an escape from a post-recession America. She chronicled the frivolous joys of unabashed youth in an era where pop music was expected to be hollow and fun.

The latter half of the decade found Perry in some artistic trouble. She faded into irrelevance as pop music moved forward and audience expectations shifted. Streaming had eclipsed radio, where Perry found most of her success. Her 2017 record “Witness” was marred by an odd rollout. There was a weird 72-hour livestream the weekend of the album’s release, a cringe-inducing SNL performance of “Bon Appétit” with Migos and, of course, the pixie cut seen round the world. Most notably, Perry deemed this album as an “era of purposeful pop.” 

Early hints of Perry’s political messaging through pop came in the form of “Chained to the Rhythm,” a dance-pop track warning us to break the repetitive cycles that lull us into social submission – I think. The message was trite and surface-level. Was this the most her politics had to offer? 

Seven years later, Perry has seemingly returned to lacing her songs with empty political messaging with her newest single “Woman’s World.” The dance-pop song is an attempt at a feminist anthem: “It’s a woman’s world and you’re lucky to be living in it!” she blares over pumping synths. But in a post-Barbie (2023) world, the song’s vague notions of empowerment read void. It offers nothing new, or even reflective, of contemporary understandings of feminism or womanhood. It’s mostly just … fine. Inoffensive at best, reductive at worst.

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It seems that Perry, in line with other pop stars of yesteryear, is most concerned with pandering to factions of the internet with the perceived social capital to make her seem “cool” and subsequently marketable. It’s an interesting conundrum for Perry, whose early 2010 radio success never required her to appeal to internet niches. 

But with streaming services and algorithms killing monoculture, the rules of engagement are different. Perry has to work harder to gain mass appeal, and with the unpredictable way the internet moves, most of her success is left up to chance.

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Perry’s strategy now is appealing to white gays on X, formerly known as Twitter, who spend their days calling every female pop star “mother.” (Meghan Trainer famously took the bait.) With a new target in mind, she underwent a subtle rebrand. Perry changed her logo to a sleek, metallic typography and donned giant robotic horse legs on the single cover. These low-hanging-fruit imitations of alt-electronic artists like Arca and Charli xcx are misleading when the song associated is so devoid of substance and artistry. 

The video features controversial internet personality Trisha Paytas (?) and features two men kissing (??). In an apparent response to initial critics, Perry released a behind-the-scenes clip of her explaining the video as satire — “slapstick” is the word she used. But is it a joke if it has to be explained?

Has Perry forgotten who she is?

The track is produced by longtime collaborator Dr. Luke (Lukasz Gottwald) who was sued by Kesha for sexual assault and battery, sexual harassment, gender violence and emotional abuse. Gottwald denied the allegations and counter-sued for defamation. Kesha’s case was dismissed in 2016. By working with Dr. Luke, any meaning the song could’ve had is undermined.

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This partnership, and the song it produced, is Perry retracing steps to reach her former glory, but it’s clear she’s forgotten who she is. In an interview with Zane Lowe, Perry came to the conclusion that people recognize her most for creating “empowering songs” and “songs with a message.” Audiences connected with Perry’s music not for its earth-shattering message or radical politics, but because it provided an escapist fantasy. She created a world where California was the place to be. She made homebodies dream of Project X style house parties and nights filled with crazy adventure all to suffer hangover-induced amnesia the next morning. 

If it’s any consolation, this is the most attention Perry has seemed to grab in years. Did you listen to her 2020 album “Smile”? Probably not. The track list and snippets heard from her upcoming album “143” aren’t exactly promising either. Is there a place for Perry in today’s music landscape or has she become a relic of the past?

Kofi Mframa is a columnist and digital producer for USA TODAY and the USA TODAY Network.