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Katy Perry’s latest single has debuted at No 63 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, signalling a lukewarm start to the pop star’s highly anticipated comeback. In the UK, it opened at No 43.
”Woman’s World” is the lead single from her recently announced sixth album, 143. A leaked snippet raised eyebrows among fans due to its questionable lyrics. The full version was met with an equally cool reception.
Perry, 39, was widely derided on social media for lyrics described by The Independent’s Adam White as a “faux-feminist pastiche”, which sound “alarmingly antiquated” in 2024.
The accompanying video was also the subject of mockery, with viewers baffled by its seemingly ironic scenes of Perry in a Rosie the Riveter-style outfit, Stars and Stripes bikini, and work overalls with her underwear showing. It was directed by Charlotte Rutherford, who has previously directed videos for Camila Cabello and PinkPantheress.
Unusually, Perry shared a follow-up commentary that claimed the video was intended to be sarcastic, and suggested that her messaging would become clearer in the weeks to come.
“It’s a whole different world we go to after this,” she said.
Perry also came under fire over her collaboration on the song with producer Dr Luke (real name Lukasz Gottwald), who settled a nine-year legal battle with pop star Kesha last year, after accusing her of defamation by claiming he drugged and raped her after a party in 2005. He has always vehemently denied the allegations.
Among Perry’s critics was Hollywood actor Abigail Breslin, who appeared to make a thinly veiled dig on X/Twitter after the song’s release: “I’m just saying... this just contributes to the narrative that men can do abhorrent s**** and get away with it.”
She added in a follow-up post: “On another note, I love @KeshaRose and she gave one of the best shows I’ve ever been to last year... stream Kesha!”
Perry’s new album 143 is scheduled for release on 20 September.
This week, she shared an endorsement for newly announced Democrat frontrunner Kamala Harris, who is campaigning for US president after Joe Biden withdrew from the race.
The singer sang a few bars from “Woman’s World”, mouthing at the camera, “It’s a woman’s world, and you’re lucky to be living in it,” while sipping from a cocktail.
She also shared a “Momala” edit set to her single, soundtracking clips of the vice-president laughing and dancing.
Perry might be hoping that the meme-filled Harris campaign could give her single a boost, after Charli XCX declared that “Kamala IS Brat” in reference to her own album, the critically acclaimed Brat.
