Katy Perry Defines New Chapter of Womanhood and Addresses Past Struggles in ‘Smile’
Photo by Rony Alwin
Katy Perry is no stranger to the mainstream pop radio sphere many of us grew up indulging in. I vividly remember staying up extra late with my girlfriends to choreograph dances to every single from Teenage Dream in the basement of my childhood home during our epic sleepover parties.
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These are just a few of the pop anthems that shaped our adolescence and brought immense joy with her candy-colored aesthetic and lighter themes surrounding young love.
What began as a simple “Teenage Dream” has now opened a world of “Smiles” for the new mother. Universal Music Group’s °1824 division hosted a virtual press conference with Katy Perry the month leading up to her sixth studio album, Smile.
The celebrated artist opened up about her struggles with clinical depression and how impossible it was for her to look forward to another day. Katy acknowledges her failures many times in this project, which is quite audacious in a world of toxic perfectionism displayed heavily on social media.
“I was in this negative loop, and I had to snap out of it. It wasn’t as easy as snapping my fingers, but once I figured out that there was another way of looking at life, I started seeing it with a different view.”
Smile as a musical feat showcases her extensive musicality as Katy continues to play with various elements of pop and electronica but also introduces nodes of hip-hop in “Not the End of the World” and even a hint of country sound in “What Makes a Woman.”
On the other hand, “Daisies” represents an uplifting ode to Katy’s growth and triumph over the past year and the laidback, transportive nature of “Harleys in Hawaii” brings us back to an exotic island romance. Her versatility as an artist is astounding as she consistently dominates the modern music world and experiments with different sonic landscapes.
As one who always prioritizes empowering her community, she mentioned how growing up with her fans allows her to continue to feel inspired by their resilience and creativity.
With years of mainstream acclaim under her belt, Katy does not like to be put in a box, even though the press and other commentators enjoy doing so. She considers herself to be a human with many layers who values the experience of connecting with others whether that be through art or personal experience.
“The theme is clownery because I’ve always felt a bit like the court jester and I’ve always had a bit of humor and self-depreciation injected into everything I do…I continue to use humor as a way to bring some levity to the seriousness of life,” Katy explains.
Writing songs that appeal to a younger generation but also hold a deeper meaning allows Katy to advocate for anyone who desires to give themself another chance. Smile represents the melancholy feelings tied to traversing the trials and tribulations of life as she knew it while she, herself, brings life into the world during her next chapter.
“Life gets realer the longer that you live it, but it gets more expansive if you learn to survive it,” Katy adds.
Hopefulness and resilience can both be found in a new day, and if Katy has learned anything through her struggles, it is to put on a fresh face and a new smile regardless of the convoluted nature of the past.