Katy Perry has recently addressed a wave of public criticism coinciding with several high-profile events in her career, describing herself as a "human piñata" in response to the backlash. The singer's latest album, 143, was expected to mark a significant comeback but has instead faced disappointing commercial performance and mixed critical reception. None of the tracks from 143 secured a position on the Billboard Hot 100, and the album itself dropped off the Billboard 200 charts just two weeks after its release.
A notable point of contention among fans is Perry's collaboration with producer Dr. Luke, who has been embroiled in longstanding sexual abuse allegations made by singer Kesha. Although Dr. Luke has denied the allegations and no criminal charges have been filed, public sentiment among some fans has turned unfavourable.
Further scrutiny came when Perry participated in an all-female Blue Origin space tourism flight earlier this month. She described the trip as a pioneering experience for women in STEM fields. However, public reaction was mixed, with criticism aimed at the attention being placed on celebrity passengers such as Perry and journalist Gayle King rather than on Aisha Bowe, a former NASA rocket scientist, and Amanda Nguyen, a bioastronautics research scientist. A viral social media moment featured Perry kissing the ground upon landing, which prompted commentary including a tweet from Wendy’s saying, "I kissed the ground and I liked it."
Perry's Lifetimes Tour also came under fire following her debut show in Mexico City on April 23. Videos from the concert circulated widely, with many viewers expressing disappointment over her choreography, with some dubbing her the "Queen of Cringe" and questioning the value of the live experience compared to more generic entertainment options.
In response to the criticism, Perry took to social media to share her thoughts, emphasising her personal resilience and reflection. She wrote, "Please know I am okay, I have done a lot of work around knowing who I am, what is real and what is important to me," and cited a lesson from her therapist: "No one can make you believe something about yourself that you don’t already believe about yourself." She continued, "When the ‘online’ world tries to make me a human piñata, I take it with grace and send them love, cause I know so many people are hurting in so many ways and the internet is very much so a dumping ground for unhinged and unhealed."
This series of events highlights a challenging period in Perry’s career, encompassing setbacks in her music release, public reception to her recent tour, and the response to her involvement in space tourism. The Digital Music News is reporting on these developments and Perry's candid comments on the situation.
Source: Noah Wire Services