In a time when pop music similar to Katy Perry’s former work seems to be making a resurgence (the success of Charli XCX, Chappel Roan, and Sabrina Carpenter this past summer, for example), many anticipated an electrifying comeback from the singer. Unfortunately, she failed to deliver. Her most recent album, 143 debuted with an underwhelming 48,000 units, album sales accounting for 37,000 of those. The lead single, “Woman’s World’, peaked at number 63 on the Billboard Hot 100, while the second single “Lifetimes” failed to even make the chart (Variety).
So, how to describe 143 by Katy Perry? The words most critics seem to be turning to are mediocre, unoriginal, and tone deaf. A New York Times critic notes that the album “probably would have come and gone without much notice” if it weren’t for the vast controversy and disaster surrounding its release (The New York Times). One of the main discredits of the album is the fact that Perry chose to work with a producer known as Dr. Luke, whose name has descended into infamy following sexual assault and harassment charges from the singer Kesha. Perry hasn’t helped her case; when asked about it, she often gives avoidant or indirect responses, such as “and he was one of many collaborators that I collaborated with, but the reality is that it comes from me. The truth is, I wrote these songs from my experience of my whole life going through this metamorphosis.” (The New York Times). Many have pointed out of the collaboration, as Ramapo teacher Ms. Gregory points out, “I’m actually surprised to learn that Katy Perry worked with Dr. Luke. I do think there are situations where the art and the artist can be separated, but with something as serious as the allegations made against Dr. Luke, I have a hard time consuming any content or media he’s involved with. Especially considering the first song on the album ‘Woman’s World’ is all about women’s empowerment.” Listeners nowadays are more aware of how music is made, and tend to be more critical of not only the media itself but the background of it.
That being said, her producer is not the only controversy Perry has faced during 143’s rollout. The music video for her song “Lifetimes,” which shows the artist partying and clubbing on the Mediterranean islands, has prompted an investigation from Spanish officials. The video was partially filmed on the ecologically sensitive and protected sand dunes of the Balearic Islands, which Katy Perry’s team did not receive authorization for. Officials are now checking for any damage that may have been caused to the dunes (Hollywood Reporter).
Despite these controversies, the album was not a complete failure for Perry, earning her a career high on the Vinyl Albums chart at #2 (Forbes) as well as a memorable and well-received VMA’s performance. “I really enjoyed her performance,” notes Ramapo student Keira Duffy “but I was disappointed by the album, and I feel like everything surrounding it definitely added to that.” All things considered, 143 demonstrates the ongoing trend of a changing climate surrounding the entertainment industry and how fans criticize media.
