New style, new sound: with "Witness", Katy Perry has grown up a little. But she could go one step further.
The artist
"I Kissed A Girl", "California Gurls", "Dark Horse", "Firework". The list of Katy Perry's hits could go on and on. The hit parade is almost her home - although she still has to wait for a Grammy. Since her debut album "One Of The Boys" in 2008, the 32-year-old pastor's daughter has made it to the top, in the same league as Beyoncé, Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift. With "Teenage Dream", she even equaled a record set by Michael Jackson: A whole five songs from it made it to the top spot on the US Billboard charts. No woman had ever managed that before. Her performance at the Super Bowl 2015 will never be forgotten.
The album
Until now, Perry has always played it safe with her music: catchy melodies, pop that doesn't surprise. But that's about to change: "It's definitely a new era for me. The era of meaningful pop," said Katy Perry in an interview with "E! News". "It's a 360-degree liberation: mental, sexual, negative and spiritual liberation." A first taste was given with "Chained to the Rhythm", a song that allegedly revolves around Trump's election: "So comfortable, we're living in a bubble." Musically, however, still characterized by the usual Perry sound, it went new ways with "Bon Appétit" and "Swish Swish": club music and house sounds found their way into Perry's songs. There are 15 songs on the finished album, all collaborations have already been released.
Recommended tracks
Déjà-vu - Calm pop song with house elements, suitable for a quiet Sunday afternoon as well as a party night.
Roulette - Pop song in the style of the eighties: the synthesizers make the chorus perfect.
Swish Swish - The song for the club. House DJ and producer Duke Dumont delivers the most surprising song on the album.
Verdict
After all the hype surrounding Katy Perry's new album, expectations were naturally high. That's why it's difficult to fulfill them. Katy had already released three songs in advance that are among the best on the album. This is a disadvantage if listeners start at this high level and then listen to the album with various filler songs. Nevertheless, there is something on the new album for fans of the familiar Perry sound as well as for fans of the new Perry. A good album, but not the album of the year.
Fun fact: To promote the new album, Katy Perry had herself observed "Big Brother" style for three days.
Katy Perry live
With the album release, tickets for the Zurich concert on June 1, 2018 also went on sale. Perry will launch "Witness: The Tour" in the USA in September and come to the Hallenstadion next year.
