How PRISM Redefined Katy Perry

[@EljohnMacaranas]

A happy 10 year anniversary to Katy Perry’s PRISM! Let me know what track was your favorite?! Do you think Katy can comeback to these stellar heights?! Sound off!

[@noneapplicable1327]

Walking On Air! 🔥🔥🔥

[@noneapplicable1327]

i think Katy can comeback and smash hard tbh!

[@EljohnMacaranas]

@@noneapplicable1327Taste!

[@EljohnMacaranas]

@@noneapplicable1327we think it’s possible I’m hoping for a rock revival

[@LijiJ.S]

Mine is maybe unconditionally or ghost

[@littlemonster7357]

The tour version of dark horse with the opening instrumental made it even better for me.. and oh my god that tour was honestly PEAK. The outfits, the stage presence, the theatrics with the cat outfits too ahah. We don't have anything quite like this nowdays

[@EljohnMacaranas]

The atmosphere she had at the concert, just how big and overstated it felt at the time, she was at the top of her game as a performer from 2014-2015!

[@noneapplicable1327]

i remember going to the tour and screaming bc my best friend was picked for the birthday thing bc it was her bday 😭

[@EljohnMacaranas]

@@noneapplicable1327AINTNOWAY wow!

[@paarthm9681]

i know roar and dark horse are mega smash super hits, but the album as a whole is pretty damn underrated, especially unconditonally (one of her best songs).

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I think the way some singles were promoted and how big those two songs were really unbalanced the era overall. Relistening to it, I’m still gagged some songs like Ghost or Legendary Lovers never got a release or visuals!

[@noneapplicable1327]

back on atrl we called it uncle deshawn ali we rooted so hard for it!

[@KaylaJPaige]

Take a listen to her performance of unconditionally on ellen! It’s amazing!

[@mohamadfirdausbinmat2577]

By the Grace of God is my most favorite ballad from Katy and one of my top 10 favorite songs by Katy altogether. I honestly believe that Prism is a better album than Teenage Dream in terms of the production and songwriting. I still mind it mindbaffling that Birthday wasn't a huge hit. Walking On Air should also be released as an official single and promoted as much as Roar. That song is a disco-pop perfection hit!

[@EljohnMacaranas]

@@KaylaJPaige OMG the one with the stripped down guitar and the red dress?! YES

[@joshmomo2917]

The transition from Teenage Dream to Prism was so Katy Perry KAMP! I mean come on she burned her blue wig and held a funeral for the death of that era and transitioning to Prism. That was Peak Katy Perry.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I felt like that teaser is still probably one of the best visuals I’ve seen teasing a new era. I just wish that whole dark theme had been kept!

[@joshmomo2917]

@@EljohnMacaranas Yeah I miss when artists did album trailers like Katy and Lana used to do

[@evermorenation6099]

the aesthetic of prism is so prettyyy 😭😭😭 wish i had the vinyl

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I ordered the KatyCat Collection so fast!

[@noneapplicable1327]

i’m so mad bc i missed out on the order!

[@EljohnMacaranas]

@@noneapplicable1327I think UO has a bunch but I’m sure they’ll do one last restock if any orders were canceled or the initial pressing sells very well

[@noahalexanderoliver]

The KatyCat collection is sold separately on her website

[@littlemonster7357]

Shes confirmed kp6 during play, and tbh i got a feeling its gonna be something man idk, i think that shes ready to reach mainstream pop queen status again ive just been getting this vibe.. definitely never gonna top her first 3 records, but im expecting a comeback for sure.. i just hope its not another smile era that just feels like a worse version of 2013 katy over and over again.. she says the album is gonna reflect the joy shes experiencing in her life, so if its a more laid back roar 2.0 she better make it a bop lmao

[@noneapplicable1327]

yesssss omg finally she’s back!

[@drakehollie414]

I honestly think she should go for a OOTB 2.0. since we're in like a pop punk revival right now

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Oh a OOTB revival with an Olivia feature would be the easiest way back to number 1 I think

[@paintingdreams290]

she also confirmed some of the Smile Outtakes would be featured on KP6 (which honestly kinda concerns me ngl bc as much as think Smile is a decent album i dont think she should be using those songs on a new project bc i feel like KP6 should be very separate from that)

[@littlemonster7357]

@@paintingdreams290 well only time will tell.. I really hope she gets her comeback moment

[@noahahaha6432]

Dark Horse was a BEHEMOTH at the time and for good reason. Still hits to this day, and I think people underestimate the impact it had on the music industry. (it was the first big pop hit with trap instrumentation if i recall correctly)

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I’d say you’re right! Trap pop wasn’t exactly a thing, everyone was into dubstep I think? The following year all the imitations even songs borrowing the let the instrumental do the talking: like tracks like Talk Dirty or Problem sorta have the explosive build up then an anticlimax of sorts.

[@noahahaha6432]

@@EljohnMacaranas yes and not even only the anti-drop but also the type of 808 bass used in the verses and drop hasn't really been used before in popular music outside of rap. katy really took a huge risk which payed off and she led the trap pop game with a single song before the other girlies joined. what a moment in time!

[@EljohnMacaranas]

@@noahahaha6432man anyone who said she didn’t have an impact on the genre needs to not talk lmao she did innovate quite a bit

[@vanillac0keh3ad]

@@EljohnMacaranas delusion. The song was in no way innovative, rihanna and beyonce both dabbled in trap pop before her lol

[@baileygai2141]

I hope KP6 is her big comeback. I love Katy Perry

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I hope so too! Whatever happens I think she just needs to keep making music!

[@noneapplicable1327]

oh prism was everything to me, the choreography to walking on air is still in my mind 😭 when i broke up with my long term bf i listened to ghost for like months 🤭 aaaaaaah this is 10 years old we’re going too fastttt 😭

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I love the little foot glides before they punch the air. It’s so on theme but so feminine.

[@taylorwaterman7316]

I'm glad you talked about how good the prism tour was! Her show that she did with pouring a drink from a can attached to her was very childish.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Oh the Prismatic tour was genuinely just so good like the whole theatrics of flying and the production was high caliber! Reviewing the footage was so much fun!

[@123theprodigy5]

@@EljohnMacaranas man, I miss her, hopefully she can make a come back Katy Perry was part of the soundtrack of my childhood

[@MyNameisDC]

“It Two” deserved to be a single, it was SOOO adult contemporary and it would probably still be a moderately played song on alternative pop radios

[@EljohnMacaranas]

It was giving P!nk in some ways, it’s a solid track!

[@cmmbp1076]

Ive been WAITING for this one, TURN IT UP!!!

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Honestly I’m shocked I never talked about it!

[@Charlie-jl3ur]

Lemme start by saying that I simply adore your channel and your videos. As a boy from Poland, who doesn't have that much of a place to discuss his favorite foreign artists, you offer a platform where I can easily speak my mind. Thank you for this. Now, speaking of Prism - to me, it is a crown jewel of Katy's discography - EVERY. SINGLE. TRACK. ROCKS (even more mid tracks like Love Me, Spiritual and This Moment do). What I like about all the songs on the album is that they're more "tight" and well written when compared to Teenage Dream (I feel like many songs on Teenage Dream are very sparse, there's a lot of stretched vowels and syllables to fill in the instrumentals, like on California Gurls chorus for instance [ca Li for nia gurls etc]). Moreover, I love the album's esthetic and soundscape - it perfectly captures that transitional period from early 2010s to mid 2010s, it has that bubbly, fun and somewhat corny vibe of the early 2010s music mixed with more synthpopy, "organic" (when compared to the late 2000s and early 2010s electropop/club music) sound of mid 2010s. However, what I hate about this album is its single rollout. The first three singles were smartly chosen, but the fumbling came with the follow up to Dark Horse... They clearly didn't know what to do, whether they should've stuck to that Teenage Dream formula, a la every single sounds more or less different from the preceding one, or give people something in vein of the aforementioned Dark Horse. In the perfect world Legendary Lovers would've been dropped as a single, and so Walking On Air, as these are singlehandedly THE BEST tracks of off Prism. Also, either Ghost (which sounds like a song that Tove Lo would've recorded for her debut studio record) or It Takes Two (which I would place on the standard album instead of, let's say, Love Me) would've closed an era.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Thank you much for the thoughtful comment! I started this channel because at the time I'd been recording my first video, I really had no friends to discuss pop with. All my friends were into their own sorta drama or other things. I'm so glad I've fostered a small little community that sometimes I sass with but ultimately am glad to have! I will admit that PRISM does feel like an actually album vs. TD really just being a hit machine. I agree it was a transitional record, I argue it actually did not fit what Lorde was complaining about at the time (other than TIHWD). I agree so hard about the singles. They really didn't seem to know how many hits they had on their hands and when to drop them. It was an embarrassment of riches that felt squandered. Legendary Lovers right after Dark Horse would have been genius. Walking On Air definitely was a missed opportunity for a summer jam (and could have kickstarted the disco revival so much earlier). Ghost in particular could have been a fun closing single for October 2014. I get pop got more crowded towards that period but Katy had a stockpile of hits to keep her afloat. I still wish she hadn't sit out 2015. It was truly a time where pop was on top and she was AWOL.

[@kylereddell]

What!! A video on Prism! (grabs popcorn) Dark Horse is by FAR the best track on this album. Love the vibe even to this day.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Oh it aged beautifully that track at least!

[@kylereddell]

@@EljohnMacaranas "that track at least" so true (RIP teenage dream goddess katy) but I'm still listening to what you have to say about the tracks! thanks for another great album revisit video.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

@@kylereddellthank you so much!

[@Sequoya]

Great video! You talked about so many things I didn’t know. Will have to revisit this record.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Aaaah! Thank you! I think weirdly enough even art meant to be “throwaway” means a lot. Like I used to view some music like that but symbolically people do imbue heart into everything they do. Some better than others but the sentiment is there!

[@BrokenDarkFire]

This is the first time I’m realizing all my favorite Katy Perry songs - the ones that I feel have aged the best - came from this album. I never followed her career super closely beyond what got radio play, but different songs off Prism kept going viral in my online circles. By The Grace of God has stuck with me since I first heard it in 2016-ish.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Honestly, it’s a really well made pop record, I felt continuing in that direction instead of what Witness ended up would have kept her relevant up to today.

[@o11_ie54]

Omg i love your power point sm😍❤️❤️

[@EljohnMacaranas]

My 17 year old self would genuinely be so flattered haha, I was insane but my English teacher bought it on iTunes so I got Katy her sale!

[@smileyface78]

Absolutely amazing video, love watching every second 💕♥️💕❤️💙

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Thank you so much! Hope to see you again for the 1989 Vault Tracks video! 🩵

[@smileyface78]

@@EljohnMacaranas you can count on it 🥰

[@bestjunkiewithagun2]

walking on air legendary lovers and double rainbow are my top 3 favorite songs love this album sm!! also justice for walking on air and legendary lovers should’ve become singles

[@blackrose-kt3ed]

I remember she was really big amazing tour and album How the hill this happened to her ? I miss her being big again

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I blame the hiatus being 4 years, Katy really missed out on 2015 being a huge year for the genre 😭

[@alberto_bifulco]

this album is a unique masterpiece, probably my favorite one ever. the production, the writing, the aesthetic, the whole mood was incredible. i can’t wait for her to give us kp6, even tho she won’t probably get the attention she deserves.

[@mohamadfirdausbinmat2577]

Katy Perry should win VMA. Her music videos are all well-produced and high budget. My most favorite one is Part of Me because of the empowerment message of the song collerates well with the visual storyline. The 12 year old me was so impressed of it that i always look forward to her next music videos just to see the visionary magic that Katy would do. I think it's not talked enough or almost not at all on how consistent she is with the visual arts of her music ❤.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I think she’s actually the video queen of the 2010s tbh, Gaga was too especially early on but Katy really has a whole videography that for a time was consistent.

[@baileygai2141]

Take In PRISM has the 1st and 3rd most viewed female music videos off all time. That’s legend status 👑🥰👸

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I think that's admirable like... those videos were insanely good!

[@Lttaylortt]

This is my favourite album of hers personally

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Probably her most balanced

[@KaylaJPaige]

Awesome video as usual! Have you considered doing avril lavigne’s discography?

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Oh that’s on my list! I’ve been blasting Goodbye Lullaby lately haha!

[@rayan4283]

in another universe, Legendary Lovers, Walking on Air and Ghost are singles.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Literally another 3 Top 10 hits.

[@pixelpudding3914]

And International Smile!

[@pixelpudding3914]

Tbh I still think the track list basically should’ve gone backwards, By The Grace Of God should’ve been the 1st single, then follow up with Dark Horse, then Unconditionally, then Roar, Birthday, and This Is How We Do could’ve gone in any order if we want to keep it the same. I would’ve liked Legendary Lovers after Dark Horse and International Smile could’ve been a fun closer but that’s just me. That way it sort of reflects the “Prism” theming. As in, it’s dull and colorless and then becomes a rainbow. (After a hurricane comes a rainbow lmfao)

[@EljohnMacaranas]

That actually sorta makes a lot of sense! I do think BTGOG would have been a cool risky single or maybe just like a pre Roar appetizer of sorts, I think keeping Roar/DH at the top worked best just to get those sure fire hits out. Legendary Lovers had to come after DH tho in any dream scenario like it was a free hit!

[@pixelpudding3914]

@@EljohnMacaranas BTGOG is such an underrated Katy song! I also think a music video for Legendary Lovers would’ve absolutely ATE

[@karacoconutag]

16 y/o me immediately chopped off my hair to copy Katy's new style as soon as I saw the promo artwork for the single "Roar." Not one of my worst decisions, honestly! 😆

[@EljohnMacaranas]

We love a pop star inspired haircut! 🌻 A good friend of mine cropped her hair short for 1989 and never came back from that!

[@RetroPokemonTCG]

Loved the vid! Very well-written and researched, I loved learning about the background surrounding the history of the album! If I could make one suggestion, I would recommend speaking a bit slower. I found nyself having to rewind several times to make sure I fully took in what you said. But still, overall a wonderful vid! You got a sub from me

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Oh thanks! I tend to speak pretty fast just out of habit but yeah, I def am more chill on podcasts. I have cut my caffeine recently so there’s that too! Man, when I recorded this Coca Cola was drank in the liters per day

[@gabot397]

This is honestly her best album quality wise. The production vocals, themes and overall cohesion make it great for me. Unfortunately it has been kind of paid dust a little even by Katy, partly because of how big 2 singles were but also because she’s is very vulnerable and transparent in here, so she may not want to go back to those emotions.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Tbf it’s a divorce album and those tend to be the most like challenging listens to be honest!

[@gabot397]

@@EljohnMacaranas Omg thanks for noticing my comment! And yes, you’re right. Actually, because of that vulnerability factor I think this album is way more deep and mature than whatever Witness was trying to be, and it was also way less pretentious.

[@crownthychamp3184]

I went through a tough time when this album came out. I skipped past Ghost and never heard it until 2020 (ironic). There's no way it shouldn't have been a single.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Olivia had a song v similar to it that was not a single either but was a fan fave

[@gracielaayala2226]

I love the album and the whole concept❤❤❤❤

[@EljohnMacaranas]

It’s a really sweet concept I felt like the imagery made a lot of sense!

[@gracielaayala2226]

This moment Is so good

[@EljohnMacaranas]

The tour version is cute

[@kartkaesque]

Have you thought about doing a video on why her career didn't become as great as it could and should have been?

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I think I will probably discuss that once the Play show is out on streaming. I think the thesis would be that she was too good at being a chameleon that very few really got to know her the way they did Ga, Bey, and Taylor. Rih noped out but had she stayed, she would have stuck. I also do think Witness took such a toll on her that she never quite “came back” wanting to be what she once was.

[@deadlynightshade4108]

I think she doesnt have a strong fanbase compared to beyonce, gaga, rihanna and tayler

[@drakehollie414]

Question what grade were you in when you made this powerpoint?

[@EljohnMacaranas]

11th lmao

[@loading...948]

We need katy to go all the way next era. Or be one of 2 or 3 writers like with one of the boys

[@EljohnMacaranas]

The potential is still there but I’m not sure she has that drive to want it to happen 😭

[@baileygai2141]

Prism is the best pop album.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I think it did a decent job in a contentious year like we had Bangerz, Artpop, Pure Heroine, True Romance, Night Time My Time, and so much more but you could argue it had the most impactful singles

[@MatthewMooMoore]

I voted for Walking on Air too rip

[@EljohnMacaranas]

The way I tried to get my friends to vote and they picked Dark Horse 😭

[@danteenlasnubes]

if dua is the new katy and fn was her teenage dream, is dl3 her prism? (it’s giving witness tho)

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Oh Dua really needs this era to show off her personality beyond making hits otherwise she lives or dies by the song and one bad album cycle spells doom.

[@danteenlasnubes]

if i was on her team i would’ve made her go silent on social media. then release a ballad and only promote it on traditional media (tv shows, radio stations and stuff like that). it would be different from the rest and innovative. plus, she said she was going to go on a more pre-streaming kind of sound and that kind of promo would make it more clear and a full statement.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Oh that makes sense!

[@nathanbizet8875]

Yeeeeesss ! Finally someone who heard the similiraty between ghost and pretty isn't pretty ! I was sure on my first listen that it was the same melody !

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I checked their chords (to learn to play on guitar) and same exact chord progression, there's a couple of other songs with it but in the specific sort of rhythm and key... Olivia's homage

[@luvmelon]

This is where her career starting going downhill. They made a lot of mistakes this era which really affected the future of her career.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

There were a lot of hits on this one she let sit for too long but the wait between Prism and Witness really tanked her.

[@adiawasthi4589]

Unconditionally should've never been single.its good as an album track. Roar Dark horse Walking on the Air Legendary lovers Should be official mainstream singles Unconditionally could be last single tho Bday & This is how we do should be promo singles

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Unconditionally’s like cadence and chorus looking back is a bit awkward too… I wish it’d been a promo single or a closer single.

[@rajmehul1781]

If you cant love me in my 👁️ and 😊 era then u cant love me in my kp6 era - mother perry in vegas ❤

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I’m praying KP6 is a return to her old magic!

[@rajmehul1781]

@@EljohnMacaranas man I loved her so much ( I still do) mostly from I kissed a girl to chained to the rhythm. Was her commercial peakkk

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Chained to the Rhythm was too ahead of its time

[@rajmehul1781]

@@EljohnMacaranas ya but that was one of the biggest selling songs of 2017... The biggest hit from 👁️era... Also her new music will come from her new management LITMUS music....I'm very excited for kp6 I can't blame SMILE album not being huge like her previous cuz in a lot of places it was leaked before it's release.. her song 365 with zedd too

[@blazedcams]

I’d love to hear your thoughts on madison beer’s new album. I don’t know if you’ve even listened to any of her work, but it’s definitely one of my favourite records of the year!

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I’ve listened to her most recent record but was taking a break during the time and I’ll likely include it in my year end. I liked it a lot!

[@frederiksandberg4479]

Do I guess right if you are not to reach me . Unless I do find the means to reach you? But I do not know the means to go about finding you! Do you get these short messages I send you?

[@divaexperimental]

girl where tf are the rest of the kick reactions

[@EljohnMacaranas]

somewhere in my notes app tbh… i might just do one long video for it one day, was on hiatus when they dropped tbh

[@divaexperimental]

@@EljohnMacaranas okay ate we’re waiting girl

[@gabvulpes]

how I wish the rollout had been: 1. Roar jul 2013 2. TIHWD set 2013 3. Legendary Lovers nov 2013 4.Dark Horse/PRISM fev 2014 5. Walking On Air may 2014 6. Unconditionally aug 2014 7. Birthday out 25th 2014 (Katy's birthday) 8. Ghost dec 2014 9. International Smile fev 2015 10. Love Me apr 2015

[@EljohnMacaranas]

I see the vision omfg… this also would have given her ample room to stay in the eye during 2015

[@noahalexanderoliver]

I think the tracklist could have been better. By the Grace of God should have been the opener because it was the song that kickstarted the album. It Takes Two should have been on the standard edition and Ghost should have been higher up on the tracklist. The closer should have Roar because it closes the album on a high note that she has healed. Also, I view Roar as the cheerful/less deep version of Part of Me.

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Oh that’s honestly a pretty good interpretation, I agree Roar is like Part of Me’s sweeter cousin sonically. I’m sorta shocked how frontloaded the album ended up on relisten, it’s feels more like a mixtape than a story but then again people didn’t start trying to feel like curators or storytellers with playlists until the following year onwards.

[@deadlynightshade4108]

I like katy perry. Im not a big fan but shes a flop now

[@EljohnMacaranas]

Well tbf not everyone can parlay a pandemic into a full on career renaissance