How to Murder Your Career: The Katy Perry Formula

[@theswiftologist]

all my unedited reactions AND other full discography deep dives like this for kesa, katy, Miley, ariana etc, are all available behind the paywall: www.patreon.com/swiftologist

[@BrysonCreates102]

ONE HOUR AND SEVENTEEN MINUTES????? oh we’re getting fed.

[@Urlocalswiftie1989]

We all say “Thank you diva” in unison

[@becks2104]

needed this

[@kiba4687]

I love seeing the language of the youth it makes me smile. Getting fed. 😂❤

[@user-ko9bn3fw2e]

I feel like Sabrina has really taken the place of (peak) Katy Perry in pop music. Both have the cheeky irreverent tone, the 1950's pin up beauty, the artful dip into the risque: I kissed a girl vs the taste kiss &"the lord forgot my gay awakening". Peacock vs Bed Chem & Juno. They also took years of trying out different musical genres and tones before finding their niche and creating mythology to fit that niche; Sabrina going so far as to framing Short n' Sweet as her sophomore album. I don't mean to deem the same fate to Sabrina, in fact I think she's proven to be a a far better song writer who can captivate without having to lean on so many to do so.

[@arvolyptus4631]

Not even the burger and fries could have saved her from the black magic curse that the bad blood video put on her

[@ellehampton8804]

Katy’s “purposeful pop” was her saying “You’re gonna hear me… roar… strike that… MEOW.”

[@sanchitagolder]

sksksksksks

[@nf380]

Wrong album but nice try

[@chunli6197]

the fact there was a time where katy perry was more successful than taylor swift ?? thats why album artists last longer,you’re as good as ur last hit when u rely on singles,katy perry is a firework,thats the diffrence between a coldplay and a maroon 5.

[@soaribb32]

Truly. She's a firework. Taylor is a love story.

[@Kevin-rg3yc]

Yup exactly it’s always better to be a singles artist early in the beginning of your career like your debut years, while using that time to slowly and surely become a more album driven artist. Beyonce, ariana grande and Madonna are great examples of this, Rihanna could’ve accomplished this following anti if she didn’t get caught up being a billionaire businesswoman

[@Qpjh15]

There was a time when Katy Perry SINGLES were more successful. Taylor always had more successful albums and got more accolades.

[@ngocnguyen-cb4to]

i agree, ts might not be as successful as kp in the beginning years of her career with singles, but ts always got more success in albums and the critics criteria, but now ts is just better overall, and we can all say 'not even close'

[@jvaleriarojas5167]

I remember those moments when "Bad blood" started, the katycats called 1989 a stroke of luck , They said witnnes would finish her off

[@tylertyler3214]

I remember being a Katycat in 2012 and being promised prism would be dark and gothic… then it was teenage dream leftovers

[@daxmichael6855]

This is actually really interesting cause I can definitely see Dark Horse being part of that dark and gothic sound.

[@oliviapearson7913]

"Go outside beloved" is my new favorite universal roast

[@ellehampton8804]

Same! Tucking that away for future use for sure.

[@rebeccakelley9057]

I look forward to Swiftologist Sundays like my husband looks forward to Sunday Night Football.

[@theswiftologist]

as you should queen!!!

[@JacobLasher]

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

[@Klee3652]

Here I was, excited for radical optimism to win flop album of the year at the snake Grammys…

[@carterhahn_07]

radical optimism wasn’t that bad though, it was just average compared to future nostalgia

[@anjad.3656]

Radical floptimism is a masterpiece by comparison. Houdini and training season are infinitely more rememberable and decent pop songs. (Just not excellent)

[@jackfeeney5835]

At least dua tried to do something interesting Katy makes it look like she wrote 143 in 10 minutes

[@aidentan6547]

I always see Katy Perry career similar to Pink like if she keeps making those "pop rock - empowerment music" she might actually have a huge comeback BUT instead she decided to work with a bunch of dance and hip hop music producers lol

[@LD-tn6ff]

This is the dumbest comment I’ve ever seen.

[@NateSullivan813]

her and scooter being the biggest victim of tayvoodoo, she never got over the bad blood moment

[@FRANZTENDO64Philippines]

Theres more on that lol.

[@Des-Laine]

This is honestly the truth!

[@serenas5411]

So true 🤣🤣

[@favOriTe-v6e]

crazy how she won the Roar x Applause war in 2013, sent lady gaga to a career crisis but now fell off and gaga is still taken seriously.

[@minuishaq631]

Artpop is considered a good album now also. It was ahead of its time tbh.

[@maeby3258]

I was a little monster at the time and I didn't even understand what was going on😔 Artpop was terribly underrated, I think maybe the marketing was off. Looking back applause as a single doesn't make much sense

[@alexandrite61]

I genuinely think Roar only got as big as it did because it rode the coattails of Teenage Dream's success. Even by standards of pop music at the time, it still was way too cringey.

[@sabrinarodrigues629]

I've always detested "Roar" ... it's such a clownish song I can't stand it. I'm like tf she thinks she's a lion just shut up that roar

[@myBquest]

Artpop was ahead of its time. Was it her best? No. But it wasn't as bad as some people put it back then, and Gaga trying to hide it because she was ashamed didn't help either. It was very experimental for the time. I still listen to Applause while Roar is a song I hate because the lyrics give me the cringe and already feels outdated. The problem is, Lady Gaga wrote and co-produced her own songs, while Katy has always had someone there to help her out with that, and that's not a bad thing, it's just the people who she received that from are not helping at all and did it for the money, not the art.

[@dakotalee6990]

I always say being boring is original sin. I'd much rather see someone go out on a limb and fall out of the tree than just sit on the ground the whole time, and boy was this album grounded in the worst way.

[@belle14915]

The flopdom of Katy Perry’s career really needed to be studied…and you came through

[@Itsdarienalmanza]

I agree that is a class I would succeed at 😂

[@Lbbrooke]

The evolution of the pop landscape for women is so interesting because in the 90s/early 2000s and into the 2010s female (actually almost all) pop stars were just caricatures to feed some machine. Then, it would have been beneficial to simply be pliable and do what you’re told to make a name for yourself. But now, with streaming and the consumption of our music and art being less curated by suits behind closed doors, true artists are being allowed to hold the reins of their music and it has allowed the pop world to be truly elevated. There just isn’t room for somebody who isn’t doing it for love of the art.

[@user-ke2ot4wd2s]

Benny Blanco said a few weeks ago that they rewrote Teenage Dream a bunch of times, until it was perfect.

[@ijm1261]

That's absolutely hilarious

[@anushkakulkarni112]

This is her karma for saying mariah was just good for a throwback💀

[@mikealan1984]

When did she say that

[@shargreen9950]

now katy’s the one who’s good for a throwback 😭😭

[@Itsdarienalmanza]

Haha 😂 it all comes back around

[@arturoDelgado-d3p]

She still is lol

[@Isabeltiful_da_bel]

1 hour and 17 minutes video two days after an already so well made video? We don't deserve all this flawless material honestly.

[@jenn9049]

the swiftologist is swifologing lately

[@colekayve]

I feel like the summary is: She simply couldn't adapt. And when she did? It was too late and nobody cared anymore. Tbh...katy isnt really talented at keeping peoples attention, at least not in the long run. And shes not a great lyricist. Which is fine, you don't have to be good at every aspect of being a pop star. Its just... her two shortcomings are a deadly combination. It pretty much guarantees people will lose interest AND her music isn't unique enough to earn back the lost fans. This album...was destined to fail cause of those two reasons...dont get me started on the Doctor Luke of it all

[@vitancherep8244]

The NUN LAWSUIT!!?? 😭😭😭

[@iwilitu6591]

You didn't know hahaha

[@aaliyahfoster2705]

"Katy Perry, please stop!", begged a nun. Then she collapsed and died.😭

[@lokislilproductions6542]

how one can completely shift the culture yet 2 albums later become a punch line on stan twitter

[@augustmoments]

Going from California girls to “la da dee,la dee da” is tragic

[@sabrinarodrigues629]

Her Crush lyrics is ... well I have no word for that.

[@anjad.3656]

Feels like lazy pop song writing for kids ... but then again, the hooks aren't even good enough to be played at a children's party

[@imkummerenimsong-wi1nj]

Underrated comment😂

[@asum-]

Well, I dont know what we expected... but I think I want my 33 minutes listening to that Album back...

[@warspite_4715]

FULL PLAYTHROUGH??? girl i did 20 minutes and said thats 21 minutes more than it should've😭😭

[@bruhyouare6720]

the popculturethoughtfulcommentary-ologist and i’m seated

[@deliacordero110]

i feel like katy perry's career could be summarized by the phrase "good enough!". she's simply, good enough. not worse, but never better

[@mountaineergirl255]

"If you didn't get laid in high school, why are you making it everyone else's problem?" I'll be using this, it applies to so many people in so many situations.

[@Pironya1]

One thing I appreciate that NO ONE ELSE DOES is that you focus on the message and your ideas above everything else. I appreciate the level of research and nuance you bring to your analysis. Kudos!

[@paperbackenthusiast]

OH YEAH over an hour long video essay, let me get my breakfast and start the day RIGHT

[@margoalex.]

what absolutely kills me about this “era” like you said is how absolutely huge chappel, sabrina, and charli are this year???? I’ve been getting youtube recommendations since march about how “recession music” is coming back and how people WANT the kind of campy, fun, vapid music katy used to make so like it wouldn’t have been that hard for her to make a comeback if she earnestly wanted to but it’s clear she just doesn’t care anymore

[@mistahmago]

i could just sit here all day and listen to you talk. it’s so interesting and i love how clear you are with your points. props to you mama ✨

[@theswiftologist]

such a great compliment to get!!

[@Christanstonir]

I’m relatively new here and I def was immdiately like” there is something so pleasing about his voice and delivery” 😊😊

[@ascendednightingale2456]

@@ChristanstonirWelcome to the chaos 😂. I agree, Zach is a wonderful commentator. If you haven’t already, you should check out his podcast he does with his friend Madeline. She is hilarious and they have excellent chemistry together.

[@ellehampton8804]

People need to subscribe because you always say what I’m thinking but can’t articulate. Respect for your work, and the effort and thought that go into every video you make. You are the Swiftologist but also the CommonSenseOlogist.

[@vikitm4724]

True! Especially if you’re not a native speaker and still learning english🙂‍↕️

[@GroovyRoo]

Seriously, the big issue here is the following. Katy Perry is detached from reality somehow, she hasn’t connected with her fans for a long time. At this point she has no particular aesthetic that makes her recognizable to a public of old and new listeners. She has no emotional connection with her new music, herself included. She needs to get back to basics and learn how to write a meaningful album that manage to touch people. This is not the 00’ or 10’ decades that were heavy influence by the male gaze to be able to be successful in the music industry. The other point is… there’s tons of producers that could make her have a comeback but she chose the one she would get the most backlash of all as her producer knowing that was going to affect the release. She clearly don’t care about what the media, the public and the fans think about it.

[@isaacpomarleau9008]

I feel like pop music in general runs through new artists quickly, especially when you aren’t writing your own music. Most pop songs could be song by anyone and there wouldn’t be much of a difference, so it’s hard for artists to stay relevant when there isn’t anything unique to make you stand out. Katy Perry was kind of the first with that style of pop, so it made her stand out, but now when everyone is doing the same thing, she’s just another pop artist. Also she’s trying to sing about being all sexy and young, but it’s not as cute when a 40 year old does it compared to a 20 year old. Some artists like Arianna Grande and Selena Gomez manage to have a couple big songs and are regularly putting out new albums, but when it takes you 4 years to release a 12 song album with 10 writers a song, you don’t really have anything special to offer anymore when the writing talent just isn’t there

[@anjad.3656]

I mean her artistry/musicality/lyricism wasn't good enough to be on the level of Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Ariana and other women roughly in her age bracket who manage to stay relevant and consistently have good and inspired musical output over several decades. She could have either done a Pink 2.0 and settle for the more family/mom image, more family friendly middle of the road pop tunes or live shows with the good songs she already has/ her Vegas residency. Or the other option would be to be like Kesha or Charli XCX and embrace the messy, fun party girl side of yours. While also seasoning your albums with the more vulnerable, heart felt tracks. But I don't know if Katy could really pull it off. I would buy a Kesha or a Charli having kids/a husband and still partying/knowing how to have a fun time... not so sure about Katy though. I do sincerely wish we had more women being 35+ in the pop and music world, mothers or not mothers, being sensual, sexy and fun. People get much older than in previous decades and I don't think you should feel limited in your behavior just because you're over 40

[@issa-joaquin]

If Katy Perry knew even just a little bit about songwriting, she'd know that she needs NEW GHOSTWRITERS because the lyrics from 143 are the most horrendous, soulless half sentences ove ever heard

[@manic_girl]

Someone described it as “Love Island music” and I can’t agree more. It has no soul

[@1marilynable]

Let's be honest. Katy got super inspired by Lady Gaga for the California girls album. Not sound, but she started to become more extreme in costuming and packaging. In my opinion the entire pop industry took notes from Gaga. I mean she raised the freaking bar.

[@disneyjunkie19]

I’m shocked that “pop fan who’s capable of journalist-levels of research and criticism” was birthed by the swiftologist. Love your videos.

[@cloudsinmycoffeemug]

It cut to a commercial when you said "Okay. [commercial]vWell that's another Katy Perry album" and I lost it

[@tobiasholzmann1397]

Katy really needs to go back into the Studio with Bonnie, Benny and Max

[@ellie4601]

katy perry's downfall is what i think would have happened to taylor if snakegate didn't stop her from spinning out of control. there was a total lack of awareness, too many "yes" men, too much fame - a cancellation stopped that and forced her to take a step back, resulting in her being able to develop more self-awareness. yes there have been some bad decisions since then, but all in all, it was needed. I'm hoping that this album allows katy to fail and force her to develop a sense of awareness that she's completely lacking.

[@VEGAS-NERVE]

The way I was so obsessed with her back in the early 2000’s that the first CD I ever purchased was ‘One of The Boy’s’, and since then I haven’t listened to her at all. It’s very telling about how fast her career flopped.

[@iwilitu6591]

She wasn't active in the early 2000s

[@curryfishheadenjoyer]

I remember teenage dream being inescapable when I was like 10, then after prism people just kind of stopped talking about her. I didn't know she had any albums after prism for years

[@connorleach6933]

Katy cats really are on a first class flight to Floptropica

[@britneyisqueen]

LMAOOO

[@anonimous9540]

Katy is the most bubblegum pop artist there is. She can’t dance like Britney or Janet, she can’t write like Taylor or Mariah, and she doesn’t have that diva voice like Mariah, Whitney, or Beyoncé. She is average at best, and she understands that. What I find so interesting is that she had a lot of bad things to say about divas like Britney, Mariah, and Taylor. The audacity she had to call Mariah Carey a “throwback act” during her Prism era is so laughable to me because she became a throwback act after that and Mariah goes number one every year. I’m pretty sure she also made fun of Britney’s mental health in 2019, which I find disgusting. She is literally willingly working with Dr. Puke and making artists like Kesha feel awful because Katy is working with someone who is an alleged abuser. All Katy has is Teenage Dream and nostalgic hits like “I Kissed a Girl,” “Dark Horse,” and “Roar,” and we are so over the millennial idea of feminism. Katy tried to come back and have her moment, but 143 is not The Emancipation of Mimi, it’s not Circus nor Reputation. It’s an album full of songs that sound like they were made in 2012, with awful lyrics may I add.

[@mustafamehdi1663]

Paris Hilton is selling more albums than her and she ain’t no musician and i blame perry for this cuz she deserves to do better honestly i never thought u could have to flops of the century highly publicised ones

[@ellehampton8804]

“Go outside, beloved.” Stealing this, Zach. It’s now mine. K?

[@sarahs3412]

When I tell you I RAN here 🏃‍♀️

[@mikeandthediamonds]

Absolutely. She can't read the room AT ALL, and reconciliation WITH HIM isva proof she is an awful person and just A BILLBOARD, like you've mentioned. She's not here for the music, but for selling it to us. And now, WE AREN'T BUYING IT AT ALL

[@sydneyprather8668]

Whenever Katy Perry comes up, I always think of Todd In The Shadow’s video on Witness. In it, he blames Prism for the end of her career and talks about his theory of the “delayed flop.” In this, the artist has a smash album (Teenage Dream) and because of this, the next album is also a smash because it’s riding the coattails of the previous album’s success. But if nobody really liked what was on that album, you’ll pay the flop tax on the next release. I truly think Prism was Katy’s delayed flop because of how soulless it was, and it set the tone for the rest of her career

[@SivanEzra]

GAGGED by this title!!!! I am SEATED thank you 👑

[@theswiftologist]

workshopped on The Discord of course...

[@joshsantos7477]

It’s so sad… I honestly liked Smile even though it wasn’t anything special and I was rooting for her big comeback, safe to say I’d like those 33 minutes back 😒

[@PristineWhens]

I just want you to know that your videos have helped become more analytical in my own life, and really understand things from all sides. In short, I think your vids made me a bit smarter 😂😅. So Thank you.

[@MrVideoGameDude]

I really respect how researched and honest / thoughtful your videos are, it's clear you work hard. Love the channel.

[@cs6465]

I've been sitting and hitting refresh on youtube over and over again waiting for this!!!

[@clairewhite9740]

Even at her supposed “peak” during the Teenage Dream era, I found Katy and her music to be a bit corny. I never connected with her the way I did with other pop girls, and I never understood why she (of all people) was the top female artist of the early 2010s. There was always something so cynically “corporate” about her and her music that put me off. Couple that with the fact that her singles were literally spammed into my ears nonstop working in retail in the early 2010s, that now the sound of her voice alone gives me Nam flashbacks.

[@alexandraeilise]

I think another reason Katy can't recreate Teenage Dream is because she's a 40-year-old mother now. Teenage Dream literally is youth; no matter how good you look (and she looks great!) the public isn't going to forget you're not twenty anymore. The kitsch was cute when she was 25, but I think it would come off a little cringe at 40.

[@ellehampton8804]

People need to subscribe STAT because you always deliver. Respect the thought, hard work, and effort you put into every video. You’ve transcended being the Swiftologist. You are the CommonSenseOlogist. You say what I’m thinking but can’t put into words. Thanks for this thoughtful, respectful analysis of how Katy went from a Firework to a firecracker that barely makes a pop - much less a bang.

[@ellehampton8804]

Her stint on American Idol did her no favors at all. Well, that and putting out shitty music - album after album - for YEARS. So excited to watch your perspective on her demise.

[@pckrichards7980]

She’s pretty good as a judge, but it definitely doesn’t help her brand when she still want to be a major pop girl

[@sann021]

I said it once and I'll say it again, Bonnie Mckee was the mastermind behind the TD era. If you see her insta, you can continue to see Bonnie putting out music in the same vain as TD and she doesn't seem out of ideas when it comes to her own music, that's because TD was always her concept and something she thought of and then gave to Katy because at the time Bonnie needed the money. I wish people would give Bonnie a lot more credit as she truly continues to work hard and deserves her dues.

[@Noah-vl3de]

I have COVID and this is perfect comfort viewing, bless you

[@Ajlikestraveling]

I hope you get better soon my dude 🥰

[@imnotmarthastewart8120]

❤ Get well soon. 🌼

[@MelissaMarieEll]

❤ Covid sucks …feel better fast. 💨

[@carrandia]

Get well soon 🎈

[@lunaticnick96]

The highlight of the weekend: Watching a new Swiftologist video

[@averageteenagegirl]

I was actually shocked when i listened to 143 because it’s just so obviously…bad? I feel like it’s so rare for pop girls to release something genuinely horrible. There’s a lot of mundane things, but I almost never listen to a song and am like “this is bad.” So to have a whole ALBUM filled with bad songs??? How did this get past her entire team????

[@Dylanpuck]

WE ASKED FOR FOOD AND WE GOT FEED THANK YOU ZACH FOR THIS OVER AN HOUR VIDEO

[@alexnicole6806]

I’ve never been looking forward to a video more in my life. Can’t wait to dive in 🖤

[@HsioxIdixii]

Oh Zack, get behind me! The 3 Katycats there are in total are retweeting-mark this video as hateful and abusive content! 😂

[@theswiftologist]

What they don’t get is that KZbin’s content moderation is advanced and wise to spam reporting of things that aren’t actually hateful lmfao

[@HsioxIdixii]

@@theswiftologist Unfortunately, I can’t explain that to the one Katy Perry stan, where logic just isn’t present, and they’re going 'an indie single mother experimenting with a new genre, no label support, no radio, no TikTok, just a dancey album and pure fan love.' 🤣😭

[@creepypapermultipack]

I think you really touched on the crux of why Katy continues to flop when you said that she just continues to embody the “hello, fellow kids” meme. That combined with her refusal to actually understand where the culture is at at any given time is a recipe for cringe. It also seems that she fundamentally just doesn’t know who she is as a person and that informs her endless ambiguity and inauthenticity as a pop star. Excellent deep dive, Zach.

[@Azal3az_.]

1 MINUTE AGO? I have school tomorrow and it's 12am but i am SEATED

[@maryem9225]

I was just listening to Kesha distography on shuffle and her first half reminded me a little bit of of katy perry. Their songs would be the ones playing in school dances, roller rinks, weddings, and parties. They were everywhere. They also shared Dr. Luke as a producer. But Kesha did something very smart - she pivoted and showed the world who she was. She’s done that consistently since Rainbow came out. They weren’t chart topping or record breaking, but she had something to say, it was interesting, it was captivating, it was a risk, and, in my opinion, it payed off. She’s not selling the way TikTok or Die Young sold, but she has a real fanbase, a captivating story, and a soul to bear through music and seems to really need music and was able to shed her pop factory gloss. The thing with Katy Perry, I fear, is that she doesn’t really “need” music, the way that other artist describe needing music and when her pop factory gloss came off, there wasn’t much left. Honestly, if Katy went back to her pre-One of The Boys singer songwriter inclinations, it would have been better than 143.

[@Lauverrrrrr]

i would KILL! for you to do a video on doja cats career (mainly the scarlet era) of her career find it so interesting and she’s such an incredible marketer, artist and performer. pls

[@coquettebitch6981]

Never happening he said he dosent speak on artist that work with dr luke

[@coquettebitch6981]

omg sorry if that sounds rude tho 😭😭

[@francescayuzon1255]

zach! you are one of the most thoughtful, unfortunately over-hated pop critic in the game right now, listening (yes your pop vid commentaries are what i listen to when i study haha) to you has transformed the way I engage with art, allowing me to appreciate it thoughtfully without falling into a parasocial relationship. You help me understand that sometimes art resonates, and sometimes it doesn't, and your analysis sheds light on why that is.

[@FrancesWebb-xh6ii]

I don't think 143 would have fared well in any context but Sabrina's ascension really showed that a cheeky humorous pop persona is always more enjoyable when there is good songwriting attached.

[@quicksilvering]

I really liked the originally concepts of smile with Never Really Over, Small Talk and Harley's In Hawaii I was genuinely hurt when she left them as droplet eras

[@anjad.3656]

Never really over and Small talk were so good and felt like what the comeback of the Teenage Dream/Prism Katy could have been. Harleys in Hawaii doesn't have a good hook or at least not a hook that suits Katy imo. (But that's just my personal opinion, I know it's really popular).It's too chill and down tempo. I think she's at her best with up beat bubble gum, kind of vapid and funny but relatable pop.

[@crafty9795]

Zach, I’m seeing this video as sort of a sequel to Todd in the Shadows trainwreckord of Witness, this was really well done!

[@Ajlikestraveling]

My theory is this that Katy’s mind process froze back in 2013. I will stick with this theory with my whole chest 😭

[@milaces1323]

Class is in session, i'm here to LEARN.

[@РутаАсадаускайте]

My snacks are ready 🍿

[@lukewarmbloodedmammal]

We hereby conduct this post mortem. How did it end? (Katy's Version)

[@BlueMoon-io9eh]

I'll never forgive Katy Perry for ruining Katy Perry for me. "The One That Got Away" is on the list of my all time favorite songs & music videos. It's a detail filled, emotional but upbeat pop banger. Her artistry is tragically stale. If she wants to save her career, she desperately needs a Jolene/Folklore immediately! If you've ever listened to the acoustic mixes of Teenage Dream, then you know that she could easily pull it off.

[@madisonkic9706]

Ooooh, perfect thing to listen to during my Sunday cleaning 🫶🏻

[@sofieglazemakers]

Day: improved. Thank you for the leg work!

[@honestmissology]

I sit here every time you upload, play the video and I'm the whole time like: EXAAAAACTLY

[@jj9533]

The fact that you are branching out on other topics beyond TS is amazing and the knowledge is there!! The amount of effort put into this again, like your vma video is 10/10 Would love a video topic on the lore of the singer JoJo. Her breakout childstar success, how she sued her label, why she isnt as big as she should be and where she is now

[@f.airy.x]

Katy Perry should have used the pandemic time to brainstorm and go through the creative process of an album. If she released an album to follow up "Never Really Over," collaborated more with Charlie Puth, and dove into the 1970's aesthetic she probably would have had a successful comeback summer of 2022. I mean people would have ate that up with Harry's House being as successful as it was. That optimism and bright colorful aesthetic was what people were obsessed with summer of 2022. Do I think it would have been Teenage Dream or even Prism level of successful? No tbh, but it would help regain the public's interest in her. I also don't think people would mind "Never Really Over" being released far apart from the album if it was released in 2022 because she can easily blame the pandemic for why the album was released so far apart. Katy was just one of many artist who did not use the pandemic wisely and that's a shame.

[@randomgirlreviews]

Watching the downfall of Katy Perry's career in real time is honestly really sad for people like me who grew up listening to her music and loving her, but I definitely agree with your analysis of why it's happening

[@presleyvasquez5000]

I officially lost all respect for Katy Perry when she started shilling herself out to the MLM companies performing at their big corporate cult meetings.

[@ngocnguyen-cb4to]

The way her fandom justifying for dr.luke's sexual assault makes me sick. He definitely a rapist and the whole fandom is saying kesha playing victims to get the fame

[@DonnyWinter]

Evanescence also hugely shaped that time in the early 2000s. I could definitely see them being a somewhat influnece on Katy's early years.

[@kel1477]

The line "go outside beloved" when preemptively calling out obnoxious people was beautiful

[@joe7755_]

i‘m getting to a point where i simply cannot live without these BRILLIANT analyses of pop culture. you have such an exquisite way with words and are soo eloquent, its honestly addicting and you should never ever stop doing these!!

[@elevationstudio6752]

Wow! You are so articulate and thoughtful, just amazing . Your delivery of your videos is superb. Thanks for taking the obvious time that you take to make them. I’m always tuning in to you. ❤

[@emptythoughtspod]

You’re so well spoken this was genuinely so informative and entertaining!

[@sagelabyrinth8780]

Our king is working around the clock!!!

[@derekkarofsky9694]

Swiftologist woke up and decided that Katy will regret releasing 143 omg. Hahaha

[@mikeandthediamonds]

Additionally, what also has killed 143 even more - it was Kesha who got into a fight with Joyride and INDEPENDENTLY, without radio or a hige label promotion, MOTHERED woman's world so hard that there was no reason to even think of Katy or what she's releasing at this point. Kesha while being independent and suffering from flop and sabotaged by kemosabe ENDED Katy. Remarkably, Rainbow and Praying are the most successful projects between this two since 2017. Witness was MOTHERED by Kesha, so did Smile and 143.

[@sunnesunne4039]

Im not sure Katy Perry even cares about her pop career anymore, she has made a ton of money . This entire thing just reads like contractual obligation to me. Unfortunately Katy does not have the songwriting chops of Alanis, who wrote from a place of authenticity and experience ....Katy has always felt like product, sometimes that product resonates but that type of contrived career is almost impossible to sustain.

[@aleaf9690]

"sofia the robot vibes" you butchered her and sliced her into uncountable pieces with that. I can't 💀💀💀💀

[@recidivist26]

I might have missed it but it’s also worth noting that Katy Perry campaigned hard for Hilary Clinton in 2016. She performed at the Democratic National Convention and even joined Clinton on the campaign trail. I just mention because it seems like she herself had a personal investment in the 2016 election, which influenced Witness. Chained to the Rhythm was supposedly written a week after Trump won the election.

[@dieterdelange9488]

What I can't understand is why everyone turned on Katy for getting "political" with Witness, but applauded Taylor for releasing YNTCD and Miss Americana.

[@VGirl]

This album has me convinced that Max Martin was the real genius and Dr. Luke just piggy-backed off the songwriting talent of the women he abused.

[@LayeredGamer]

Great video Zach! I’m still watching so ignore if you say this later in the video, but the same Chris A&R from OOTB era is doing 143 era and did an Insta post about Katy’s VMA performance talking about how it was a tribute to the “great honest man” Dr. Luke. Gross! I think you’ve really hit the nail on the head. Katy was never really the full driving force, and that’s bit her now.

[@rosental8696]

always above the trees, seeing it for what it is!! you have an amazing ability to see the whole picture, connect the dots and explain things eloquently. are you a journalist or something!? :) love your videos

[@sanchitagolder]

there is happiness because of him

[@katelynm.9510]

He is!

[@bunniesisland]

As someone who has been following pop music pretty closely since the mid-90s, the comments about Max Martin's writing are so painfully accurate 😅