Katy Perry’s comeback is nigh thanks to her latest Just-Eat Jingle, predicts Ciarán Howley
The term “flop era” is one that is an over-prescribed phrase used to describe female artists who fail to meet the expectations they have established for their fanbase. Consider an artist like Taylor Swift. Her fans are at their happiest when the artist is making music in that soft spot between folk, pop, and country. While Reputation may not be the slay or the serve many had hoped, it’s by no means the flop it was declared to be and remains a great example of why musicians need to test their boundaries to understand their strengths.
Which brings us to Katherine Hudson, the artist more commonly known as Katy Perry. While she initially began her career with a Christian Rock album (yes), she conquered pop charts with the poorly aged ‘I Kissed a Girl’ in 2008 from the One of the Boys album.
It was her third album Teenage Dream that saw Perry ascend to the Main Pop Girlie summit, an album that spawned three number one Billboard singles - tied only with Michael Jackson. The brand that made her beloved hinged on this happy go lucky, sweeter-than-sugar all-American girl.
One thing to be conscious of before criticising Katy Perry is that she’s camp. Her look, costumes and music are definitely in bad taste but she’s more than self-aware.
Food became a recurring motif throughout, funnily enough. Perry was often seen in candy stripes and surrounded by fruit or saccharine props. When Katy Perry broke with this image to bring us “political pop”, she did not know her career was about to enter a five-year winter. Ironically enough, it would not be until an unlikely collaboration with a food delivery company that the frost would start to thaw.
One thing to be conscious of before criticising Katy Perry is that she’s camp. Her look, costumes and music is definitely in bad taste but she’s more than self-aware.
What’s worse, is just how unforgiving the public was. Even though Perry had distanced herself from the social soothsayer affectation of Witness she returned and embraced her sugar-coated roots on Smile - the damage was done.
In Canada, it’s Skip. In the Netherlands it’s Thuisbezorgd. Insert the name into the jingle “Did Somebody Say…” and you’ve got Katy Perry’s comeback hit. Succeeding Snoop Dog as ambassador, it’s somehow the best thing Perry has put out in years.
The album was commercially and critically underwhelming. As Perry began to leave the limelight behind with himbo Orlando Bloom by her side and a baby to boot, it was hard to predict her next move. Until like everyone else, she embarked on a Vegas residency.
Perhaps it was Perry’s multimedia, tongue-in-cheek, muppet mania tour that piqued the interest of Just Eat, an polyonymous international food company. In Canada, it’s Skip. In the Netherlands it’s Thuisbezorgd. Insert the name into the jingle “Did Somebody Say…” and you’ve got Katy Perry’s comeback hit. Succeeding Snoop Dog as ambassador, it’s somehow the best thing Perry has put out in years. It’s quintessentially her.
While marketing seems to get weirder and weirder (the Stella McCartney x Audi commercial is particularly chilling), Katy Perry’s union with Just Eat is marketing done right. And for Katy, it’s hopefully a re-entry into pop culture the Kitty Cats have been hoping for.