Katy Perry's latest music video hasn't even been released yet, but fans are already up in arms over the teaser.
On Tuesday, July 9, the 39-year-old pop icon unveiled a sneak peek at the "Woman's World" music video via Instagram, sparking outrage similar to the criticism Perry received when she first announced the single — a track touted to celebrate girl power — last month.
The "I Kissed a Girl" singer collaborated with Lukasz Gottwald (aka "Dr. Luke") on the track, the music producer whose involvement has cast a shadow over what was meant to be an anthem of female empowerment. (Gottwald was accused of rape, emotional abuse and more by Kesha; he denied the allegations and sued her for defamation.)
In response to Perry's initial announcement of the song, X (formerly Twitter) became a platform where voices of disappointment and anger converged.
"Explain to me how you came to the conclusion that a song called 'woman's world' should be produced by a rapist," one person alleged.
"dr luke, do you have no shame? 🤢," asked another.
"We don't want it," chimed in a third.
Now, with the sneak peek at the upcoming "Woman's World" music video, Perry is facing even more backlash.
Captioning the video with "BABY WE AIN'T GOING AWAY!" Perry is seen embodying a modern Rosie the Riveter. In the clip, she dons a denim outfit reminiscent of the iconic feminist symbol, complete with a bandana and a confident swagger. As she sips from a bottle labeled, "Whisky for Women" and wields a bedazzled hammer, Perry declares, "It's a woman's world and you're lucky to be living in it."
Once again, critics took to the internet to voice their opinions, claiming there was irony in the empowering theme given the ongoing controversy around the involvement of Dr. Luke.
One fan highlighted the disconnect between the song's message and the producer's alleged past, while another noted just how many men were cowriters on the track.
"It was co-written by six people, four of whom are men. It's produced by three men, one of whom is Dr Luke, who was accused of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse by Kesha. The video is also directed by a man. LOL 😂."
However, it wasn't just the collaboration with Dr. Luke that stirred the pot — critics also took issue with the lack of body diversity. "It's a woman's world and yet it only showcases one body type?" one person questioned on X. Additionally, another fan spotted a striking similarity to a Kesha promotional video — in which she is looking at a deflated version of herself. In the teaser, Perry begins as a deflated version of herself that becomes more animated.
As Perry navigates this backlash, any impact on her upcoming projects remains to be seen. But one thing is clear — the conversation around ethical accountability and representation in music production is far from over.
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