Katy Perry has ignited a heated discussion with the announcement of her first new single in two years. On Monday, the 39-year-old pop star revealed her upcoming track by posting a video of herself in a white bikini, with a snippet of the song playing in the background.
In her Instagram caption, Perry encouraged fans to “get ready to pop off” in anticipation of “Woman’s World,” set to release on Thursday, July 11. The music video will follow on Friday, July 12. The cover art, shot by British photographer Jack Bridgland, features Perry in thigh-high, cyborg-style boots and a white crochet bikini.
This marks Perry’s first new music since 2022’s “Where We Started,” a collaboration with US country artist Thomas Rhett. Her last album, “Smile,” released in 2020, reached number five on the UK albums chart.
While many fans have praised the cover art on social media, some have commented that both the image and the song snippet seem AI-generated. One user on X, formerly known as Twitter, remarked, “Oh look, it’s AI Katy Perry. Is her voice on her new record going to be as fake as this picture?” Another commented, “Katy Perry stuns in new promo AI generated image.”
Echoing these sentiments, a fan wrote, “ngl outside the snippet Katy Perry posted on Tiktok, this sounds AI generated. It’s like someone took bits from what Katy said in the last few years and turned it into a song.” Another user shared, “Im so sorry Katy Perry but your single sounds AI.”
These comments come a month after Perry urged people to “hold on to your common sense hat” when a fake picture of her at the Met Gala went viral. The “Firework” star revealed that even her mother was fooled by the AI-generated image, which showed Perry in a lavish floral gown on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Perry did not attend the event.
She warned people to be cautious of fakery ahead of the US election in November, writing on Twitter, “Wow ppl are STILL texting me that they can’t believe they missed me at The Met or OMG you killed it etc etc… welp, hold on to your common sense hat cause we in for a ride this fall…”
Perry’s new single, “Woman’s World,” will be released on July 11. She also shared a short snippet of the song on TikTok, hinting at a female empowerment theme. However, the production and lyrics have already faced criticism on social media, being labeled as “dated” and “cliché.”
On Monday, Perry unveiled the cover art and title for her forthcoming single, “Woman’s World,” which will serve as the lead single for her seventh album. “Get ready to pop off,” Perry wrote. This album will be her first full-length release since 2020’s “Smile,” which received a lukewarm response from critics and fans alike.
Since then, Perry has kept a relatively low profile for a chart-topping superstar. She gave birth to her first child with Orlando Bloom, a daughter named Daisy Dove, in August 2020. The following year, she launched “Play,” an 80-show Las Vegas residency. Perry has also served as a judge on “American Idol” for seven seasons, wrapping up her final episode in May.
As these endeavors neared their ends, Perry began hinting at a big pop comeback. Over a decade has passed since Perry released a celebrated album (2013’s “Prism”). Her most recent charting hit was “Daisies,” which peaked at No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2020.
When Perry finally kicked off her new era this week, she paired the announcement with a short snippet of “Woman’s World” on TikTok. The lyrics focus on female empowerment, individuality, and strength, themes Perry has explored in songs like “Firework” (2010), “Roar” (2013), and “Resilient” (2020).
However, Perry’s return to a familiar formula has not inspired confidence in the masses, judging by reactions on social media. “I was rooting for Katy but these lyrics are so dated,” one skeptic wrote on X. “It’s giving 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign material.”
Some people mocked the song’s production and overall sound, leaving harsh comments across TikTok. The top comment on Perry’s own video reads, “Get in the studio right now and re-record this song.” Another says, “Are these AI lyrics??”
In separate videos, various creators said the snippet sounds like “cliché drivel” and “an ARTPOP reject track,” referring to Lady Gaga’s 2013 album. Many others criticized Perry’s new visual direction, accusing her of copying aesthetics from niche pop musicians like Charli XCX and the Venezuelan producer Arca.
Another significant chunk of the critiques on social media stems from a rumor that “Woman’s World” is produced by Dr. Luke, whom Kesha publicly accused of emotional and sexual abuse. Kesha herself added fuel to the fire, simply writing “lol” on X shortly after Perry shared her announcement.
However, Business Insider could not verify the production credits for “Woman’s World.” A representative for Perry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Katy Perry’s new cover art for her highly anticipated record “Woman’s World” also drew accusations that the singer has used a weight loss drug, such as the infamous Ozempic medication. A recent clip of the artist filming herself singing her new track in a bikini further fueled speculations.
Taking to her social media on Monday, Perry uploaded her new song’s cover art, which was shot by Jack Bridgland. In the photograph, the 39-year-old songstress appeared to pose in metallic armor-like pants and a bikini top. “Woman’s World” is expected to be released on July 11, while its video will be dropped on July 12, Perry announced.
Upon unveiling her new cover art, people began to accuse the “California Girls” hitmaker of drastically losing weight after taking Ozempic. Moreover, a clip of the singer enjoying herself in a bikini teasing her new song, which Perry initially posted on her TikTok, further sparked weight loss controversy.
Ozempic is a medication used in adults with type 2 diabetes, and it has infamously been used by celebrities in recent years to rapidly lose weight. A recent clip of Perry filming herself singing her new track in a bikini further fueled speculations.
“Katy Perry has a new Ozempic commercial out,” an X user quipped. Another commented, “Ozempic is ozempicking mother is mothering we’re so back.” An observer wrote, “Damn they even got Katy Perry on that Ozempic.”
“Woman’s World” is part of Perry’s as-yet-unnamed album, which will be the musician’s first full-length release since her 2020 “Smile” album. But teasers of the track have already been drawing an underwhelming response from critics and fans alike.
After sharing a short snippet of “Woman’s World” on TikTok, people were quick to criticize the lyrics, which seemed to focus on female empowerment. A netizen penned on X, “I was rooting for Katy but these lyrics are so dated. It’s giving 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign material.”
The backlash continued to grow following an X post shared by the fan account Pop Drug, seemingly leaking most of the song. On Wednesday, Pop Drug clarified, “Apparently the Woman’s World snippet shared by Katy Perry is a Fake AI snippet to trick the fans and the haters. The actual song is much better according to fans who went to the listening party. Perry will reveal the actual snippet when coming closer to the release date.”
