2017 was an odd year for Katy Perry.
She earned a top 5 with comeback jam ‘Chained To The Rhythm’ and snagged a $25 Million check for her judging services on the upcoming reboot of ‘American Idol.’
However, it proved to be the most trying year of her music career.
Singles came and went with little impact, housing album ‘Witness’ tanked, and she somehow seemed to lose the ever elusive “cool” that so many clamour for. In many ways, she became the definitive meme of what’s not popping in the pop cultural sphere.
This reality isn’t one that went unnoticed by the head of her label, Capitol Records exec Steve Barnett.
See what we mean below…
Speaking in an interview with Variety, the industry vet wrapped his enthusiasm in Perry’s ability to reverse her fortunes in refreshing candidness. Indeed, he said of her underperformance:
“It’s an interesting story. I love her and have forged a great relationship with her. I talk about how engagement is so important and I don’t believe you can have big cycles between projects [as Katy did]. I think that’s changed. And so you sit down and have tough conversations with her and management. As successful as you’ve been, you learn. Personally I’ve learned more from our mistakes than our successes and I believe our artists are in the same category as that. But she has a plan, and we have a plan, and I feel good about it.”
All the image and sonic missteps aside, he makes a strong point about artists not being afforded the luxury of long gaps. And we’d argue that that’s especially the case for cookie-cutter Pop acts such as Katy.
The mass of music and endless means of accessing it are more plentiful than ever, hence it’s just not possible to disappear for years between projects with the guarantee that there’ll be an audience waiting when back.
We’re not sure we share Barnett’s enthusiasm when it comes to Katy, as regaining one’s “cool” is difficult when the quality itself is so relative and intangible by nature.
What’s more, climbing back to the heights she once enjoyed after the knock-down she received will be an uphill struggle in today’s climate. Not impossible. But definitely difficult.
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well like Katy herself said Karma’s not a liar… Capitol Records single-handedly ruined it for LeToya, Faith Evans, Cherish and every artist on their Urban/R&B section and threw all the money on Katy instead. I don’t wish bad things on her but I’m hoping they lost a lot of money on Witness. hope they go bankrupt
This statement is simply not true!
Faith thought she could take her time and make an album every other 3-5 years like she did with Bad boy and Capitol simply wasn’t here for it. She also states she was basically home sick for Bad Boy in her book.
Letoya Luckett is lazy! She had Capitol excited for her 2nd album because she did so well her debut. She’s another one who didnt use the label to release her 2nd album in a good time frame. The hype died down after her debut and it’s totally her fault.
Cherish was just riding the last waves of crunk R&B, they simply didn’t have the fan base to support them. Those singles from the second album were promoted, no one but their fans wanted to hear it.
Capitol Records is a powerhouse label. The biggest artist they’ve ever had is Nat King Cole. Katy Perry flopped because pop audiences are the most fickle. Here today gone tomorrow. Has nothing to do with karma, people just weren’t here for her this era. Which is odd because I’ve seen albums being praised that aren’t even half as good as witness actually was.
The First Lady was a success first week and they didn’t bother to push it further with decent videos.
You clearly know nothing about LeToya’s run at Capitol. She had to find videos out her pocket because the label wouldn’t pay for more than one. That’s not unheard of nowadays but back then it’s absurd. Her team fought for Regret to be the first single but they forced Not Anymore because they thought Ne-Yo’s writing would make it a hit and then barely pushed She Ain’t Got to Rhythmic radio. They couldn’t even send her noms to the Grammys properly during her debut era! They only nominated her for the general field categories. She was the first Urban act in their roster in sixteen years to see the top of the Hot 200 and they did her like that. They ran their Urban A&R department to the ground and that is true.
On the topic of letoya, her last 2 albums are so underrated. Back 2 life is solid!
But the thing is that despite the gap – the music just ain’t poppin’ – it’s Pop Music – it’s not rocket science. She did it well before – but this time not input did the music not work – her styling turned people off (she just isn’t pleasant to look at or connect with like she was) and this forced humour in all her videos is just grating – like – if you’re naturally goofy fine – but I want to see a proper music video concept to your music – but you tongue in cheek goofing around and rolling your eyes.
You would think she had a Ciara-sized flop from the way they’re acting.
lol ?
Ciara might flop but her husband hold her up HIGH!!
She flopped for the simple reason she started a feud years ago with taylor Swift then waited until she had music to sell to talk about it and sing about it. Most people said By Felicia. Careful what you do cause like she said Karma is not a liar.
Wasn’t it The Snake that made a song and music video dissing her first? It’s simple, pop music died at the turn of 2016, urban music is back on top. You have too many White pop girls all in the same space, plus once they turn 30, it’s on to the next younger, prettier, s*** girl to run to.
Yes Taylor Swift
Still Sell like a PowerHouse!
Sorry but she looks terrible with short hair.
✅ I don’t know who told her that ish was cute…
“All the image and sonic missteps aside, he makes a strong point about artists not being afforded the luxury of long gaps. And we’d argue that that’s especially the case for cookie-cutter Pop acts such as Katy.
The mass of music and endless means of accessing it are more plentiful than ever, hence it’s just not possible to disappear for years between projects with the guarantee that there’ll be an audience waiting when back”
There was a pop star that dropped an album every year for 7 years straight, and YOU wrote, post and made a lot of money off dissing her for having “mcAlbums”. Her name is Rihanna.
Katy is ABOUTT done which is expected since she’s about 35. Dua Lipa is the new upcoming IT girl. Katy’s era flopped because it was more generic, watered down pop music. She needs to bring something wholly fresh and forward thinking. Also, she needs a new release this year with soft promo to salvage Witness or be a perpetual hasbeen if she waits two years to release another project.
Katy better go to Vegas…
She’s old
Period.
IMO THAT ALBUM SUCKED in more ways then one!! American Idol funds are her SAVING GRACE!!
It all boils down to one thing… THE MUSIC! And it sucked this time around, sorry but she better get it together. The music was subpar at best