Katy Perry’s new album “143” has been long awaited by fans since her last album “Smile” released in 2020. The summer of 2024 has brought pop music back to the top of the charts. Album’s like Chappell Roan’s “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department,” Charli XCX’s “Brat,” Sabrina Carpenter’s “Short n’ Sweet” and Billie Eilish’s “Hit Me Hard and Soft” have given a big summer to pop music fans. This left a high bar for one of the most iconic pop artists, Katy Perry, to meet with her new album.
“143” is an album that was inspired by the strength and beauty of women and was intended to empower them. Unfortunately, it was uncovered that the album was co-written and produced by a well known misogynist and sexual predator in the music industry, Dr. Luke. The album has since been criticized for being hypocritical by fans and Perry’s musical colleagues alike. The condemnation of “143” only grew worse when Perry responded to the criticism by defending Dr. Luke, claiming he “facilitated” her journey in music.
To add to the drama, the quality of the songs on “143” are an embarrassment to Perry’s previous work. The album has eleven songs and collaborations with four big artists, yet none of them are appealing. The musical production is aiming to be a spacey, modern, clubbing version of the nostalgic pop from Perry’s earlier career, with influences from EDM and hip hop. It is not what people were expecting, as the album is generally not consistent with the teen-pop vibe of the introductory single “WOMAN’S WORLD.” The music is completely artificial — there is not one actual instrument being used in the entire album. The synthesized production overpowers the lyrics and vocals so heavily that it seems to be an intentional distraction from them.
Perry’s voice has been essential to her career. She stands out among other pop artists for possessing genuine vocal skills, power and range along with the fun vibe and sexy attitude needed to succeed in pop. Her singing capabilities are not heavily featured in the album, when they should be utilized to enhance the quality. Instead, the few vocal highlights that are present are drowned out by the production.
The worst exhibit of the aggressive production is in the song “ARTIFICIAL” featuring JID. The song is overwhelmed by layers of synthesized beats and autotune, making it impossible to connect with or even enjoy the song. The lack of actual singing comes off as Perry’s lack of effort into the album, and it is another disappointment for fans. Another song from “143” that is almost unbearable is “CRUSH.” The production involves cheap autotune, unoriginal beats and a juvenile melody. There is so much going on in the sound of this song that it is almost easy to miss the substance and purpose the song lacks.
Additionally, the lyrics of “143” are childish and lazy. The songs feel uninspired, which does not bode well for the album which is already being considered a betrayal of feminism. The song “GIMME GIMME” featuring rapper 21 Savage was the most notably mundane, as 21 sounded like he would rather be doing anything else than rapping the monotonous bars he was likely reading off of a sheet of paper in the studio.
The song “GORGEOUS” featuring popstar Kim Petras was a major lyrical let down, as well. Petras is a fellow pop icon, so it is curious how these two managed to create a song that is so unexciting. The lyrics are random and disconnected without any coherence. The lack of purpose makes the song forgettable, when it could have been a huge success with these two names working together.
Despite the album being a flop overall, there were a few decent songs. Obviously the singles, “WOMAN’S WORLD,” “LIFETIMES” and “I’M HIS HE’S MINE” featuring Doechii generated success numbers-wise. They are upbeat and fun, and they have a consistent rhythm that is enjoyable, but they are still just run-of-the-mill pop songs for parties or commercials — nothing groundbreaking or emotionally meaningful. As one of the only non-singles on the album that stood out as having emotional depth and decent production, “ALL THE LOVE” is actually worth a listen. It is about heartbreak and recovery that could be relatable for some.
Based off of this album, Katy Perry’s pop princess days are sadly over. This album is not only a let down for Perry’s fans, but pop fans in general. Especially after this summer of hit after hit from other artists, Perry is looking like her days left in music are numbered.