Feminism in Pop Music is evolving - and Katy Perry missed the memo

It’s been two weeks since the release of Katy Perry’s new single, "Woman’s World," her first musical offering in three years. In that time, the landscape of pop music—and the feminist discourse that often accompanies it—has undergone significant transformation. While Perry was away, a new wave of female artists emerged, embracing themes of the female experience and redefining empowerment. They have crafted complex narratives and intricate archetypes, leaving behind the oversimplified slogans of yesteryear, such as the iconic “We Can Do It!” poster, as relics of a bygone era. So what happened during Katy Perry’s absence.

In 2021, Adele returned after a six-year hiatus with 30, an album that delves into her personal struggles and the complexities of self-discovery amid significant life changes. In the poignant track "To Be Loved," she reflects on the emotional cost of love: “To be loved and love at the highest count / Means to lose all the things I can't live without.” This lyric speaks to the heartache and introspection that often accompany love, shedding light on the emotional landscape of women navigating their 30s. Eilish's Happier Than Ever also addresses the exploitation and objectification of women, advocating for authenticity and self-respect. Songs like "GOLDWIND" and "Male Fantasy" tackle issues of identity and self-worth, urging women to reclaim their narratives in a world that often diminishes their value.  On the more liberated end of the spectrum, Doja Cat's Planet Her or Lizzo’s Special also contributed with their celebration of female autonomy and sexuality through infectious beats and playful lyrics. In 2021, women were now sexually confident, empathic and introspective. 

In 2022, Taylor Swift's, to name one female artist, Midnights showcased her signature storytelling style, intertwining themes of introspection and vulnerability. In "Anti-Hero," she sings, “It's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me / At teatime, everybody agrees,” capturing the struggles of self-awareness and the difficulty of confronting one's own flaws. This lyric resonates with listeners grappling with their imperfections, offering a relatable glimpse into the internal battles many women face. In 2022, women were self-critical, and realised they might not always be the good guy.

Between 2023 and 2024, the evolution of feminist themes in pop music continues to flourish. Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS, exploring young adulthood with a deeper perspective. In "All American Bitch," she sings, “And I am built like a mother and a total machine / I feel for your every little issue / I know just what you mean,” reflecting the pressures women face to meet societal expectations while navigating their own identities. Charli XCX’s techo-flooded tsunami Brat pushes female autonomy and nonchalance to another level, decentering men from the fun of female music. In "360," she’s playful, she’s cocky, she doesn’t give a fuck: “When you're in the mirror, do you like what you see? / When you're in the mirror, you're just looking at me / I'm everywhere, I'm so Julia,” referencing Julia Fox as a feminist icon known for her antipathy for men. And how can we forget Chappell Roan? In The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, particularly in "Femininomenon," she addresses the performative nature of romantic dynamics: “So let's say it's working out / You pretend to love his mother / Lying to your friends about / How he's such a goddamn good lover”. In 2023 and 2024, women were fed up with needing to be sexy and pure, angry, playful and a little gay. 

By 2024, women have multiple layers,multiple ‘cores’ if you will, a complex tapestry of emotions that they do not shy away from - happiness, lust, guilt, jealousy, nostalgia, depression, schadenfreude. They put friendship as their purest and highest form of love and rethink their relationship with romantic love. They stopped apologising for the sake of it, they stopped laughing at unfunny jokes, they stopped wearing whatever just ‘flatters’ them the most.  

So where does that leave Perry’s ill-fated new single with her three-minute of unnecessarily-naked music video? With lyrics like “She's a winner, champion / Superhuman, number one / She's a sister, she's a mother”, it’s hard to fight the urge to make a meme out of it. Chanting such unfounded compliments almost strips women away from their own virtues and flaws. As she states the outdated girlboss platitudes with an obnoxiously optimistic Eureka-tone, Woman’s world is the ‘i'm not a regular mom, i’m a cool mom’ equivalent to music. Pitchfork describes Perry’s song sound «like its author had to have feminism explained to her by the top half of the first page of Google» sung in «halting, unintentionally patronising rhythm that leaves you no choice but to assume she’s being sarcastic». But how - if they are all celebrating women - is the feminist marketing strategy doing her a disservice? A strategy historically assured of success? The crucial difference lies in the fact that these artists do not exploit feminist clichés to create a hit. Instead, they present the intricacies of their intellects, and by virtue of being inherently female, propel feminism forward by humanising women.

Not to mention the music video – with its gaudy and superficial aesthetic, ostensibly aims to celebrate female empowerment but ultimately falls into the trap of commodifying feminist ideals for commercial gain. The imagery, rife with clichéd representations of strength and independence, lacks the nuance and depth necessary to genuinely engage with the complexities of women's experiences. Its Youtube comment section is aware of this, expressing opinions like «This feels like a parody of feminism gone wrong», «This is what a feminist video clip would look like if made by a guy» or «I feel like this set us back a few decades. Stop trying to "empower" us please». This last one begs the question: is blind empowerment not in vogue with feminism anymore, and if so, when did it happen? Who decided? It appears feminism does not wait for anyone. But it doesn’t mean that if you missed its newest change, you are doomed to receive the karma of a female not keeping up with its cause. Katy Perry is not less of an artist for doing a first-wave-feminism anthem. 

The main concern might not be the anachronistic theme choice, which while irrelevant, is a saveable choice, but rather the clumsiness with which Perry has exposed herself as an attention hungry, politically clueless, has-been pop star with a Peter Pan syndrome. If Perry wanted to make a hit song, she could have either stayed out of politics or researched where feminism is at now. Instead, she did all wrong, not only because of the fifth-grader lyrics but also in her choice of production, as it was co-written and co-produced by Dr. Luke, the producer whom Kesha accused of sexual assault and emotional abuse in a lawsuit that was later dismissed—allegations he has denied.

It is not the ghost of feminism getting Katy Perry back at not paying attention to her latest outfit, rather just karma, plain and simple. However unjust the music industry is, to exploit a cause in an insincere way in the loudest of ways - figuratively and literally - won’t always get you to the top of the charts, or the listeners' hearts.