Katy Perry gave fans a glimpse into her leisure time on Monday, following the unfavorable reception of her new single "Woman's World" and its accompanying video.
The singer is actively promoting the lead single from her upcoming seventh studio album, "143." However, the track, touted as an empowering feminist anthem, has been criticized as unoriginal, hypocritical, and formulaic.
Perry, 39, appeared unbothered by the negative feedback as she shared a montage of video clips on Instagram, featuring her workout session with fiancé Orlando Bloom.
In a rare video, Bloom, 47, is seen without his T-shirt, running on a treadmill next to Perry.
She also posted a separate clip from the beach, where she is captured in a black bikini, strategically posing so that the setting sun appears between her legs.
Returning to music earlier this week, Perry faced criticism for the sexualized nature of her new video, especially a scene where she and her dancers perform provocative choreography on a construction site, followed by an anvil smashing her, after which she reappears in a new outfit.
In a behind-the-scenes video shared on Instagram, Perry explained: "We’re just having fun, being a bit sarcastic with it. It’s very slapstick and very on the nose.
"With this set, it’s like, 'Oooh, we’re not about the male gaze, but we really are about the male gaze.' And we’re really overplaying it and on the nose."
The former American Idol judge described the anvil scene as a "reset," allowing her to embrace the "idea of feminine divine."
"We wanted to open this video making it look like a super high-gloss pop star video," she added.
"Woman's World" is the first single from Perry's upcoming album "143," set to be released on September 20. The title refers to the numerical code for "I love you," commonly used in pager messages in the 1990s.
In a statement, Perry said: "I set out to create a bold, exuberant, celebratory dance-pop album with the symbolic 143 numerical expression of love as a throughline message."
This album marks Perry's first since 2020's "Smile," which did not achieve the success of her previous records.
Discussing the new album, the "Firework" singer told Access Hollywood: "I just have yet to make a record from a place of feeling really happy and whole and full of love.
"Sometimes artists are like, 'Oh, that’s boring, you want to make music from a tougher place,' but actually it’s very bright and joyful, like pure joy and fun and playful and celebratory and a party."
Upon its release on Friday, "Woman's World" was heavily criticized by reviewers, with some calling it a "monumental catastrophe" and a "reheated" version of Lady Gaga's style.
Pitchfork's Shaad D’Souza gave it a particularly harsh review, suggesting it sounded as if Perry had learned about feminism from a basic Google search.
"Defying all sense of taste, the pop singer’s comeback single is too dispiriting to even approach camp. It’s abysmal," D’Souza wrote.
Perry also faced backlash for allegedly mimicking Lady Gaga's 2020 hit "Stupid Love," resulting in what many called a lackluster imitation.
Additionally, she was criticized for collaborating with Dr. Luke, a music producer accused of sexual assault by Kesha in a lawsuit that was later dismissed. Dr. Luke has consistently denied the allegations.
Pitchfork pointed out that her choice to work with Dr. Luke on a feminist anthem was "sincerely twisted, if unsurprising."
The Guardian also gave the song a scathing one-star review, describing it as "reheated Gaga" and accusing it of blatantly borrowing from Chappell Roan's single "Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl."
"Woman’s World sounds like it was designed by a committee in a boardroom at Capitol Records whose sole objective was a sync on RuPaul's Drag Race and generating comments of 'you ate' from white gays living in West Hollywood," wrote Alim Kheraj in a harsh review for Dazed.
Mary Siroky's review for Consequence Of Sound criticized the song's "AI-generated" lyrics, stating it "falls as flat as the bottom of the anvil that crushes Perry halfway through the music video."
The Quran - Chapter Al-Hashr: 06 - 08
As for the gains Allah has turned over to His Messenger from them—you did not ˹even˺ spur on any horse or camel for such gains. But Allah gives authority to His messengers over whoever He wills. For Allah is Most Capable of everything.
As for gains granted by Allah to His Messenger from the people of ˹other˺ lands, they are for Allah and the Messenger, his close relatives, orphans, the poor, and ˹needy˺ travellers so that wealth may not merely circulate among your rich. Whatever the Messenger gives you, take it. And whatever he forbids you from, leave it. And fear Allah. Surely Allah is severe in punishment.
˹Some of the gains will be˺ for poor emigrants who were driven out of their homes and wealth, seeking Allah’s bounty and pleasure, and standing up for Allah and His Messenger. They are the ones true in faith.
