When the clock struck 12 on New Year’s Eve, I couldn’t help but think of all the things I was looking forward to doing in 2020. As I watched Times Square fill up with confetti on my TV and heard Ray Charles’ rendition of “America The Beautiful” play in the background, I promised myself this would be the year I returned to New York. At the time, I thought that was exactly what I needed to push myself harder to make my goals a reality. I was also very excited for all of the concerts I’d be working, and many more that I’d hopefully be covering. I vowed to make time to go to LA more often, whether it be for shows, trying to get gigs up there, or just to hang out with friends.
In that moment, 2020 looked so promising. But in March, everything changed. As I was preparing to spend a jam packed weekend away from home (where I’d be attending Beyond Wonderland and the Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards back to back… because I’m crazy like that) it was announced that all large gatherings in California would be prohibited. The quarantine period was just getting started, and it felt like life as I knew it was coming to a screeching halt.
I felt like I was being handed the biggest clown card ever.
It soon became apparent that this was how life would be for an indefinite amount of time. As weeks passed, I realized this “indefinite amount of time” would likely last at least a year. The thought of it was completely destroying me inside. But what could I really do about it? What could I do to satisfy my heart in the meanwhile, without having anything to look forward to doing outside of my house? Well, I could write, and I could also try to fill my life with positivity. I chose to focus on filling my ears with the most happy, upbeat music possible – as I knew that would be one of the main things helping me get through this season.
There’s many artists who may come to one’s mind when thinking about someone who’s music just screams “WE GOT THIS!” Not literally, but you know… you just press play on a certain artist’s music, and suddenly all of your worries begin to float away. Since I was ten years old, I’ve been able to say Katy Perry is one of those artists who has had that effect on me… and I know I’m not alone on this one!
In May, Katy welcomed in her brand new era with “Daisies,” a song about being true to yourself – regardless of what others may say or think about you. At the surface level, the message was pretty empowering. It can be so intimidating to continue to chase your dreams when there’s quite a bit weighing your heart down. Now, add a global pandemic into the mix. Things can begin to seem very overwhelming in a matter of seconds. Sometimes all you need is a little reminder that you are valid, your goals are amazing, and you’ll get there. For many, “Daisies” was that reminder in the form of a song.
It was especially empowering when keeping in mind how during the Witness era, Katy faced harsh criticisms for her artistic choices. Witness really wasn’t a huge sonic drift from her previous album PRISM, and many of the tracks on the album had clever word play and feminist themes. Witness even made its debut at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart. However, it just didn’t live up to the expectations of many, and eventually it caught up with Katy. She has also been very open about her mental health battles that crept up during that time period.
“Daisies” sent a message to the world that despite everything Katy went through during that season, she’s still standing tall and strong. Two months after the song’s release, she announced that her brand new album would be titled Smile. The title track finds Katy expressing gratitude for the hard times, and all the lessons that came along with them. Of course, the message was carried out in the most festive, fun way possible… after all, this is Katy Perry we’re talking about! With a quirky circus theme, it soon became clear that Smile would be about finding light during a dark time and just celebrating that moment.
At a press conference earlier this month, Katy dove into exactly what Smile means to her. First things first, it’s safe to say this album is definitely a celebration of strength.
Katy shared, “I wrote this record during one of the darkest times of my life where I didn’t really plan for the next day, or didn’t necessarily want to. I was very flatlined. I was kinda clinically depressed, which is something I had never dealt with. I had only dealt with depression in these small bouts where I felt like I could solve it, and this time I couldn’t solve it. I definitely could not get out of bed. This record really speaks about my own experience walking through that and coming out alive.”
Being vulnerable about your struggles in the public eye is a task that can be the polar opposite of easy. There’s tons of people watching your every move, some even waiting to see you fail. We are now in an age where social media is more prominent than ever, and any move can be met with reactions like “FLOP,” “tanked,” etc. This can make it even more tough for some to be open with others online.
“It’s not always fun to acknowledge, especially publicly,” Katy admitted. “When I say something, it’s like having billions of in laws saying ‘oh yeah yeah I told you so!’ or that I did ‘this’ or having a perspective or commentary on your life. It’s intense. Obviously you have to shut that out at some point, but it comes. It bleeds in every once in a while. I guess, even in the song ‘Smile’ when I talk about ‘that ego check saved my life, had a piece of humble pie’ it’s like… yeah, the universe served me. In the moment I wasn’t excited for it, I wasn’t like happy about it, but once I got the opportunity to zoom out a little bit I understood that I was going to have a greater foundation, a greater character, and a greater depth because of going through those peaks and those valleys.”
In a way, Katy is embracing a huge Internet/Stan Twitter joke with the theme of Smile. People calling themselves clowns online has been quite common lately, especially after goofing up or feeling like they’ve been “played.” (For example, I did it earlier in this post!) Many of Katy’s fans have dubbed themselves the “KatyClowns” for the time being.
Katy elaborated on the circus theme by saying, “I’ve always felt a little bit like the court jester, and I’ve always had a little bit of humor injected into everything I do, and self deprecation. I wasn’t taking myself seriously when I was spewing whipped cream out of my boobs… I knew that! Hello, I’m in on the joke! But, I continued to use humor as a way to bring a little levity to the seriousness of life.”
The seriousness of life can definitely be felt right now, especially as we get closer and closer to what could be the most critical election of our lifetimes. Life is very complex, and isolation can make you think about every difficult situation in one seating. Smile presents an opportunity for listeners to cope with their struggles through uplifting tunes.
For example, there’s the heartbreak dance anthem “Cry About It Later,” which is about curing a broken heart by having a drink or two, being a little daring, and just pushing the limits of life. While this is a message one may need to hear on any given day at any given time, many of the songs on the album have meanings that could be considered more relevant than ever.
Katy shared, “It’s weird how this record has… there’s songs like ‘Not The End Of The World’ or ‘Teary Eyes’ or ‘Only Love’ and these songs talk about how sometimes it’s difficult to change your perspective or your mindset or how you view things. Even in ‘Smile’… ‘Every day, Groundhog Day / Going through motions felt so fake’ it’s like I was just in this negative loop and I had to like snap out of it. Obviously it wasn’t as easy as snapping my fingers, but once I felt there was another way to look at life, I started seeing it with a different view. There’s a lot of weird parallels now. It does feel like the end of the world sometimes. Everyday is different, especially when you’re reading the news. You don’t know what the hell you’re going to wake up to with those notifications which are of the devil.”
One of the biggest themes Smile has to offer is resilience. There’s plenty of layers to peel back, but overall listeners should know that despite all the heartbreak and sadness one may face, life is not limited to just that.
As a young person, it can be extremely challenging to remember that at times. Feeling the need to live up to expectations set by our family, friends, and society can be a huge load to carry mentally and emotionally. Sometimes it feels like we’re expected to know absolutely everything about life by a certain age, and if we don’t, it’s boo hoo. Sometimes the saying “you do you, boo” is way too hard to follow, because you know your genuine actions will be followed by some form of unwarranted criticism… which then leads to not even wanting to be yourself anymore. Sometimes we just get thrown into a metaphorical boxing ring blindfolded. But guess what? Katy gets it, and she has your back.
She said, “Some of you were maybe 10 years old or 12 years old, and you had friends and you listened to ‘California Girls’ or whatever, and now you’re becoming adults and you’re dealing with a lot of different things. You’re having to have your own jobs, your own lives. You’re dealing with college, you’re dealing with all the variables of this year, and the disappointments and anticlimactic-ness sometimes of being this age… and having to click a zoom link to understand… and paying the same fees, which is WILD.”
It suuuuuure is. But she’s been there. Katy also shared, “For me in my 20’s, it was just like ‘OH MY GOD this is WILD, this is CRAZY, it’s always going to be like this and then when it shifts slightly you’re like ‘OH MY GOD. I CAN’T HANDLE MY 30’s OR REAL LIFE. Real life is happening! Responsibilities. This is weird. My body’s not moving like it used to. Not all of my dreams are just working in my favor.’ Life gets real the longer that you live it, but it does get more expansive if you can survive it.“
Right now, life might seem like it’s at a huge standstill, and you may feel like you’re in a huge rut. There’s no sugarcoating the fact that the changes the universe has thrown at everyone this year have been tough. However, every single day that we are alive here on Earth grants us an opportunity to find positivity and hope. Smile is Katy Perry’s story of finding those two elements and embracing the outcome – wrapped into fun pop tunes. Although it can be easier said than done, try to dig deep and use this album as your motivation. If Katy can smile at the end of the day, so can you.
Smile arrives this Friday, August 28. Click here to pre-save/pre-order!
(By the way, Katy REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEALLY wants you to vote in November, so click here to make sure you’re all set to go!)
