Katy Perry Blends Heartbreak and Social Consciousness on Mediocre ‘Witness’

Stephanie Hernandez

The headlines surrounding Katy Perry’s fifth studio album, “Witness,” have been all but positive. Following the singer’s unpalatable performance on SNL, the reception of Perry’s upcoming album was already in trouble. The pop princess initially chose to market the record as purposeful pop, or a collection of songs that would be much more politically charged than we had seen from her previously—only to then change directions and instead focus on her tired feud with Taylor Swift on the single “Swish Swish.” This was followed by a poor grab at radio success with the Migos collaboration “Bon Appetit.” Both tracks performed at an underwhelming rate on every platform and left Perry with no excitement surrounding her soon-to-be-released project. That being said, we may have written off “Witness” a little too soon. Her teenage dream days have been transitioned out for more adult pursuits, which is admirable in this adolescence-worshipping era of pop music: even if not all her efforts ring true, we do appreciate the effort.

Perry’s second record as the independent woman at the center, “Witness” finds the singer pairing up with Max Martin and company to produce multiple trippy, trance-inducing dance tracks. The best ones show off her self-assured side, as on “Power”: she confidently proclaims that “I’m a goddess and you know it,” and there is absolutely no room for doubt. The album, despite its marketing campaign focused around heartbreak and the deconstruction of very public, failed relationships, exudes genuine vulnerability. This is precisely where “Witness” shines. Haunted by the constant presence of her famous ex (most likely John Mayer), her words do inspire sympathy and even some pained resentment from the listener. Perry sees Mayer pass her by on Sunset Boulevard on the touching “Save as Draft,” a modern take on how digital media has effected love in the 21st century. On “Miss You More,” she sings “Saw your picture on accident / Your face has changed, the lines are sinking in” and all of a sudden you can’t help but relate. But these sorrowful tracks, though they represent the best moments on the record, also feel disjointed amongst the remainder of the album. Not all of Perry’s efforts have their intended impact: for example, “Chained to the Rhythm” is Katy Perry’s attempt to mix social commentary and club beats, and it just doesn’t work. The rest of “Witness” consists of high-octane pop/hip-hop mashups and dance floor jams that we could have done without, resulting in an album without much cohesion.

In the end, it sounds like Perry should have focused on her emotional vulnerability instead of trying to mix in underdeveloped political statements and vapid celebrity drama into a record that did not call for either. To be fair, five pop records in, Perry does deserve some recognition for trying something new. Still, we could have done without the forgettable filler that bookends most of “Witness,” bogging it down from the potential it did have to shine.

“Witness” is available on Apple Music June 9.