Music - Katy Perry's album 143 struggles to evolve, dated sound and lack of innovation

By Mulder, Paris, La Nuit Paris, 19 september 2024

Our media were invited to the exclusive release party for Katy Perry's album 143, held at the famous nightclub La Nuit Paris. This glamorous event, located in the heart of the city, offered an intimate glimpse of the highly anticipated project. Katy Perry's album 143, due for release in September 2024, is her latest studio album after a relatively long hiatus. Katy Perry fans were eager to see what direction the pop icon would take after the mixed reception of Smile in 2020. Unfortunately, the album drew fierce criticism for its dated feel, repetitive themes and inability to evolve musically.

Gorgeous is a collaboration with Kim Petras, which aims to inject a fun bubblegum-pop energy reminiscent of Katy Perry's early hits. However, the album fails to capture the vibrant, playful energy of her earlier work, and sounds more like a shadow of its former self. Although the presence of Kim Petras brings a fresh voice, the track doesn't entirely live up to expectations.

Gimme Gimme feels like a regression for Katy Perry, embodying an over-sexualized indulgence without the catchy hooks that defined her previous career. According to critics, the use of overly simplistic and clichéd lyrics makes her at best forgettable, at worst irritating. The collaboration with 21 Savage on the track only underscores the imbalance between the artists, his contributions doing little to elevate the song beyond mediocrity.

Another notable entry is I'm His, He's Mine, featuring Doechii, which attempts to explore the dynamics of romantic ownership and devotion. While Katy Perry tries to build on Prism-era vibes, the song falls into repetitive, shallow metaphors about love and relationships. The song draws heavily on Crystal Waters' Gypsy Woman (La Da Dee), but instead of feeling like a clever reimagining, the track ends up being too reliant on the past, lacking the innovation needed to stand out in today's pop landscape.

The song Crush compounds the problem with its uninspired arrangements and lack of depth. The simplistic chorus of La dada dee dee underlines the creative rut in which Katy Perry finds herself, according to critics. While the song attempts to flirt with a playful, casual aesthetic, it falls flat, echoing the worn-out tropes of early 2000s pop.

One of the album's highlights is Truth, where Katy Perry tackles vulnerability and emotional rawness. The cold rhythms that underpin this track pave the way for introspection, offering a brief moment of sincerity in the midst of an otherwise unconvincing collection. Although the lyrics revolve around familiar themes of heartbreak, they evoke a sense of weariness that resonates more authentically than the other songs on the album.

Nirvana offers a taste of Katy Perry's attempt to rekindle the energy of the club scene, with shimmering synths and bass lines meant to evoke the nostalgia of the early 2000s. However, like the rest of the album, it suffers from a lack of innovation and a reliance on the sounds of the past. Critics pointed out that it didn't quite capture the essence of the vibrant club tracks that once dominated the charts.

In Artificial, with JID, Katy Perry explores the overwhelming influence of digital culture and artifice in modern relationships. While the concept could have been a remarkable commentary, the track is marred by excessive production and awkward vocal delivery, preventing listeners from fully engaging.

The track Wonder attempts to end the album on a hopeful note with light, airy instrumentation, but once again reverts to predictable chords and lyrical patterns that leave little lasting impact. Katy Perry's performance is emotionally involved, but it doesn't capture the allure or spark that characterized her earlier hits like Teenage Dream.

Overall, 143 was an opportunity for Katy Perry to redefine her place in pop music, perhaps experimenting with new themes or production styles. Instead, the album feels more like a rehash of past successes, missing the mark in terms of innovation and emotional depth. Although there are a few moments of clarity, notably in tracks like Truth, the overriding impression is that Katy Perry has not fully adapted to today's musical landscape. For fans looking for the magic that made her a pop star in the late 2000s, 143 is likely to be a disappointment, especially when compared to other pop artists who have managed to evolve their sound over the years.

Although Katy Perry's 143 has moments of sincerity and emotional depth, it seems largely out of step with contemporary pop music. Katy Perry's reliance on older formulas and lack of a new creative direction feel like a missed opportunity for a genuine comeback.

Tracklist :
01 - Woman's World
02 - Gimme Gimme (featuring 21 Savage)
03 - Gorgeous (featuring Kim Petras)
04 - I'm His, He's Mine (featuring Doechii)
05 - Crush
06 - Lifetimes
07 - All the Love
08 - Nirvana
09 - Artificial (featuring JID)
10 - Truth
11 - Wonder
12 - Has a Heart

Photos : Boris Colletier / Mulderville