Katy Perry’s “Woman’s World”: How Did It Come To This?

“You better celebrate, ’cause baby we ain’t going away.”

Unfortunately, for Katy Perry and her team, Thursday’s release of her hotly anticipated new single, “Woman’s World,” is no reason to celebrate.

After just three days, the track — publicized as a female empowerment anthem — is being heavily criticized and bashed for the blatant hypocrisy behind its production. Dr. Luke (a.k.a. Lukasz Gottwald), credited as a collaborator on the song, is the same Dr. Luke who faced sexual assault allegations in 2014 when fellow pop star Kesha publicly came out to accuse the successful writer-producer of abuse. (He has since denied everything.)

However, even if it didn’t have the stench of controversy surrounding it, “Woman’s World” (and its accompanying music video) looks and sounds like an item from a 2012 time capsule. Frankly, it’s not good. By 2024 standards, everything about it screams “written and produced by AI,” even though four out of its six writers are men (marinate on that for a second). The lyrics do nothing to fill out the hollow and soulless production, and the visuals (ironically?) seem orchestrated for the male gaze despite being directed by fashion photographer Charlotte Rutherford. And what’s with the shot of that bedazzled vagina dangling from a rearview mirror? Is it implying only real women…