Vacation is over and days of lounging on the beach with good friends are fading as classes begin once again. But songs from this summer can help make that feeling last a lot longer. One of the season’s most popular songs was by fan favorite Katy Perry. Her single “Roar” hit the airwaves on August 10th of this summer and has been stuck in people’s heads since making it Perry’s top song in digital sales.
This single is the first from Perry’s album Prism which drops on October 22, 2013 via Capitol records. As part of Perry’s continued promotion of her new album, the gold truck which started off in Los Angles, CA in July ended its trip in New York when Perry sang “Roar” at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards for the first time. The truck was used as an interesting way to create buzz and announce Perry’s new album versus just posting an official announcement on social media. During the final VMA performance of the night, Perry was dresser as a fighter in a boxing ring. Her outfit was completed by a robe with “LIONESS” written across the back and brass knuckles. Acting the part, Perry looked fierce and intimidating, even spitting water into a bucket between rounds. She also showcased her jump roping talent, to match the boxing theme of the performance, just before the final chorus of her power hit.
The lyric video for the song, released in August, begins with an iPhone ringtone as the video introduction. To keep with the tune being upbeat, the video uses texting shorthand and tons of adorable emojis in place of some of the lyrics. The official music video featuring “junglescope” will be released on September 5, 2013. The singer posted a picture on twitter that showed an animated version of the star donning an animal print bikini top and a grass skirt. Perry holds a spear while swinging across on a vine as the faces of jungle animals look on from the background in the promotion picture.
While the song is extremely catchy, it holds a deeper meaning. Opening lyrics describe a passive, intimidated character who “stood for nothing” and consequently “fell for everything.” After releasing her true self-worth, the character becomes “a champion,” her own hero. This person is now able to stand up for herself and voice her opinion instead of being scared and sitting quietly as in the beginning of the song. In an interview with MTV, Perry stated that “the biggest bully in the equation is yourself.” She followed by saying that “[you] can get in your way” and be the biggest obstacle that needs overcoming. While others are pushing someone down, if that person also degrades herself to the point of feeling like nothing, she is preventing growth and success by not defending herself to counter the actions of others. Overall, “it’s a song about speaking up for yourself and having the strength”, says Perry.
The inspirational pop song holds a heavier and much needed message in comparison to Perry’s other hits. This really shows a career move for the singer as she begins to transition slightly away from some of the airy tunes, like those of Teenage Dream, which boosted her fame. The singer confirmed that she named the record Prism because she “finally let the light in.” Instead of being surrounded by dark feelings, she turned the darkness into light. She “was able to create all these songs that were inspired by doing some self-reflection and just kind of working on [herself].” In the past three years, Perry has made a few significant changes in regards to herself, including her divorce. Last year, Perry revealed that her new album would likely have a darker tone because of everything that was going on in her life. Clearly, the singer has changed since then and is using her experiences to encourage and support her fans to be strong and independent.
For fans who loved “Roar” and are waiting for the next single off the album, the official release for the next single, “Dark Horse”, is September 17, 2013.
Jennifer Ligo
