Out magazine recently caught up with Katy Perry, the pop sensation behind the hit song “I Kissed A Girl.” In the interview, Perry discusses her career highlights, the importance of her LGBTQ+ fans, and her upcoming residency in Las Vegas. Get all the details on what the superstar had to say in the full article.
During my time as a high school junior, the pop-rock chart-topper “I Kissed A Girl” was the first song that openly sang about same-SÑ”x attraction and sparked conversation about the topic. I vividly remember the day I first heard the song while riding in the car with my mother on a sunny day in Houston, Texas. The scandalous chorus caught my mother off guard, and she immediately turned off the radio and made me promise not to share it with my younger sister. Although I agreed to her request, I couldn’t help but feel captivated by the song’s controversial lyrics. Even before I fully understood my own SÑ”xuality, there was something about the song that resonated with me, and I found myself listening to it frequently in secret. It became a popular tune at high school parties, where my peers and I tentatively explored same-gender attractions for the first time.
According to Perry, bisexuality was given a label during her time and it helped her recognize her own feelings and experiences. As she wrote “I Kissed A Girl,” Perry has received numerous stories from people who were able to discover their own sexual desires. Perry openly supports the LGBTQ+ community and considers them her own. Despite coming from a sheltered upbringing where it wasn’t acceptable to have friends from the LGBTQ+ community, Perry embraces them now as her people. They are present in her daily life, work, and even in her house. She credits the community for her survival and growth over the years. Perry is amazed at how far things have come full circle since she started.
Perry’s music continues to make an impact in 2021, leaving a lasting legacy. For instance, Fletcher sampled Perry’s “I Kissed A Girl” in her steamy sapphic fever dream “girls girls girls,” while Ariana Grande praised “The One That Got Away” (from Perry’s record-breaking 2010 sophomore LP Teenage Dream) as “one of the most perfectly written pop songs ever from one of the best pop albums of all time.” Even Olivia Rodrigo wonders “Where’s my f*cking teenage dream?” on “brutal,” the opening track of her Grammy-nominated album Sour.
Perry finds it amusing how her music is making a comeback, making her feel “old.” However, she acknowledges that the nostalgia factor means her songs are still resonating with people and the messages are still relevant. Her Las Vegas residency, titled PLAY, is like a victory lap for her. She will perform for 16 dates starting on December 29 at Resorts World, bringing her kookiest and most campy show to date.
The upcoming show, PLAY, promises to be a delightful treat for the senses as it combines both visual and auditory pleasures. The rehearsal process has been incredibly fun, with laughter being the norm as the co-creators, collaborators, dancers, and band all recognize the sheer craziness of the concept. Katy Perry is known for her spectacular performances, but this one takes things up a notch. The idea for PLAY came about during the pandemic when Perry shared some of her favorite ’90s movies like Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, and Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure with her nieces and nephews. The larger-than-life nature of these films inspired the show’s creators, including the use of inanimate puppets.
Perry is set to take on the role of a doll, who becomes the favored toy of a young boy. However, things take a turn for the worse when the boy recklessly destroys her. Fortunately, she is discovered by a little girl and enters into a world of various setups that are larger than life. One such setup includes a towering 30-foot toilet, where she unexpectedly pops out. Other scenes include a bedroom, bathroom, and an outdoor setting where she may or may not consume some fungi. One of the most peculiar sets is in a trashcan surrounded by garbage.
According to Perry, her upcoming setlist will feature the top 20 songs that have performed well on streaming services. She assures fans that they will get to enjoy all the hits they came to see. Perry also hints at bringing back some LGBTQ+ favorites that fans have requested. She confirms that “Waking Up In Vegas” will receive a makeover and reveals that her house-inspired track “Walking on Air” will make a triumphant return with an enhanced sound. Perry teases a new collaboration with DJ Alesso that she promises will blow fans away. She hints that this upcoming song will be so amazing that it will “take some wigs.”
