In recent news, Katy Perry has shared insights about her upcoming album, which she has revealed was created during a particularly difficult period in her life. The 35-year-old singer has been very open about her struggles with clinical depression and how it influenced her creative process. Perry admitted that after the disappointing response to her fifth studio album in 2017, she had to take medication for the first time. In an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music, Perry spoke about how as she gets older, real-life challenges become harder to deal with, and the pain that once helped her create music is no longer serving that purpose.
Katy Perry has shared that her upcoming album, “Smile,” was born out of two of the saddest years of her life, during which she battled clinical depression. The experience was harrowing, and she described it as tormenting her mind, especially since she was in her 30s, a time when life starts to ache and everything begins to change. However, Perry also noted that this period brought her clarity. She admitted to previously getting high off her own supply but realized it no longer worked after her fifth album “Witness.” She also shared that after breaking up with her now-fiancé, she felt like the world didn’t want to hear from her anymore, as she could no longer fix her bouts of depression through songwriting.
In an open and candid discussion, the pregnant 35-year-old singer shared her experience of taking medication for the first time. This came after her fifth studio album received poor critical and commercial reviews, which left her feeling clinically depressed. She struggled to get out of bed for weeks and eventually sought help through medication, something that she felt ashamed of as a successful artist like herself. Over the last two-and-a-half years, she has undergone a journey of self-discovery, working to rewire her neural pathways and eliminating negative thought patterns that tell her she is not good enough or getting old. Her goal is to improve her psychological, spiritual, and emotional well-being.
As time passes and we age, the realities of life become more prominent and it becomes challenging to cling onto the pain that once fueled our creativity. Katy Perry shared this insight with Zane Lowe during an interview on Apple Music. She emphasized that the pain that once aided in songwriting no longer serves its purpose as we evolve and grow.
Difficult moments: The judge of American Idol expressed that they were experiencing a tough time. They admitted to feeling a bit too confident in themselves for a while, but it all changed after the release of their album, Witness.
Towards the end of the conversation, she encouraged fellow artists to not believe that they have to hold onto their pain to be fascinating, stylish, or innovative. She admitted to deceiving herself for a prolonged period, having convinced herself that confronting her inner demons might leave her with nothing to express. She even acknowledged feeling hesitant about undergoing therapy as it might dull her emotions.
Confessing to having lied to herself for a long time, Katy Perry shared how she had avoided confronting her demons because she feared not having anything to say afterwards. However, she now feels grateful for the pain as it has propelled her towards growth, and she is thriving. The pop star no longer feels like a desperate musician trying to hit a number but instead believes she has more dimension in her life, what with having a baby on the way, a fiancé, and loving her nieces and soon-to-be stepson. She emphasized that her pregnancy was deliberate and not a mistake, and that both she and her fiancé were conscious about having a child.
Intended: Perry and his partner were fully aware of their decision to have a baby, and they do not consider the pregnancy as an accident.
“We were fully prepared for what happened, it wasn’t a coincidence. However, I didn’t anticipate dealing with the COVID pandemic and the American revolution simultaneously,” she said. When it comes to their wedding, which was planned to take place this summer in Japan, Perry states that their bond is more about their companionship at the moment. “Our plans got completely cancelled and we are now focused on having a healthy delivery.”