Katy Perry’s Musical Evolution in 5 Acts – Radio.com Music and Entertainment News

We trace Perry's evolution from Christian beginnings to "Swish Swish." June 6, 2017 10:00 AM

By Hayden Wright

For nine years, Katy Perry has been one of pop musics most powerful forces but she was far from an overnight success. The Roar singer toiled on the Christian pop circuit for years before transitioning to the mainstreamand heralding the dawn of one of pop musics brightest careers. Perrys fifth studio album,Witness drops Friday but lets take a look at the chapters that brought her to prominence.

Christian Pop Beginnings: Katy Hudson, 2001.

For most artists, a self-titled debut album sets the blueprint for everything that comes next. Think ofMadonna orHarry Styles. That conventional wisdom couldnt be further from the truth for Katy Perrys first full-length album, a contemporary Christian record under her legal name, Katy Hudson.Katy Hudsonruns the gamut from the overtly devotional (Faith Wont Fail) to the convincingly secular (Naturally) but it was hardly a launchpad for superstardom. Instead, Perrys Christian roots (and pastor parents) supply levels of irony, conviction, and context for all her future projects.

A Subversive Debut:One of the Boys, 2008.

In our desensitized times, its easy to forget how bold and shocking the declaration I kissed a girl (and I liked it) sounded on FM radio.Well never look at cherry Chapstick the same way again.One of the Boys was a reaction againstKaty Hudson as much as it was a declaration of intent: Perrys cheeky power pop delights on tracks like Hot n Cold while Thinking of You showcased her range. On the record, Perry left her wholesome image behind and asserted herself as a burgeoning pop powerhouse.

The Mainstream Juggernaut:Teenage Dream, 2010.

Teenage Dream was the moment everything went Technicolor for Katy Perry. Single after single hit number one on theBillboard Hot 100 chart and she earned a GRAMMY nomination for Album of the Year. Commercial performance aside,Teenage Dream is a diverse yet cohesive collection of top-drawer pop confections. Firework set the gold standard for empowerment anthems; California Gurls hit the airwaves with irresistible bubblegum force; Last Friday Night spawned Perrys most delightful video to date (and how about that sax solo?). The albums lower-key moments Teenage Dream and The One That Got Away accessed something yearning and relatable in legions of pop listeners. An album with one of these tracks would be a big dealTeenage Dream had all five and more.

Breaking the Mold: Prism, 2013.

After the explosion ofTeenage Dream, Perry waited a few years to follow it up.Prism feels like an album tailor-made for Katy Perry fans, like Lady GagasArtpop or RihannasAnti. Though it contained big, broad hits like Roar and Dark Horse, most ofPrism plays to Perrys base of KatyCats. It marked a major key change in the singers stage presence, beginning with thePrismatic World Tour and culminating at the 2015 Super Bowl Halftime Show. Perrys supersized production values incorporated new elements of nostalgia like Missy Elliotts show-stealing appearance.

Next Up:Witness, 2017.

Perrys fifth studio album will always have an asterisk next to itits technically her fourth, given how far shes come sinceKaty Hudson. Her purposeful pop promises a new dimension to the artistry weve come to expect, informed by the 2016 presidential election and subsequent resistance efforts. On Bon Appetit and Swish Swish, its clear thatWitness wont be a joyless political album but a fresh restatement of the Katy Perry brand.