Katy Perry is a lion, hear her roar. “Roar,” the first single from her new album, “Prism,” debuted on Perezhilton.com Saturday morning and it”s a great change of pace for her. You can hear the full track at the bottom of the post.
The good news is that, musically, it sounds like no previous Perry single before (though thematically, it has the same uplifting spirit at “Firework”). It”s a statement song, and a smart one since it”s the first tune we”ve really heard from her since her split from Russell Brand. She”s letting us know in the mid-tempo pulser that she”s not just fine, she”s gone “from zero to my own hero.” Like Survivor, she even has “the eye of the tiger,” at her disposal. Heck, she has a whole menagerie, from a bee to butterfly. Dr. Luke produced the track, written by Perry, Dr. Luke and Bonnie McKee.
The steady stomp keeps the song grounded, while much of the rest of hand clap and mid-tempo piano production sound straight out of the late ’80s and early ’90s. In fact, if you”re old enough it may remind you a little bit of the chorus of Martika”s “Toy Soldiers” crossed with M.I.A.”s “Paper Planes,” with some Avril Lavigne thrown in for good measure.
It”s a very good, not great, opening track, that announces she”s back and there”s even more to come. She shows progression but not so much that any of her fans will be alienated.
“Prism” comes out Oct. 22. As you know, Perry announced news of the release a few weeks ago by sending an gold-plated 18-wheeler with “Prism” and the release date painted on it around the country. Yesterday, a drunk driver hit the truck in Pennsylvania, according to TMZ. Luckily, no one was hurt.
What do you think?
Here’s the cover art for the single: