Katy Perry's Pop Videos

Katy Perry: how do her pop videos appeal to her target audience while simultaneously reflecting her private life?

In many ways, Katy Perry has taken over the role of Britney Spears as the icon for young girls aged 14-17. In order to reach out to this audience, Katy Perry must play the role of the older sister and friend. To create the more personal connection, she must also reflect some of the anxieties young girls have for example break ups, insecurities etc. The audience must also be able to admire Katy as a role model 

appear sexy in a non-threatening way).

Brief recap of Goodwin's theory:

1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics

• e.g. stage performance in metal video, dance routine for boy/girl band

2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals

• either illustrative (the video helps convey the meaning of the song)
• amplifying (the video repeats or exaggerates an effect, moment or phrase from the song)
• contradicting (the video completely ignores the song)

3. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work 

• i.e. a visual style: think Michael Jackson’s white shoes or glittered glove
• Gaga’s wacky and frequent costume changes
• certain poses, dance moves etc

4. There is frequently reference to notion of looking and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body

• screens within screens, telescopes, looking into the camera etc
• the "male gaze" 

5. There is often intertextual reference

• to films, TV programmes, other music videos etc

Hot N Cold (2008)

Elements of Goodwin's theory can be applied to several Katy Perry videos. "Hot N Cold" is a narrative music video with dance routines and bright, colourful, trendy costumes which reflect the genre characteristics of pop music. The narrative is about a young man who imagines leaving Katy at the altar- a universal fear among women. The idea of the man being "hot and cold" mirrors issues in every day relationships and provides an example for many young girls who may be going through similar issues. Katy rises against this with her thuggish gang of "bridesmaids" which is an example of female empowerment. However, the video maintains its fun, comic feel by returning to the original scene and seeing that the man actually says "I do". It is almost as if Katy has enough dominance in the relationship to make him stay which sets a positive example to young girls who may feel passive and weak in a patriarchal society. Moreover, her clothing remains relatively modest in comparison to "California Gurls" where her image changes entirely due to changes in her personal life, which means that a voyeuristic approach to filming is not necessary. As a result, her target audience of young girls aged 14-17 is maintained.

Firework (2010)

Two years on, Katy's "role model" image is maintained however it is clear that she has grown up along with her audience. While she wears white, symbolising purity and innocence, there is a more important, underlying message to this song. Social issues such as insecurities with weight and homosexuality are displayed in this music video along with the message that everything can be resolved as long as we face our fears and overcome them. For example, the overweight girl who refuses to enjoy herself at a swimming pool party eventually joins in after Katy encouragingly sings "you're a firework" and "after a hurricane comes a rainbow". Also, the boy who gets attacked due to his sexuality proves that he doesn't need to hide away after two white doves explode from within him. Katy is trying to say that whatever our interests are, they are all natural and should not be hidden by singing: "come on let your colours burst". After resolving their issues, like Katy, they all emit fireworks from their chest, spreading light and optimism to others. In terms of Goodwin, this music video is amplifying because it returns to the main characters on several occasions, tracking their quest to find themselves as individuals. Also, the motif of fireworks suggests light, freedom and confidence which adds to this amplifying effect. Among the various storylines in this music video, there are multiple close-ups of Katy as she sings the song from a roof top, reminding us that she is the one sending the message out.

California Gurls (2010)

California Gurls was made while she was dating Russell Brand and so she takes on a more sexy image with nude scenes and changed lyrics. The lyrics are no longer about issues directed at a young teenage audience, instead Katy attempts to appeal an older, male audience. Unlike her previous music videos, she opts for the male gaze to reveal her body and image in a different light- before, she would wear less low cut clothing in order to symbolise youth and innocence to act as a role model for young girls.

Wide Awake (2012)

In this video, we see Katy leaving the set of California Gurls and returning to her dressing room to take off her wig. This action signifies an artificiality about this image which symbolises the purpose of this song and video: she is apologising to fans for her "shock" behaviour. It also reinforces how she moves her career along with her personal life as this occured during/after her break up with Russell Brand. There is a Prince Charming-like character that she punches away, revealing that her relationship has come to an end. It also shows a return to her image of female empowerment by having the strength to say "no". A recurrent theme in Katy's videos is that they are all illustrative which amplifies the meaning and sincerity of the lyrics.



Roar (2013)

Roar, released in 2013, had high production values with special effects throughout. There is intertextuality at the beginning as it mirrors the look of old films. The overall message is similar to the Firework video with the positive message of self empowerment encouraging women to live independently by not relying on men. At the same time, she incorporates this comic, humorous feel again through elements of being sexy solely for herself, not to attract a man. After years of struggling, it is like the original Katy Perry is back, along with her original target audience of young teenage girls.