Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for SiriusXM; Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
After months of intense scrutiny, Katy Perry was finally asked a direct question about reuniting with Dr. Luke — and managed to avoid giving a direct answer.
Perry appeared on the latest episode of "Call Her Daddy," the popular Spotify podcast hosted by Alex Cooper, to discuss her career and forthcoming album, "143."
The album won't be out for another two weeks, but its rollout was instantly stained with controversy when news of Dr. Luke's involvement in it broke in June. The disgraced producer helped craft some of Perry's biggest early-career hits, including several songs on her blockbuster sophomore album, 2010's "Teenage Dream," but they hadn't worked together since Kesha sued Dr. Luke in 2014 for sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. (He denied all of Kesha's claims and countersued for defamation. They reached a settlement last year.)
Shortly after Perry announced "143," Rolling Stone confirmed she recruited Dr. Luke for her creative team. He cowrote and coproduced the lead single, "Woman's World," which sparked backlash from fans given the song's theme of female empowerment. He also cowrote and coproduced its follow-up, "Lifetimes."
Due to the backlash to both songs, as well as their subpar commercial success, a crisis PR expert told Business Insider that Perry was in a "career crisis."
"I'd have her sit down for an interview to explain and maybe even give context to some of her choices, the producer choice," Eric Schiffer, chairman of Reputation Management Consultants, told BI. He also said Perry's comeback was salvageable if she were to demonstrate a "greater level of emotional intelligence" when addressing fans' concerns.
In the final minutes of their hourlong sitdown, Cooper gave Perry the opportunity to do just that.
"I know a lot of people have expressed disappointment and were really upset that you decided to involve Dr. Luke on this album," Cooper said. "Why did you choose to work with him?"
In response, Perry did not offer a clear explanation, nor did she acknowledge the abuse allegations against him.
"Look, I understand that it started a lot of conversations, and he was one of many collaborators that I collaborated with," Perry replied. "But the reality is, it comes from me. The truth is, I wrote these songs from my experience of my whole life going through this metamorphosis, and he was one of the people to help facilitate all that. One of the writers, one of the producers. I am speaking from my own experience."
Perry went on to offer a broad statement about motherhood (she gave birth to her daughter, Daisy Dove Bloom, in 2020) and feeling empowered by her role as a "matriarch."
"When I speak about 'Woman's World,' I speak about feeling so empowered now, as a mother, as a woman, giving birth, creating life, creating another set of organs. A brain! A heart! I created a whole ass heart! And I did it, and I'm still doing it. I'm still a matriarch and feeling really grounded in that, that's where I'm speaking from," Perry said. "So I created all of this with several different collaborators, people that I've collaborated with from the past, from 'Teenage Dream' era, all of that."
Cooper then pivoted to asking about Perry's evolution as an artist.
"I don't think I've ever been inauthentic. I don't think I've like, went for a trend or anything, I just do what makes me happy and that I resonate with," Perry said.
Representatives for Perry and Dr. Luke did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.
