Katy Perry 'Smile' Album Review

By Rebekah Shanks, Digital Director

Katy Perry has been at the forefront of the popular music scene since her 2008 breakout single, "I Kissed a Girl." Her second studio album, 'Teenage Dream,' set world records rivaling Michael Jackson's 'Bad.' Katy Perry's iconic sound incorporated captivating melodies and powerful vocals that shot her to the top of the charts for a decade. However, Perry's 2017 album release, 'Witness,' failed to impress fans and critics alike, which in turn damaged her status as a top pop icon.

'Smile' tackles the backlash of 'Witness' and the trials of being in a then-turbulent relationship with Orlando Bloom, her present fiancé. This album calls back to Perry's roots with disco-pop and 80s synthpop rushing through its melodies. She continues her catchy staccato vocal style in various songs throughout. Perry presents metaphorical lyrics with powerhouse vocals to describe her insecurities and eventual hope over her future in the industry and her personal life.

Introduced in the first track of 'Smile' is Perry's struggle to handle the on-again/offagain breakup with Bloom in synth-heavy "Never Really Over," produced by Zedd.

She distracts herself from the pain of the breakup in the catchy melody of "Cry About It Later," and in the lingering vocals of "Teary Eyes."

The album's narrative veers into heavy metaphorical meaning. In the first released single, "Daisies," Perry calls out, "But I’ll never let 'em change me/'Til they cover me in daisies," signifying those who said her career is over have no effect on her worth as an artist. This track title has profound meaning to Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom as their newborn child has been named "Daisy." These metaphoric themes continue in the forgettable track, "Resilient," and in the fight-song of the album, "Not the End of the World," which is Perry's popular hit, "Roar"'s fiery sister.

The uplifting switch occurs when track themes turn into a more hopeful and grateful direction midway through Smile. Perry is "2.0, remodeled" in "Smile," reminiscent of her past 'PRISM' sound. This track is the shining star of the album representing Perry’s playful nature and her popular sing-song vocal presentation used in lyrics, "Now I got a smile like Lionel Ritchie/Big and bright, need shades just to see me." How can she go wrong with lyrics as delightful as that?!

Unfortunately, the following tracks: "Champagne Problems" and "Tucked" fail to live up to their predecessor in terms of memorability. Both songs express Perry's feelings about her significant other being present in her life. Their lyrics are simple and to-the-point but offer unobtrusive support for the rest of the album.

The tenth track, "Harleys in Hawaii," is a summer bop infused with acoustic guitar plucking and smooth, layered vocals. It is a standout song among the album's latter lineup with its unique sound, and has earned a place in Smile's top tracks.

The two remaining songs: "Only Love" and "What Makes a Woman" have what can only be described as "grown-up pop." They are distinctly unlike any other on the album in connection with the subject matter. "Only Love" covers Perry’s emotional outreach to express only love in her life going forward after learning from her past mistakes. Its surprisingly catchy melody lingers long after listening. The vocals are layered to resemble a choir that harkens back to Katy Perry's gospel foundations. It stands out as her most vulnerable song on Smile. The final track, "What Makes a Woman," uncovers Perry's personal idea of womanhood. It’s not as noteworthy lyrically as the previous song, but it signifies growth from past album incarnations, aka 'Teenage Dream''s "Peacock." If the lyrical content from these two songs tells us anything about Perry’s future, it's that she won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

Though 2020 has been a tough year to navigate through, Perry’s sixth studio album, Smile, may just be the thing to help remind us to be hopeful and grateful. 'Smile' has some bops - "Never Really Over," "Smile," "Harleys in Hawaii" - and some duds, but it's an album definitely worth spending time with.

Listen to KatyPerry's new album 'Smile' wherever music is available, and keep up with Katy Perry by following her on Instagram and Twitter @KatyPerry.