Katy Perry finally goes “full goth” in her ‘Wide Awake’ video: ridiculous?

Katy Perry

Katy Perry has released the new video for her “Wide Awake” song, and from the above screencap, one might wonder whether she’s paying homage to Samsara from The Ring, but Katy’s not nearly that clever. Instead, this is Katy’s interpretation of how awful and broken down she felt after her divorce (even though she signed the papers with a happy face). If you’ll notice, a mini-Katy is behind her and pushing Katy’s wheelchair (because exploiting children is somehow okay). Yes, this is Katy’s new musical and visual style, and it seems that she’s made good on her promise that “my music is about get real f&#*ing dark.” Except that the requisite “dark” element is still a cotton candy interpretation of the word, but all that matters to Katy is that she’s dressing the part. Or at least, she’s trying to do so.

Katy Perry

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Katy Perry video if fireworks of some sort didn’t shoot out of her boobs.

Katy Perry

So is this new, edgy style of Katy’s here to stay? That’s doubtful, but one thing is pretty obvious — Katy is making quite the habit of capitalizing on her split from Russell Brand. Unlike with “Part of Me”, she sort of alludes that this song/video is about him:

In a new interview, Katy tells MTV that she’s ‘truthful’ in her music videos and she hopes this song will inspire her fans — watch her most candid interview yet!

Katy Perry is the symbol of strength. The beautiful singer spoke with MTV about her newly released music video “Wide Awake” and says that she wants to be “honest” with her fans when it comes to her music.

“I’m super truthful and honest when it comes to writing music videos,” she says. “And I just want to continue to remain honest.”

Katy says she hopes that her fans feel encouraged after listening to this song and watching this video.

“I hope they feel encouraged that it doesn’t matter what thing is thrown at you or what kind of obstacle you face,” she says. “You can get through it and land on your feet triumphantly and strong. That’s what I hope people get from this music video … from the song. It’s just you’ve gotta grow up a little bit, I guess. Sometimes you have to deal with some things in order to move on in life. That’s what I’m doing.”

[From Yahoo OMG]

I know that Katy’s shtick (besides being a cheesecake, good-girl-gone-bad, seemingly unaware sexpot) is that she tries to make her young fans feel good about themselves and wants to inspire confidence. Still, it’s probably a lot easier to get over a split and “land on your feet” when one has millions of dollars at one’s disposal. That probably sounds insensitive for me to say, but at least Katy’s not a single mother who has to worry about finances during her divorce. I understand that Katy probably harbors some hurt feelings, but it’s not like she can claim that she took the marriage seriously when she signed the divorce papers … you know, with a happy face. So whatever she’s saying about having to “grow up a little bit” seems pretty disingenous.

Katy Perry

As for the video itself, it’s silly and ridiculous (and so not goth), but at least she’s not attempting to act — because that would have made it even worse. Oh and Katy even punches “Prince Charming” at the end. She’s so subtle.

Katy Perry

Katy Perry

Screencaps courtesy of YouTube

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58 Responses to “Katy Perry finally goes “full goth” in her ‘Wide Awake’ video: ridiculous?”

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  1. Jax says:

    I think she is more hurt thatRussell is seemingly over it this quick and has been for the most part very classy about it publicly because that meant she had to change her narrative (to herself and others).

    • QQ says:

      THIS!! nevermind that throughout her whole marriage her priorities seemed to be career and Party and looking like an asinine drunk all the while married to a recovering alcoholic, for example

  2. curegirl0421 says:

    I thought it was a pretty cool vid, actually. The song’s got the right hook (pun soooo intended) and it’s catchy – pop songs are what she does best and she knows it, and even melodramatic pop songs count toward that.

    As to her personal reactions to her divorce, we weren’t *really* privy to all the details, and everyone deals with this stuff in their own way. If her way is to dress up and play at being dark for a while, I think that’s just fine. When I split with my ex I couldn’t stand him anymore and couldn’t wait to sign the papers, yet I still gave myself some really unfortunate bangs and changed my wardrobe for a while probably in some way trying to distance myself from who I had been with him and try to understand the process, even if I was still myself.

    I did have to laugh when fireworks came shooting out of her chest again, though… “Katy, it’s time to see a doctor about that…uh…*problem* of yours.” 🙂

  3. NeNe says:

    I still cannot understand the fascination with this chick. I think she has ZERO talent, and she ain’t all that. Plus, I personally think she is butt ugly!! Sorry, Katy Perry fans!!!

    • nofkksgiven says:

      i wouldn’t consider songwriting more hits on one album than MJ’s thriller ZERO talent. she has a schtick, its probably for the younger girls, i don’t care much for her music i find it annoying and her hair color not so stylish but you don’t have to cut down her accomplishments/talent level…

      • NeNe says:

        How can I cut down what she doesn’t have??? All she is is T&A, and apparently, in the industry she is in, that is all that you need.

      • Melissa says:

        Her hits can be blamed on Dr. Luke, who has produced the vast majority of her hits (including this song). She has also been working with Max Martin. THOSE are the people responsible for the catchiness of the songs she sings. They are pop music geniuses.

        Dr. Luke is now on a different label, so he won’t be able to work with her anymore. We will see what it sounds like without the man behind the curtain on her next album.

      • Veruca says:

        I’m convinced there’s some kind of mind control in Katy Perry songs.

        I find myself humming songs (California Gurlz, for example) when my brain KNOWS it hates that kind of music.

        What does she have now — eight number one hits? How did this happen?

      • fancyamazon says:

        She gets those hits with hype and formulaic hooks, not with lyrics or vocal ability. MJ had the power of his awful father and great producing, but his lyrics stand up and even his voice was geared to falsetto but could capture great range.

      • fancyamazon says:

        I should have also added that true falsetto is no small feat to be able to attain. Talent. Dancing, Singing, and entertaining.

      • Bette says:

        She doesn’t write those songs herself. Yes, she gets a songwriting credit on them, but from what I’ve seen, it’s always “written by Katy Perry and Bonnie McKee and Max Martin and Dr. Luke and blah blah” – several other people besides herself. So she probably comes up with a concept, or writes a few lyrics, and then takes it to the real songwriters. I don’t consider that to be a major talent and I don’t give her the majority of the credit for having so many number 1 hits.

        Plus, there’s the fact that having hit songs is no longer necessarily an indication of talent, anyway … just because millions of idiots think something is good, does that mean it really is??

    • LJ says:

      CORRECT

  4. moopsie says:

    from pop sugar candy land to goth… she is just coming off as a poser big time

    • Melissa says:

      It sounds like a Carrie Underwood song being sung by someone with a very harsh, screeching voice. The “falling from cloud 9” part was seriously painful to listen to.

  5. sup says:

    she is goth? lol ok. then again the whole “i’m bi” thing was fake too. she is just an ex christian rocker who stopped dyeing her hair blonde due to requests from the record company she sold herself to. she’ll be anything they want her to be. which is why she’s always looking dead behind the eyes, no real personality in that brain, there has never been much in there.

  6. marie says:

    always ridiculous with Katy, plus I don’t understand how she can claim she’s hurt/broken when she signed her divorce papers with a smiley face.. damn bubblehead

  7. dahlianoir says:

    That’s a really bad copy of Nightwish videosclips. And I apology to Nightwish fans for making the comparaison.

  8. RocketMerry says:

    That’s possibly the girliest, most embarrassing punch ever thrown.

    • Tinypie says:

      Yeah why can she “punch” a dude in the face and no one is freaking out? Double standards… Abuse should not go either way it should not happen at all. Lame examplevfor us girls, Katy.

    • Jessie says:

      She has obviously never thrown a real punch in her life.

      Look at her wrist – you don’t leave it turned, it takes all the power and momentum out of your arm.

  9. gee says:

    She’s like candy-coated ‘goth.’

    • annaloo. says:

      I don’t know..even Goth is a music genre that deserves respect. I’d give a title like “candy coated goth” to a band like Book of Love.

      This is Top 40 schtick covered wannabe emo.. this is Katy trying to be Amy Lee for Evanescence ( I am SO SORRY for that, Ms Lee), but with a much larger budget.

  10. Ming says:

    “Still, it’s probably a lot easier to get over a split and “land on your feet” when one has millions of dollars at one’s disposal.”

    By the logic of dear-celeb-you-have-lots-of-cash-cheer-up, the average, divorced western world single mother may also shut up complaining, as there is always a less-blessed-than-you woman out there.

    So for gods sake, leave me alone with those celeb/normal people comparisons.

    • Heather says:

      Right?!

    • Tifygodess24 says:

      When you have money to fall back on it’s one less stresser to deal with when you are going through a divorce, and helps tremendously . I understand CBs point.

    • Bubbling says:

      stay mad Ming, but if sh*t went wrong I would at least like to smile and relax on my way to the bank

  11. Meggie says:

    I’m just waiting for her to hook up with Marilyn Manson……Faux Hollywood Goth with Faux Shock-rocker. Imagine the break up songs from both camps….
    “glitter-boob heartbreak”
    “I want to punch my teddybear”
    “Only eyeliner understands me…”

  12. Jayna says:

    Actually. It’s a great little pop video, far better than the messes called music videos Gaga has out out for her last album (except Iove Judas). Katy’s last two music videos were bad. So she learned and really improved with this one.

    I think she stayed true to herself. It’s Goth-lite. It’s not like she went all Madonna goth in the Frozen video.

    • Amea says:

      I thought it was decent too. Corny, but that’s how most pop videos are.

      Am I the only one who like the scenes with her guiding the little girl the most? It makes me picture Katy as a mother. I think motherhood would be good for her and her image–give her some responsibility, keep her grounded, and show people she’s not as shallow as some of her songs/videos look.

  13. StephanieMarie2685 says:

    Sooo…I think violence, even a joking punch, is a pretty unacceptable message..
    If KP were a man and he was punching an entitled, bratty princess, that punch would NOT have been okay.
    I kinda get resentful when people say “you don’t ever hit a woman” I just wanna shout “you don’t ever hit ANYONE. Period.”
    We reinscribe male dominant gender relations when we say things like “don’t hit a woman” because it implies all women are weaker somehow than all men. There are exceptions and I don’t think weaker men being abused by stronger men or women is right either.

  14. Adrien says:

    Last photo:
    Katy Perry is Loki
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWwpOk_ZFM4

  15. LittleDeadGirl says:

    This is her version of “dark”? I like a few of her songs, not many, but a few, and this is not one of them. The video is boring too. The whole thing is just boring.

  16. serena says:

    To summarize: the video does not make any sense. At all.

    The music is blah. Like a lot of her previous songs, same sound, same vibe, same everything.

    She’s good at changing styles, I’ll give her that. But at first I was having doubts..like, is she putting a Amy Lee?

    Anyway, other than make-up and (some) costumes, it’s awful.

  17. paola says:

    This song sucks big time.

  18. Jill says:

    I know the fascination. The kids love her. My daughter is 8 and loves her songs.

  19. annaloo. says:

    POSEUR!

    And gawd, her voice is awful… awful.

    Kudos to the production design! Too bad this is a flat, flat, dull & cliched video

    The sparks flying from her massive chest is getting old.

    Katy’s marketing team is AMAZING. This is like a preamble to her 3d movie, right?

    Not that I would EVER see that, since I have celebitchy and this board to break it down for me!

    • Zoid says:

      I’d say her make up team is AMAZING too. Oh but that’s just Proactive, right? SMH

    • fancyamazon says:

      I found it somewhat ironic that they showed the trailer of her “movie” before Rock of Ages started.

  20. Skinnybetch says:

    I’m not buying this sad new gothic edgy thing she’s doing. I’m sure she’s using her divorce as an excuse. . . but she needs to try harder if she’s going to catch up to Rihanna and Demi Moore. They are forever ruined by their toxic relationships.

  21. Mikki says:

    I admit to enjoying some of her songs, like California Gurls (it’s good to crank up on the iPod while on the elliptical)…but her new ‘woe is me’ crap is getting silly. It’s not like she and Russell were together for ten years and then he left her for another woman! Did they even live together, try to make it a real marriage? Hardly, so she needs to give it up and try a new thing.

    • annaloo. says:

      ITA! Was he her first boyfriend or something, she’s so dramatic about all of this… Something reeks here of show business agreement/arrangement to pop both of their fame levels…

  22. Psyren says:

    She’s turning into Taylor Swift. You went through a breakup, you’re mad and hurt, we get it. Stop whining about it in song and video. The men in both cases (save John Mayer) are handling things with way more class and maturity than either of them.

  23. Zoid says:

    Does she actually sing in her concerts, or dance? I had trouble listening to the song all the way through, her voice was so messed with. So I’m wondering… How does she sound in concert? >.>

    • Jayna says:

      I took my niece, and I have to say i was surprised. Shereally worked on improving her live vocals and it showed for this last tour (though, never great, let’s face it) and the girl gave it her all with a bunch of catchy pop songs and was very engaging to her audience. My niece and her friend liked it better than Gaga’s last tour.

      • Zoid says:

        You are an amazing aunt! 😀
        I’m glad to hear this, I get tired of these pop divas and their piss-poor vocals. I still can’t stomach her voice, but at least she tries to engage the audience.
        (your niece has seen more concerts than me now, lucky girl)

  24. ama says:

    Ugh I couldn’t make it past 30 seconds. Her voice is horrible.

  25. Jover says:

    Right on everyone sign on sup and marie; Her string pullers are going to shove her down our throats until we all collectively vomit.

  26. Clara says:

    How much do you wanna bet that this bullsh*t is going to be the grand opener to this ridiculous 3D fandango she has coming out? Sure looks like it.

  27. Ainsley says:

    Her PR people are stars, not her. This is the worst her voice has ever sounded, and that is saying something because she never sounds good. I hope adults don’t let their kids go see her movie. She’s made enough bank off of kids who don’t know any better.

  28. Nicole says:

    She has the worst voice in pop music! She’s absolutely ridiculous.

  29. Jessie says:

    Sense: this video makes none..

    And she needs to learn how to throw a punch. NOT LIKE THAT, geez. I’m not condoning violence, but that was am embarrassing effort.

  30. J says:

    she is soooo annoying. I miss the old katy perry. she was cute and funny, different than all the popstars we were used to. and that hipocrisy … omg. why would you punch a man and act all “girl power”, when in reality you’re the biggest attention whore ever.. i hate that. if you’re a slut, than don’t pretend you’re innocent. that’s just lame.

  31. Brittany says:

    Although I’m not a huge Katy fan, I think the whole point of the video was to basically play homage to her album (i.e. the fireworks coming out of her chest=Firework music video) and they channeled it in a way to show that she has grown and is now “wide awake” (pun intended). Now the rest of the stuff about PR and her image, I totally agree with.

  32. Cindy says:

    I just can’t take her seriously anymore.