Last weekend, the Mail, Page Six and a few other outlets published photos of Justin Trudeau and Katy Perry on a yacht off the coast of Santa Barbara. They were taken, as we now know, during a break from Katy’s tour. While I hate giving Katy credit for anything, I’ll admit that it’s pretty badass to use Justin Trudeau as a rebound from a years-long relationship with Orlando Bloom. That’s always been the feel to this situation as well – this is a rebound for Katy after years of discontent with Orlando. I’m sure it’s a huge ego boost for Canada’s former prime minister to pursue you so openly and agree to yacht photo-ops. But please don’t dress this up as anything other than a rebound full of WTFery. No one told People Mag though. They’re plowing ahead with their exclusives on this relationship.

Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau are enjoying their blossoming romance.

A Canadian source close to the political world tells PEOPLE that the singer and former Canadian prime minister are “quite taken with each other” for now, adding, “in addition to the attraction, they are both smart and love to talk about serious issues.”

The source says they have taken it slowly, as Perry, 40, is out on her Lifetimes World Tour through December while Trudeau, 53, is based in Canada.

“They have stayed in touch since the middle of summer but haven’t been able to spend that much time together, due mainly to her schedule,” the source explains. “Justin is also busy and both have family obligations. They have interests in common. Both are taking dating as it comes. But they are definitely into each other — and have been.”

The two both like and respect each other, as well as having a romantic connection.

“Justin thinks she is terrific,” the source says. “It has had time to develop on a friend and intellectual level as well as supersized attraction. The romance has merit.”

Neither Perry nor Trudeau has yet commented on the status of their relationship. Reps for Perry and Trudeau did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

[From People]

Hmm… lol. These sources are doing everything they can to make this sound like a meeting of the minds. Like, we’ve been covering Katy for years and years. She’s not a bad person, she’s not an evil person. But she’s not an intellectual, to put it mildly. Pretending that Katy and Justin are sitting around, having super-serious conversations about Important Issues is pretty funny. They’re banging and it’s a rebound for her and that’s fine. Call it what it is.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.