Of all thepop-culture questions we thought wed be asking this summer, What wasKaty Perrythinking?
probably wasnt high on anyones list.
But here we are withWomans World,a fairly generic pop banger about female empowerment.
Cynthia Parkhurst*
Fine idea, but rarely has someone so misread the room.
Crammed with cartoonish, fleshy pop-pinup imagery, the video was in line with Perrys earlier, Day-Glo clips.
Lukes namein the creditsdidnt help, either.)
If Perry meant to mainlineherselfinto the cultural conversation, mission somewhat accomplished.
But the video also triggers something she and her team probably didnt intend.
The craving for attention felt in the Womans World video (it practically screams: Im still relevant!)
But first, lets revel again in what an astounding era that was.
From the singing to the production, the songs were commanding andalive.
As most of that list shows, that moment truly was a womans world.
Rihannas cascade of singles were themselves a one-person array of sound.
(If and when she ever releases a proper greatest hits compilation, its going to be killer.)
Hits of that time were especially brash.
Keshas Tik Tok and We R Who We R and Perrys Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)
parties at rich dudes houses, but on record were unabashedly hedonistic and loving it.
