It’s been a tough couple of years for California-born Katy Perry. Whilst she was named the fifth biggest female pop star of all time by Billboard and has sold 151 million records worldwide, the star has found herself struggling to replicate the same level of pop success that she found in her early years – her latest album 143 panned critically, failing to produce a single hit.
Despite this, her legacy remains untouched; her extensive catalogue of hits – including five UK number one singles – keep her within the top 25 most listened to artists on Spotify globally at the time of writing. Katy Perry is a household name across generations, with hits including ‘Firework’ and ‘Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)’ still gaining traction on social media platforms such as TikTok.
In unshaken spirit, Perry announced The Lifetimes Tour, an extensive string of dates across the globe, which fans hoped would be a redemption arc for the pop icon. And, if her show at the AO Arena was anything to go by, Perry was certainly on the right track.
Though she may have taken a few wrong steps, the spectacle that Katy Perry displayed was a reminder that she is still one of the great performers of our generation. Her level of production just isn’t seen as commonplace in this day and age: Perry had a stage that looped to the very back of the arena, and incorporated multiple sections that saw the star suspended in the air.
The visual voyage began from the second the show commenced (with Perry’s introduction as a part-human, part-robot cyborg named 143KP) and continued right through until the encore that saw her fly around the room on a gigantic butterfly.
This, combined with endless other bonkers theatrics sprinkled along the way, made her performance a sight to behold. Perry’s vocal ability and stamina were impressive, with extensive dance routines and vocal showcases throughout the night offering real value for money in terms of entertainment.
What was most impressive was the entirely fan-led section of show, during which audience members could vote online for which Prism deep cut they wish to be performed. This was followed by an acutely intimate acoustic set which included audience member participation. It was touching and, just for a second, the star felt within reach.
However, the AI-generated visuals guiding the audience through each act acted as a constant reminder that something was off. Katy Perry seems to be lost in an industry so different to that in which she once thrived, and this reflected in her live performance. Eccentricity has always been the pulse of her concerts, but this time it felt drastically over the top, as though she moving to the pace of a script.
With a shoutout to Canal Street, it was clear that “Manchestaaaaa” was one of Perry’s favourites. Consistent crowd interactions in a supposed Mancunian accent, however penned, made the night all the more memorable. Many worried that fellow industry titan Lady Gaga‘s clashing show at Co-op Live would lead to an underwhelming crowd, but the lack of an empty seat as far as the eye could see proved that Manchester will always turn up and turn out – no matter what.
Truly, her actual performance cannot be faulted. The way in which the entire stage was utilised with various setups across the night was impressive and exactly the level of theatre you’d expect from an artist of this stature. The production could easily have been stadium-scale, with Perry’s ability to precisely execute choreography and a range of stunts with ease blowing the audience away.
With this being a swiftly sold-out show, Perry’s recent commercial failure with 143 almost seemed like a distant memory.
Most left the arena with a smile. Although the artist that is competing in today’s music industry perhaps isn’t the one we grew up with, it was heart-warming to take a trip down memory lane through such an eccentric display of hits. Her performance was a true victory lap: a warm embrace of her glory days, rather than a continuation of her success. Nonetheless, she will always be one of the greats.
Katy Perry is a real showgirl, and no matter the current climate of her career, you’ll always be in for a treat at her live sets.
