Perry conceived of the song and its feminist message after feeling inspired by the "feminine divine", observing that the most successful songs of her career, such as "Firework" (2010) and "Roar" (2013), were "empowering" in their messaging. However, the song's announcement was met with mixed reactions from social media users, who criticized the involvement of Dr. Luke in the song after singer Kesha made sexual harassment allegations against him. Upon release, "Woman's World" received generally negative reviews from music critics, who condemned the songwriting and production, and Dr. Luke's involvement.
Commercially, the single reached the top 10 in Croatia and Israel, the top 30 in Slovakia and Venezuela, number 47 in the United Kingdom, number 63 in the United States, and number 65 on the Billboard Global 200 chart. The music video, which featured Perry dressed like Rosie the Riveter, also received complaints, and was dubbed a weak attempt at a feminist message. She defended the video as slapstick and satirical in intent.
Release and promotion
Perry posted a fifteen-second teaser of her lip-syncing the song on various social media platforms on June 17, 2024.[1] The artist also revealed the cover artwork featuring herself in metallic "alien-like" pants designed by Victor Clavelly with a white bikini top, photographed by Jack Brigdland.[2] She also announced that the song would be released on July 11 and made it available for pre-order and pre-save via her website and various streaming services.[3]
On June 25, Perry arrived at the Hôtel Ritz Paris in a black limo for Paris Fashion Week while wearing a red Balenciaga custom dress featuring two trains.[4] According to Vogue, the outfit's second train was approximately one hundred yards long and showcased the song's lyrics in white lettering.[5] The artist later partnered with Japanese electronics company Denon for a wireless earbuds commercial with a teaser of the song.[6] The song served as the lead single from 143, Perry's seventh studio album.[7] The song became available on CD and vinyl on July 12.[8] Three days later, an extended play of the same name followed, containing the song and five remixes.[9]
Perry co-wrote the song with Chloe Angelides and producers Aaron Joseph, Dr. Luke, Rocco Did It Again!, and Vaughn Oliver.[13] She explained the meaning of the song in an Apple Music 1 interview: "I think that people, when they think of me, they think of 'Roar', they think of 'Firework' sometimes they think of 'I Kissed a Girl', but I think mostly they think of these... empowering songs". Perry also spoke of enjoying when others shared stories about how her prior message could "help people get through" things in life, adding "I write these songs from a place where I need to get through something. But so I wanted to continue with that and also, this is the first contribution I have given since becoming a mother and since feeling really connected to my feminine divine."[14]
Critical reception
"Woman's World" was panned by critics and publications,[15] who felt the song was "out of touch".[16] Em Casalena of American Songwriter wondered if artificial intelligence had been used in the songwriting process upon hearing the teaser, noting a generic formula of bubblegum pop"[17]Consequence critic Mary Siroky agreed and highlighted the irony of a female empowerment song with Dr. Luke.[18] Alexa Camp of Slant Magazine criticized the lyrics as uninspired whilst Justin Curto of Vulture criticized the "vague feminist empowerment."[19][20] William Hughes of The A.V. Club described the song's production as featuring "basic synth riffs."[21]
Laura Snapes of The Guardian gave "Woman's World" one star out of five, lambasting it as "garbage".[22] Shaad D'Souza of Pitchfork called the track "unfathomably tepid" and while deeming Dr. Luke's involvement in the song hypocritical.[23] Alim Kheraj of Dazed felt "Woman's World" was reductive and creatively bankrupt.[24] Cat Zhang of The Cut characterized the song and its social media rollout as pandering to the LGBTQ community.[25]Variety included "Woman's World" on their Worst Songs of 2024 list, with Steven J. Horowitz calling it a "faux-feminist anthem about as tone-deaf as calling something 'purposeful pop.'"[26]
In more positive reviews, Erica Gonzalez of Elle opined that the song "explodes with dance-pop energy".[14]The New York Times critic Jon Pareles characterized "Woman's World" as a "synthesizer-pumped, positive-vibes affirmation of the obvious" with a "euphoric" sound.[27]
Chart performance
"Woman's World" debuted at number 63 on the US Billboard Hot 100, dropping entirely off the chart the following week.[28]
Internationally, the song reached number 77 on the Canadian Hot 100, number 47 on the UK singles chart, and number 163 in France,[29] and was a top ten hit in Croatia, Israel, and Paraguay. Following the song's poor chart performance, multiple journalists described the song as a failed comeback for Perry.[30][31]
The music video was directed by Charlotte Rutherford and released alongside the song.[13] It features Perry singing the lyrics while dressed as a skimpy Rosie the Riveter using power tools and drinking whiskey before being crushed by a falling anvil. There is a quick, rapid montage of internet memes. After awakening in a white knit bikini and bionic legs, she goes off to explore new scenery, stopping once to fuel herself by putting a gas pump into her buttocks. Perry then joins media celebrity Trisha Paytas in a monster truck, and they ride it until crushing a car. Perry exits the truck to walk through a nearby house, smashing through a glass door in the back. She sees a young woman using a female gender symbol-shaped light for a TikTok dance, and takes it for herself. After being repeatedly asked "Who are you?", she screams "I'm Katy Perry!" while flying away on a helicopter.[11][32][33] A censored "Modest Edit" of the video, which removed a scene depicting a gay couple kissing, was released in some countries.[34]
The video received generally unfavorable reviews from journalists.[15][18] Pareles felt that the "overblown video clip" was inferior to the song.[27]
On July 13, Perry uploaded behind-the-scenes footage of the making of the video to social media with a caption reading "YOU CAN DO ANYTHING! EVEN SATIRE!" In the footage, she stated that her intention was for the video to be satirical, "very slapstick and very on the nose".[35] Perry's explanation did not convince music critics, who believed that the quick release of the behind-the-scenes footage showed that she had been anticipating an unfavorable response to the video.[36][37]
Live performances
Perry first sang the track live at the Evita event in West Hollywood on August 23, 2024.[38] In September 2024, she also performed "Woman's World" at the Rock in Rio music festival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.[39][better source needed] On December 8, 2024, she performed the song at 2024 Jingle Bell Ball.[40]
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: Select 35. týden 2024 in the date selector. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
