This post has been updated since its original publication date to include new info
Katy Perry is reportedly “freaking out” about her comeback single “Woman’s World” flopping in the charts, and is now in “crisis talks” with her team to ensure her album, which is out next month, doesn’t suffer the same fate.
The 39-year-old “Roar” singer has found herself at the center of a storm lately, following the revelation that she teamed up with the contentious music producer Dr. Luke for “Woman’s World.” Many artists vowed to cut ties with the controversial producer after he was accused of sexual assault by Kesha. Sharp-eyed fans on social media discovered that on the music site Genius, Perry’s new song, which is about female empowerment, was credited with Dr. Luke (real name is Łukasz Sebastian Gottwald), 50, as a co-producer. And his involvement in the track is why many people believe it flopped.
Katy Perry Is 'Freaking Out' About 'Woman's World' Flopping And Doesn't Want Her New Album To Suffer The Same Fate
"Katy is freaking out right now because she is very aware of the feedback that "Woman's World" is getting. She is pointing the fingers at everyone but herself, but it is her own fault," a source told the Daily Mail, before going on to say that she is in "crisis talks" with her team, and demanding they go "back to the drawing board" to try and save her album before its release on September 20th.
"She was insane to think that Dr. Luke was a good idea. She didn't listen to anyone," the source continued, adding: "Instead of diving deep and creating art she put something out that sounded like it could have been on an album of hers from 2010."
Katy Perry Was Willing To Overlook Dr. Luke's Sexual Abuse Allegations To Create Chart-Topping Hits, According To Sources
According to the outlet, Perry was allegedly eager to team up again with Dr. Luke, even though he's been entangled in a prolonged legal battle over sexual abuse allegations. Their past hits like "Teenage Dream" and "I Kissed A Girl" had been such chart-toppers that she was apparently willing to overlook the controversy for another shot at musical magic.
"She understands she is controversial by working with Dr. Luke again, but they work so well together, and they have such a rapport with each other that she knows him in a different way than others might," one source dished to the publication. They went on, adding: "Her relationship with Dr. Luke is an important one."
The insider continued: "So to have worked with him again is something she isn't bothered about, even though plenty of fans are. She is scared as the music world today can be fickle, with artists here one minute and disappearing the next - but she has thrived before."
The tipster also shared: "Katy is ready to go through the fires and she believes in her new album and work. So many people want to see her fail, but she is using it as motivation."
They added: "She can't wait to support her album and prove everyone wrong. She wants this to be her renaissance."
Just hours after Perry's announcement of her new Dr. Luke-produced track, Kesha took to X, formerly Twitter, with a cryptic "lol," which many interpreted as a jab.
This connection is especially contentious given that Kesha, 37, accused Dr. Luke, her former long-time producer, of sexual assault and emotional abuse back in 2014. He retaliated with a defamation lawsuit, leading to a prolonged legal battle that only reached a resolution last year.
Fans React To Dr. Luke Listed As A Co-Producer On 'Woman's World'
Across TikTok and X, many of Perry's fans couldn't help but notice the irony in a song that supposedly champions female empowerment being co-produced by someone with accusations of abuse against them. Meanwhile, others found themselves fixated on the song snippet, sparking a wave of "AI-generated" jokes and likening it to the kind of tunes you'd hear while shopping at a department store or watching "toilet paper" commercials.
Soon after the "Harleys in Hawaii" hitmaker shared the snippet of "Woman's World" to TikTok on June 17th, one fan commented beneath her post at the time: "This... is the comeback?" as another added: "I could make this on garage band." Someone else quipped: "Was this written by ai?"
Beneath her similar Instagram post on the same day, another commenter noted: "This song is actually painful to listen to," as one other replied: "This song sounds terrible. Lol we need the summer of 2010 Katy back."
Others expressed their qualms with the Dr. Luke production rumors. "Releasing a woman's empowerment song with an [alleged] ABUSER as the producer is insane and totally tone deaf," someone else wrote, as another commented: "Good luck with Dr. Puke."
