Katy Perry Addresses Criticism over Returning to Work with Dr. Luke for New Album '143'

Mar. 15, 2025

Katy Perry in Los Angeles on Aug. 19, 2024.Photo:Emma McIntyre/Getty

Emma McIntyre/Getty

Katy Perryhas addressed criticism over collaborating withLukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwaldon hernew album143.In an interview withCall Her Daddyreleased Wednesday, Sept. 4, the pop star, 39, noted the producer — who worked on some of her biggest hits like “I Kissed a Girl,” “California Gurls" and “Teenage Dream” and was involved in nearlya decade-long legal battlewithKesha"was one of many collaborators."“I understand that it started a lot of conversations and he was one of many collaborators that I collaborated with. But the reality is, it comes from me,” Perry said of Dr. Luke, 50. “The truth is, I wrote these songs from my experience of my whole life going through this metamorphosis, and he was one of the people to help facilitate all that. One of the writers, one of the producers. I am speaking from my own experience.”The “Never Really Over” artist then shifted the conversation to her new album’s “empowering” lead single “Woman’s World."“When I speak about ‘Woman’s World,’ I speak about feeling so empowered now, as a mother, as a woman, giving birth, creating life, creating another set of organs. A brain! A heart! I created a whole ass heart! And I did it, and I’m still doing it,” Perry said.She continued: “I’m still a matriarch and feeling really grounded in that, that’s where I’m speaking from. So I created all of this with several different collaborators, people that I’ve collaborated with from the past, fromTeenage Dreamera. All of that.”Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.In July, Perry announcedon social mediathat her sixth studio album,143, is due Sept. 20.A press release described the upcoming project as a “sexy, fearless return to form” for the 13-time Grammy-nominated artist.“I set out to create a bold, exuberant, celebratory dance-pop album with the symbolic 143 numerical expression of love as a throughline message,” she said in a statement.Perry is set to headline a sold-out show at Rock in Rio in Brazil on the album’s release day, marking her first performance at the Rio de Janeiro festival since 2015.

Katy Perryhas addressed criticism over collaborating withLukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwaldon hernew album143.

In an interview withCall Her Daddyreleased Wednesday, Sept. 4, the pop star, 39, noted the producer — who worked on some of her biggest hits like “I Kissed a Girl,” “California Gurls” and “Teenage Dream” and was involved in nearlya decade-long legal battlewithKesha"was one of many collaborators."

“I understand that it started a lot of conversations and he was one of many collaborators that I collaborated with. But the reality is, it comes from me,” Perry said of Dr. Luke, 50. “The truth is, I wrote these songs from my experience of my whole life going through this metamorphosis, and he was one of the people to help facilitate all that. One of the writers, one of the producers. I am speaking from my own experience.”

The “Never Really Over” artist then shifted the conversation to her new album’s “empowering” lead single “Woman’s World.”

“When I speak about ‘Woman’s World,’ I speak about feeling so empowered now, as a mother, as a woman, giving birth, creating life, creating another set of organs. A brain! A heart! I created a whole ass heart! And I did it, and I’m still doing it,” Perry said.

She continued: “I’m still a matriarch and feeling really grounded in that, that’s where I’m speaking from. So I created all of this with several different collaborators, people that I’ve collaborated with from the past, fromTeenage Dreamera. All of that.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In July, Perry announcedon social mediathat her sixth studio album,143, is due Sept. 20.

A press release described the upcoming project as a “sexy, fearless return to form” for the 13-time Grammy-nominated artist.

“I set out to create a bold, exuberant, celebratory dance-pop album with the symbolic 143 numerical expression of love as a throughline message,” she said in a statement.

Perry is set to headline a sold-out show at Rock in Rio in Brazil on the album’s release day, marking her first performance at the Rio de Janeiro festival since 2015.

source: people.com