She may be known for her iconic Superbowl halftime performance or for classic hits like “Firework” and “California Gurls,” but Katy Perry has more in store with her new album 143.
143 is Perry’s seventh studio album and was released on Sep. 20, 2024. The last album she released was Smile, in 2020.
The title of the album stands for I Love You, as “I” has one letter, “love” has four, and “you” has three. It is also said to be Perry’s angel number.
143 is 11 tracks long, totaling to 37 minutes and 40 seconds. It is the shortest album in Perry’s discography.
Perry worked with many producers to create this album: Max Martin, Dr. Luke, Stargate, Vaughn Oliver, and Rocco Did It Again!.
The first single released from 143 was “WOMAN’S WORLD” on July 11, 2024. The song keeps an upbeat tempo that is exciting to listen to, and has pointed lyrics such as “It’s a woman’s world and you’re lucky to be living in it.”
“It made me want to dance,” sophomore Nora Duryea said. “Very fun, energetic, and lively.”
“WOMAN’S WORLD” is an overall solid song, and was met with many positive reviews, as were her other two singles, “LIFETIMES” and “I’M HIS, HE’S MINE.”
“LIFETIMES,” which was released on Aug. 8, 2024, is very enjoyable due to the backing music. The drums and guitar added a lot to the song and made for a positive listening experience.
“It has a good beat,” senior Brooke Engels said. “I can see how it would be very catchy”
“I’M HIS, HE’S MINE” was released on Sep. 13, 2024 and features Doechii. Her performance was strong and added to the upbeat vibe with lyrics such as “We good, we fine, don’t even try.”
The first three released songs created high expectations for the rest of the album, which unfortunately were not met on release day.
There were two other features on the album, “GIMME GIMME” with 21 Savage and “GORGEOUS” with Kim Petras. The songs overall fell very flat, as they both lacked an engaging beat and the lyrics were not catchy, simply repeating the titles over and over again. The featured artists did not do anything to help either song, only making them feel chaotic.
The main problem with the rest of the album is that it was repetitive. When listening to all 11 songs in order, it was hard to pick out where one song started and another ended. They all had similar backing tracks and the lyrics did not feel original from one song to the next.
The most disappointing thing about 143 was how it compared to other Perry albums. Many teenagers that have grown up listening to her music felt this did not live up to their favorite songs.
“It was very surprising to learn that this was Katy Perry,” Engels said. “It does not sound like her at all.”
Her entire vocals and sound seem to have changed, and the lyrics do not have the same impact they did in her old music.
It is a given that as artists grow and change, so will their music, but this may not have been for the better. The singles off of 143 are enjoyable to listen to, but the entire album is definitely not worth the time. It simply is not as good as her classics.
