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Once upon a time, people believed in Katy Perry’s pop. ‘Firework’ was the perfect summation of a teenage dream. But the teenage dream that lasts forever is a nightmare. And, well, here we are. Fast-forward to 143 (‘I Love You’ in pager code), a strangely anhedonic slog to the bottom with nary a hook in sight. The vapidity of Perry’s message remains, but somehow it’s slipped the pop sensibility altogether; each track has an average of ten songwriting credits. Lead single ‘Woman’s World’ is unparalleled dreck, its AI-generated notion of the ‘feminine divine’ dementedly out of step with modern pop. It’s difficult to tell if Perry knows she’s trolling herself. Or is she in her Springtime for Hitler era? 143 feels like Love Island transition music, but with less amour.
