Katy Perry's seventh album, 143, arrives amid a difficult comeback marked by underperforming singles and controversy over her collaboration with producer Dr Luke. The lead single, Woman's World, stalled at number 63 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 65 in the UK, while the follow-up, Lifetimes, managed only a number 15 spot on the less prestigious Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart. For an artist with six diamond singles (each selling over 10 million units in the US), these results are a significant disappointment.
The rollout of Woman's World in July encountered immediate criticism. Perry described the song as an expression of her 'feminine divine' and intended it to be empowering, akin to her earlier hits Firework and Roar. However, many fans and critics argued that the feminist message was undermined by her choice to work again with Dr Luke, the producer behind her most successful albums but also the subject of a lengthy legal battle with pop singer Kesha.
Dr Luke's involvement reignited scrutiny given the allegations Kesha made in 2014, claiming he drugged and raped her. Dr Luke countersued for defamation, and the dispute was settled in June 2023. Although Perry worked extensively with Dr Luke on her early albums, she did not collaborate with him on her previous two records, Witness and Smile, as his legal battle with Kesha unfolded. Perry stated in a 2017 deposition that she chose not to work with him then to avoid appearing to 'take a side'.
Music journalist Rhian Daly commented that Perry 'really misjudged how working with Dr Luke again would go down'. While other artists, such as Doja Cat, have worked with Dr Luke since the legal dispute, Daly noted that Doja Cat has since distanced herself, telling Rolling Stone in 2021 that she did not think she needed to work with him again. The controversy has contributed to the perception that Perry's comeback is faltering.
