Katy Perry – California Gurls
American singer Katy Perry likes to cause a stir whenever she releases a new single, and is quickly turning into an expert at recording risqué pop videos. 2008’s ‘I Kissed a Girl’ featured flamboyantly dressed girls dancing in a burlesque setting, while ‘Waking Up in Vegas’ featured a scantily-clad Perry gambling in casinos, while also recreating Leonardo Da Vinci’s ‘Last Supper’ with a bunch of Las Vegas celebrity look-alikes. However, the video for Perry’s single, ‘California Gurls’, takes things one step further.
The first single from the singer’s new album ‘Teenage Dream’, ‘California Gurls’ features the lyrical talents of west coast rapper, Snoop Dogg. According to Perry, the single is an answer to the Jay-Z and Alicia Keys track, ‘Empire State of Mind’, which sings the praises of New York City. Released in May 2010, the song managed six weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, and also made top spot in the UK, Canada, Ireland and a host of other countries.
The accompanying video for ‘California Gurls’ is a breezy, high concept affair, in which Perry makes her way around a boldly coloured candyland seemingly controlled by Snoop Dogg, who appears to be playing some kind of game with the singer. Despite featuring sugar, spice and all things nice, the video also keeps in line with Perry’s edgy attitude. The singer gets the one fingered salute from a walking jelly bear, and cavorts with dancers wearing cake-shaped bikini tops – each cup complete with an innuendo-inspired cherry on top. At the video’s climax, Perry holds two spray cans to her chest, and gleefully fires a cascade of whipped cream.
It’s a typical Katy Perry video – loud, fun and a little bit kinky. The videos for her more soulful, emotional singles – ‘Thinking of You’, for example – are generally more subdued affairs. But when the singer reverts to the bouncy, bubbly electropop that launched her career, her pop videos duly follow suit. The formula’s worked for Perry so far, with ‘California Gurls’ landing her her second number one single in what has been a relatively short career. With new single ‘Teenage Dream’ hitting the shelves in late July 2010, and ‘Firework’ due for release in October, it looks like there’ll be no escaping Miss Perry for the time being – which is just the way she wants it!
