Katy Perry, the “Kween of Kamp” knows a bit about entertainment. On Wednesday, the singer kicked off the fifth leg of Play, her over-the-top, colorful and hugely entertaining residency at Resorts World in Las Vegas.
Her residency is full of nostalgia as she performs songs like “California Gurls” and “I Kissed a Girl,” but she does it in a fresh and playful way as she breathes life into a relatable story of love. -own as a doll in the whimsical world of Perry’s Playland.
“You don’t have to be on shrooms to feel like you’re on shrooms when you watch this show. Trust me,” Perry says rolling stone. “It’s got all the nostalgia factor, but it’s wrapped up in this spirited story of an Alice in Wonderland mushroom trip about finding true love and self-love.”
With the smaller Resorts World theater, Perry constantly interacts with the audience, making his Katycats part of the show. When rolling stone attended in August, Perry referred RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 10 winner Aquaria – who was in the crowd – to join her on stage and teach her how to do a drag queen “dive”.
Aquaria’s appearance felt like the perfect special guest for a queen of pop who has stood up for queer people, especially drag queens, throughout her career. “It’s fierce for me and fun for others who want to see a queen slaughter the house,” Aquaria said. rolling stone After the show. “Katy has always loved celebrating pop music and shows that pop music will never die.”
Perry says her life right now is filled with balance. She has a successful shoe brand, there are several Play shows left, a judge gig on american idol, and the “joyful” work of motherhood to occupy it. “It’s not like I’m going to retire,” Perry laughs. “Believe, darling, she still has a few more aces up her sleeve.”
On a morning phone call from Los Angeles after dropping daughter Daisy off at preschool, Perry spoke to rolling stone to want to join drag race as a guest judge, how she knew Dua Lipa was going to be the biggest pop star, if she wrote new music, and her favorite new artist, Cyn.
Katie. How is it going?
I’m doing well. Did you come to the show? I heard you came to the show.
Oh my God, yeah. I was there the day you brought Aquaria on stage. How did it happen?
It was wild. I always randomly invite someone on stage, and I knew they were in the audience, and I was like… I don’t know what I’m going to get by inviting someone on stage, but I hope it brings and at least they have a lot of personality so i decided to call them on stage.
It was such an important moment for PLAY because you’ve been such a champion for queer people, especially drag queens, with some of your past performances. Why weren’t you a judge on drag race Again?
Oh, I want. I think it’s just a matter of timing, and it’s one of those things where we tried to do it a few times, but the timing didn’t work out. I will definitely do that in the future, I hope. Honestly, if it wasn’t for drag queens, I probably wouldn’t have a career because I probably learned everything from them.
queen of camp.
I like to spell “camp” with a “K” of course.
Speaking of “kamp,” your PLAY residency is probably my favorite show this year. You have this way of interacting with the crowd that I don’t think I’ve ever seen. How has the residency changed your approach to performance?
What do you mean by interacting with them? What do you think he is before I answer?
It was really cool to see you literally talking to a little girl in the audience. It felt so natural and normal, and you really seemed to shine in those moments when you were interacting with people in the crowd.
Thanks! I really love treating everyone like family and having this heightened experience together, but also breaking that fourth wall and inviting everyone in. I have a lot of jokes that I do on stage, and every night it’s different. I don’t say the same thing every night. When I bring people on stage, it’s very spontaneous, so anything can happen, which always makes for a good time where you have to take flight and improvise.
I like it because it’s an intimate theatre. When I do big tours, I play arenas that have tens of thousands of people, which is fantastic, and there’s an incredible energy. But in this theater, it’s 5,000 people in Vegas. Everything is pretty close, and everyone feels like they have the best seat in the house because they can literally smell me. I love this experience.
You seem to have figured out all the details of the show, especially when it comes to your multiple outfit changes.
I know the main priority of being a female pop star! One of those priorities is to serve multiple looks. When you go to see a show like this, you want to see those changes. I was aware that for the Super Bowl, people want to see the different outfits. It’s a magic trick when you can also change so quickly. I’m changing in a minute and a half behind the stage. It’s just fun.
Every little detail has been thought of as I had the opportunity to develop this show during the pandemic, and there was plenty of time to do so. I really believe in a lot of preparation in everything I do. I believe that preparation makes precision. You only have one chance to launch your Las Vegas residency in life.
I was definitely going to make sure that I was going to do everything in my power to make sure it would be a fantastic hit and it would bring heart and humor and joy and be a celebration of all the songs I’ve been able to release in the past, which is usually different when I go on tour.
In your interview with Drew Barrymore, you talked about how you plan to make music again soon. Have you thought about what this music might sound like?
No, I turned off Smile during the pandemic a few years ago, and I did a few other things. I really enjoyed releasing “When I’m Gone” with Alesso. But I was putting all my energy into Vegas. I miss my fans around the world, and I really want to reach out and see them and just travel the world again. Some of them can’t come see me in Vegas, so I’ll go see them! I’m just excited for the future because there’s so much more to come.
Would you be on tour Smile, or would it be a little PLAY on the road?
No, I think the next time I go on a world tour it will definitely be with new music, but it’s really too early to say anything.
We’re talking about a time when your old songs are enjoying a resurgence on TikTok. Are there any former collaborators you think would be cool to work with again?
I like lively music. And that’s just the power of pure pop. I am always open to working with my former collaborators. We’ll see what happens.
What I like to do now: I like to meditate before I write a song so that I can be open and clear and whatever needs to go through me and that pen goes through me. Sometimes I like to take a real emotional, psychological journey when I write a record. I’m working on some of my emotions and maybe some of the issues that I need to resolve. Sometimes I reconnect to therapy to process things and through my music, so there’s a real emotional and internal inquiry that takes place when I start writing new music.
Have you written recently?
I never am.
Are there any specific experiences over the past two years that you think are worth writing about?
Of course, I had my first child. I think those are probably the three most profound things that happen in a person’s life. For me, that was definitely the deepest. To be able to get through that and just that feeling of love that I’ve always been looking for.
How has being a mom changed your approach to your career and your artistic talent?
I think it just gave me so much love and joy, so I’m sure it will flow from me the next time I go to make a record.
Look, I’ve worked so hard my whole life. It all started to kick into high gear when I was 23. So from 23 to 35, I traveled around the world. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to lay the groundwork for my life and career and to work so hard. Most people don’t work as hard as I worked when I was in my twenties. They usually do that in their thirties. And so it changed for me.
Now I find a truly wonderful balance, which I am grateful for. There is a season for everything. And this season, I can put on a fantastic show in Las Vegas that I think the fans really like to find joy in. I can be a judge on american idol, but above all, I can drop my daughter off at kindergarten like I just did this morning, prepare her lunch and pick her up from kindergarten. I manage to have a little balance in my life for this season, but it will not always be the case.
Are there any artists you are currently listening to? You have been the champion of many stars during your career.
I like to support women and new artists because I walked in their shoes. I know how it feels, and I know the challenge and how hard you had to work. If you see on all my past tours, I’ve chosen some of my favorite artists to come on the road with me. Whether it was Ellie Goulding or Charli XCX or Marina and the Diamonds, or Bebe Rexha and Becky G came when I was on Witness. I always try to support these young new artists on their journeys, and it’s amazing to see them succeed.
In fact, so much so that I started a record company. There’s a girl, her name is Cyn, who I’ve been mentoring for a few years, who has this amazing song called “House With a View.” [Rolling Stone premiered the video for it!] Cyn is putting together her first album, and it’s the best album I’ve heard since Dua Lipa’s debut album. I even remember defending Dua because I was like, “Oh, this girl is going to be the next big female pop star. She’s the it girl, and she’s coming.
I remember going to see her perform at the Hollywood Palladium. It’s so funny, I left work early. It was the first season I was doing american idol. I was like, “I really have to get out by seven because I’m going to see this new artist Dua Lipa play at the Palladium. And my co-judge Luke Bryan was like, ‘Who is that?’ like, “Don’t worry, you’ll know his name.”
I love new female artists. I know the really intense challenges and the pressure and all that. I feel so much for them.
The girl, I think, is the new upcoming “it” girl, her name is Cyn, and I happen to be part of her journey.
Speaking of Dua Lipa, there’s this video of a baby Dua Lipa joining you on stage on the California Dreams tour.
Yes, I know baby Dua Lipa. I chose it then!