Katy Perry | Chained to the Rhythm

Back in 2017 around the same time I was releasing a song called Drink about the rhythm of city living, I could not help but notice Katy Perry singing ‘Drink, this ones on me’ and other powerful lines in Chained to the Rhythm.

“So comfortable we’re living in a bubble.” The lyrics of this song are as relevant today as they were in 2017, arguably even more so, and every frame of this music video is crafted to perfection. To this day this remains one of the best things that has happened recently in pop music, in my opinion. “Are you lonely? Up there in utopia, where nothing will ever be enough, happily numb”

The song and its music video do an immaculate job painting a picture of the human condition in its current state, while still leaning into optimism. “Thought we could do better than that, I hope we can” Katy sings before Ziggy Marley appears for a verse that brings this optimism home:

“It is my desire
Break down the walls to connect, inspire
Up in your high place, liars
Time is ticking for the empire
The truth they feed is feeble
As so many times before
The greed of all the people
They stumbling and fumbling
And we about to riot
They woke up, they woke up the lions..”