(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um7pMggPnug)
4 seconds in and there’s already so much symbolism and hidden meaning in this song, both in the lyrics and the accompanying music video. Its very easy to draw parallels between this song and the current issues in our society. Honestly, i think its pretty ironic, considering its artists just like miss perry who create/contribute to the sheep-like behaviour of society. So, why the need for the futurism throughout the video when this is our reality right now??!! Tbh I'm a lil confused about the 50s references tho, idk maybe its trying to illustrate that by going forward we’re only going back. I mean, society’s always had a need to classify people into bubbles - e.g. in the 50s world, where women were oppressed into the roles of housewives, and also in our world today, where society follows the trends and social norms as set by high profile fame, especially those of the music industry. I guess people don’t realise its just another form of oppression. Both of these situations are carefully articulated within the music video for “Chained To The Rhythm”
Her lyrics hav been so delicately crafted. Eg:.
“dance dance dance to the distortions”Â
“we, yeah, we think we’re free”Â
“so comfortable we’re living in a bubble”
Kind of speak for themselves really
It irks me a little how happy and mundane everyone seems in the video although its message is so harsh and totally real - like come on people why cant u see ur all living like sheep ??? I mean its almost too subtle, even though its also blatantly obvious. Sly move Katy.
the part where the girls are dancing in synch with their massive phones or whatever, indicating how we feel the need to document every part of our lives, and by doing so actually tend to miss a lot of other cool shit that happens every day. On the contrary, we also conveniently miss a lot of bad shit that happens every day, supposedly giving an excuse to just ignore it and continue living in bliss. I guess this relates back to the very fitting name of the theme park: “Oblivia”
on the coaster, the seats on the left hav a blue heart (where all the men sit) and the seats on the right hav a pink heart (where all the women sit) - possibly referring to current issues surrounding same sex marriage, homosexuality and the accompanying discrimination and societal expectations. But also, how when they reach the end of the ride, Simon’s “score” is near 10,000 whereas Rose’s hasn't even reached 20, even tho they both completed the exact same ride. Perhaps this is highlighting the also relevant issue of gender discrimination, and maybe even the wage gap between men and women, and how men tend to earn more for doing the same job a woman does just as well.Â
In terms of the artistry, woah its good. I’m INStantly captivated by Katy’s bubblegum pink hair and pastel eyeshadow. The vivid and dreamlike scenes are so creative and i really wanna know who directed/produced the vid bc i want MORE!!!! the theme park setting is so cool, i love the floating house ride (”The Great American Dream Drop” wow what a reference; one i won't go into much detail about bc tbh i think that whole thing is a SHAM), and the giant rollercoasters (although I'm sure OSH would be all over the fact that YOU’RE LITERALLY NOT EVEN ATTACHED TO THE TRACKS HALF THE TIME). her outfits are a work of art - she looks like a futuristic QUEEN and dang her boobs look so good in that white ensemble YAS GURL. Also the shooesss omg, so nice and also a very smart business move considering she’s just released her own line of crazy futuristic footwear...Â
oh and then at the end she sees this snoopy rapper Rastafarian rapper dude warp out of TV, who is totally unlike all the other sheep, who triggers her realisation that its ok to be different and that if u rap, ur probably more likely to change the world.Â
I think its real moving that someone such as Katy Perry has (cryptically) spoken up about the filthy behaviour of society. Personally, theres more to it than just speaking up, but its a great start. But i’d say definitely prepare urself for the “demise” of the Katy Perry we’ve all come to know & love (or hate, if you're that way inclined) , where she takes up smoking pot, rebelling against the society she helped create, and devoting her time learning to rap so her next album can actually help RESHAPE and REINSPIRE the music industry and everyone it influences. You can tell by her terrified facial expression in the final frame, that theres definitely something whack coming our way. Its like one of those Wasjig puzzles, & now we all hav to piece together what she was staring at that made her look so afraid !!!  hav fun kids & dont do psychadelics on rollercoastersÂ
