Even before joining the controversial Blue Origin space flight, Katy Perry was not exactly the most popular person on the internet. In July 2024, the pop star released “Woman’s World,” a song that many felt was out of touch with reality. It didn’t help that Katy collaborated with Dr. Luke, whom has been accused of sexual assault. In a review of the song, The Cut declared that “Katy Perry Is Stuck in 2016.”
The criticism only grew after Katy went to space, teased her setlist while there, and kissed the ground upon her return. Now, Katy has addressed the backlash and said she feels like “a human piñata” because of all the hate she’s gotten.
On April 29, a Brazilian fan group posted on Instagram to celebrate the start of her Lifetimes Tour. “Today, we wanted to remind her that she is never alone; our love for her is boundless, unwavering, and eternal,” the fan group wrote in part. Katy responded to the post to let her fans know that she is OK in spite of the critics.
“I have done a lot work around knowing who I am, what is real and what is important to me,” Katy wrote. In her lengthy response, Katy explained that she has been thinking about something her therapist told her years ago: “No one can make you believe something about yourself that you don’t already believe yourself.”
This comment from her therapist has influenced how she deals with criticism, she explained. “When the ‘online’ world tries to make me a human Piñata, I take it with grace and send them love, cause I know so many people are hurting in so many ways and the internet is very much so a dumping ground for unhinged and unhealed,” Katy continued.
She added that she is “not perfect.” “I actually have omitted that word from my vocabulary,” she continued. “I’m on a human journey playing the game of life with an audience of many and sometimes I fall but … I get back up and go on and continue to play the game and somehow through my battered and bruised adventure I keep looking to the light and in that light a new level UNLOCKS.”
On May 1, Katy was the subject of a satirical post from The Onion. “Katy Perry Teases New Single ‘Stop Making Fun of Me,'” the headline read. In the post, the publication joked that Katy said, “Working with Dr. Luke on my fav single in years — this is for the ladies out there who can’t catch a g—— break even though they’re seriously trying their best.”
Katy responded to the joke on Instagram, writing, “this photo is clearly photoshopped I would never let my Botox go that long, do better The Onion!”
