Katy Perry surprised from the start with a great song choice as she kicked off her performance at the AFL Grand Final at the MCG on Saturday.
The American pop star, 39, took to the stage in front of 100,000 AFL fans as he headlined the show ahead of the clash between Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans.
However, he surprised fans almost immediately when he kicked off his five-song set with his smash hit Roar, even though it was widely theorized that he wouldn’t perform the hit.
There had been feverish speculation that the song had been blacklisted because it would show alleged bias towards the Brisbane Lions.
But Perry threw caution to the wind in performing the song that some fans consider the unofficial anthem of the underdog.
Katy had previously given credence to the rumors when she admitted that she had been told to remove her song from her set list because it wasn’t “fair.”
‘Oh the lions! I have to remove my song Roar from the set because it’s not fair. That’s what everyone says,” he said on The Fox’s Fifi, Fev and Nick earlier this week.
‘No, you have to play it!’ said host Brendan Fevola. “Because they booked you long before Brisbane did,” and then Katy agreed.
Before even taking to the stage, Perry’s AFL headlining gig had already sparked controversy among Australians when his multimillion-dollar salary was revealed.
The Firework hitmaker reportedly earned $5 million for performing just five songs at the MCG, with local musicians sharing their shock at the huge figure.
Katy Perry surprised from the start with a great song choice as she kicked off her performance at the AFL Grand Final at the MCG on Saturday.
The American pop star, 39, took to the stage in front of 100,000 AFL fans as he headlined the show ahead of the clash between Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans.
A Melbourne artist has taken to Facebook to criticize the AFL for spending millions on international talent while local musicians struggle to get gigs.
Australia’s live music industry has also struggled to stay afloat in recent years, with several massive local festivals forced to cancel due to poor ticket sales.
“Just heard on the radio that Katy Perry is getting $5 million for 5 songs at tomorrow’s AFL gf (sic),” a local singer wrote in a post he shared with his followers.
‘Surely, with the state of the music industry in this country, that money could have been better spent.
‘Are all Australians lining up on an outdoor stage with local acts, promoting the best of Melbourne’s music scene? I understand the initial factor, but $5 million for five songs?
Fans flocked to the musician’s comments to agree, with some saying booking the international pop star for the AFL Grand Final was “not great value for money”.
‘Maybe get a name that’s already in the country to do a song or two. It’s a huge amount of money,’ they added.
“Absolutely stupid,” someone else wrote, while another agreed: “Something has to change.” That’s crazy!’
While many complained about the Australian dollars going to Perry for her upcoming performance, there were some who disagreed.
“Well he’s probably paying for his own sound system and all the other stuff like insurance and super per person in the lineup,” one person commented.
However, he surprised fans almost immediately when he kicked off his five-song set with his smash hit Roar, despite it being widely theorized that he wouldn’t perform the hit due to prejudice.
Perry’s AFL headlining gig sparked controversy among Australians when his $5 million salary was revealed despite the cost of living crisis in Australia’s music scene.
Perry reportedly hoped her AFL show would “revive” her “faltering” pop career and help promote her new album 143, which has received divisive reviews.
Another wrote: ‘No Australian act has the profile and appeal. I’ve tried to think of one and I can’t. Every legendary act is already too old.
And another user pointed out that the AFL Grand Final is broadcast in many other countries, not just Australia, so it would have to appeal to a wider audience.
Perry He was said to be hoping to perform several songs from his new album to the crowd, in an attempt to promote the LP, which was heavily criticized.
However, AFL bosses were said to have quickly rejected the suggestion and told Perry to stick to his well-known hits from his previous album Teenage Dream.
Channel Nine reporter Tom Morris claimed AFL bigwigs told the hitmaker they expected her to perform their older hits including Firework and I Kissed A Girl.
Appearing on SEN Breakfast before her show, the veteran AFL journalist claimed they reached a compromise and Katy stuck to just playing one new song.
Their long-awaited seventh studio album, 143, which references the expression “I love you,” did not get off to a good start among music critics, receiving lukewarm reviews.
A damning review of her first album in four years by a major entertainment outlet declared that Katy “struggles to recapture past glory on the 143rd floor.”
Perry reportedly hoped her AFL show would “revive” her “faltering” pop career and help promote her new album 143, which has received divisive reviews.
Meanwhile, The Guardian gave it two out of five stars saying that the album “isn’t the expected calamity, but it’s not good either.”
One review called the final track Wonder the “worst” song on the album, writing that it is a “cynical attempt to get the moms in the audience to wave their hands in unison as the balloons float, even as it denounces the cynicism.”
The Independent also gave it two stars and said it was “painfully dated and glaringly out of place”.
Much of the criticism, even before the album was released, was due to Perry’s decision to work with her former music producer, Dr. Luke, who settled his long-running sexual harassment lawsuit with Kesha last year, something that he denied vehemently.
Despite critical attacks, Perry found some favorable reviews from fans on social media while also performing on stage at the 2024 MTV VMAs.
