Witness (Katy Perry album)

Witness
Witness
Studio album by Katy Perry
Released	June 9, 2017
Recorded	2016–2017
Studio	Australia (The Grove); Atlanta, Georgia (Tree Sound, Snow Problem Park Place Plaza); Burbank, California (Glenwood Place); Los Angeles (MXM, Lama Lama, Unsub, Blasé Boys Club, Green Oak, Henson Recording, The Record Plant); Stockholm, Sweden (MXM, Wolf Cousins); Santa Barbara, California (Secret Garden); New York (Jungle City);
Genre	Electropop; dance-pop;
Length	57:28
Label	Capitol
Producer	Max Martin; Ali Payami; Shellback; Corrin Roddick; Jeff Bhasker; Mark Crew; Duke Dumont; Jack Garratt; Oscar Holter; Illangelo; Ilya; Elof Loelv; Mike Will Made It; Dustin O'Halloran; Rationale; Scooly; Felix Snow;
Katy Perry chronology
Singles from Witness
	"Chained to the Rhythm"; Released: February 10, 2017; "Bon Appétit"; Released: April 28, 2017; "Swish Swish"; Released: May 19, 2017; "Save as Draft"; Released: June 26, 2017; "Hey Hey Hey"; Released: January 12, 2018;

Witness is the fifth studio album by American singer Katy Perry. It was released on June 9, 2017, by Capitol Records. For the album, Perry worked with numerous producers, including Jeff Bhasker, Mark Crew, Duke Dumont, Jack Garratt, Oscar Holter, Illangelo, Ilya, Max Martin, Ali Payami and Shellback. Witness is an electropop album that delves into dance and EDM genres, with lyrics on self-empowerment and feminism. Perry described it as an album of "liberation" and "purposeful pop".

Five singles aided Witness, out of which, three were released before the album and one reached the top-ten of the Billboard Hot 100 chart: the lead single, "Chained to the Rhythm" featuring Skip Marley, peaked at number four on the Hot 100. "Bon Appétit" featuring Migos peaked at number 59, while "Swish Swish" featuring Nicki Minaj reached number 46. "Save as Draft" and "Hey Hey Hey" were released as subsequent singles on June 26, 2017 and January 12, 2018, respectively, with "Hey Hey Hey" receiving a music video. To support the album's release, Perry broadcast herself on a four-day YouTube live-stream, titled Katy Perry Live: Witness World Wide. Upon release, critics were divided towards the album. Some criticized the production and lyricism, while others welcomed the album's personal nature and singled out certain tracks for praise.

Moving 180,000 album equivalent units in its first-week, Witness debuted atop the US Billboard 200 chart, becoming Perry's third chart-topping album in the country. The album also topped the charts in Canada and Spain, while reaching number two in Australia, South Korea, Mexico, and New Zealand and the top five region in nine other territories. To promote the album, Perry embarked on her fourth concert tour, Witness: The Tour. Prior to the release of the album, Perry had not released new material in four years, with the exception of the 2016 Summer Olympics anthem, "Rise". After releasing Prism (2013) and touring in 2014–2015, Perry went on hiatus to protect her mental health and to return afresh.^[3] Perry decided to shed her on-stage persona and embrace her self-proclaimed authentic self as Katheryn Hudson, her real name. As a result, she retired her long, dark hair for a short pixie cut, and adopted her natural blonde hair color.^[4]

^ "Hot/Modern/AC Future Releases". All Access Media Group. Archived from the original on June 19, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2017.
^ "Katy Perry – Hey Hey Hey (Radio Date: 12-01-2018)" (in Italian). earone.it. Archived from the original on January 11, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
^ "Grammys 2017: Katy Perry on the Meaning Behind 'Chained to the Rhythm'". Access Hollywood. February 12, 2017. Archived from the original on May 21, 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2017.
^ "'I created this character called Katy Perry. I didn't want to be Katheryn Hudson. It was too scary'". Access Hollywood. June 11, 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2017.

[releasedraft-1] "Hot/Modern/AC Future Releases". All Access Media Group. Archived from the original on June 19, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2017.

[earone-2] "Katy Perry – Hey Hey Hey (Radio Date: 12-01-2018)" (in Italian). earone.it. Archived from the original on January 11, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2018.

[auto-3] "Grammys 2017: Katy Perry on the Meaning Behind 'Chained to the Rhythm'". Access Hollywood. February 12, 2017. Archived from the original on May 21, 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2017.

[4] "'I created this character called Katy Perry. I didn't want to be Katheryn Hudson. It was too scary'". Access Hollywood. June 11, 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2017.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]