Olympics anthem: Back in the game

Singer Katy Perry releases first song in three years

Singer-songwriter Katy Perry has unveiled Rise, her first new song in three years, which is her theme for NBC’s broadcast of the upcoming 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. Perry also shared the single’s video, a riveting montage of memorable moments and athletes from Olympics’ past.

Produced by pop extraordinaire Max Martin, Rise is a galvanic sequel to her 2013 smash hit Roar. Perry sings: “When the fire’s at my feet again/And the vultures all start circling/They’re whispering, ‘You’re out of time’/ But still I rise.”

The Teenage Dream singer said Rise had been brewing inside her for years. “It has finally come out to the surface,” Rolling Stone quoted her as saying. “I was inspired to finish it now, rather than save it for my next album, because now more than ever, there is a need for our world to unite.”

Perry said together the world can rise above the fear. “I can’t think of a better example than the Olympic athletes, as they gather in Rio with their strength and fearlessness, to remind us how we all can come together, with the resolve to be the best we can be. I hope this song can inspire us to heal, unite, and rise together. I am honoured that NBC Olympics has chosen to use it as an anthem before and during the Rio Games.”

Rise marks Perry’s first new song since the release of her smash 2013 LP Prism. The single will be utilised by NBC Olympics’ production team throughout the event, including during the coverage of the August 5 opening ceremony. Rise is available now through iTunes and Apple Music.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 17^th, 2016.

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