Katy Perry’s ‘Woman’s World’ disappoints: song plummets to No. 63 on Billboard Hot 100 in flop debut

Katy Perry's comeback single, “Woman’s World,” faced challenges from the start. 

The song's launch was marred by its association with Dr. Luke, a producer who has been embroiled in controversy following accusations of s***** misconduct by his former artist, Kesha. 

Although the case was settled without a conviction or admission of guilt from Luke, the connection affected the single's reception. Additionally, the music video, which aimed for an ironic tone, was not received as intended, adding to the song's rocky debut.

During its initial tracking week, “Woman’s World” entered the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart at No. 63, the Global 200 at No. 65, and the U.K. chart at No. 47. The song also saw modest streaming numbers after its release on July 11, debuting at No. 110 on Spotify’s U.S. chart and No. 58 on the global Spotify chart.

Perry's most recent solo hit on the Hot 100 was in 2020 with her album “Smile”; the single “Daisies” peaked at No. 40 but quickly fell off the chart. Her last major chart success was with “Witness,” where the lead single “Chained to the Rhythm,” produced by Max Martin and co-written with Sia, reached No. 4 on the Hot 100.

As the lead single for Perry’s forthcoming album “143,” due out on September 20, “Woman’s World” raises some doubts. The song’s accompanying music video, which aims to embody a “divine feminine” theme, includes familiar feminist elements, such as Perry dressed as a sultry Rosie the Riveter and women taking the place of men in a reimagining of the iconic “Lunch atop a Skyscraper” photo.

Perry described the video as, “We’re having fun, being sarcastic with it, it’s very slapstick and very on the nose… its like a reset for me and for my idea of feminine divine.” 

Perry has consistently stated that “143” is an album she has “always wanted to make.”  During an Instagram Live session, she mentioned: “I’ve been talking about [doing] two albums the past eight years and that’s a dance album and an acoustic album. I haven’t yet made the acoustic album. Well, we never stop writing. But I finally made the dance album, the album I always wanted to make.”

While the tracklist is still under wraps, Perry has confirmed that the album will feature “I’m His He’s Mine” with Doechii, built around a sample from Crystal Waters’ 1991 hit “Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless).” It will also include another lively pop track titled “Nirvana” and “Gimme Gimme” featuring 21 Savage.