Katy Perry Talks 'The Lifetimes' Tour & Reminisces About 'Teenage Dream' Success 16 Years Later

When the documentary comes, y'all might see me in a different way because in Montreal, it's like, I can't look at him. She's cute. She looks the same. She looks like she hasn't aged a day. Thank you, Sian. She was an earth angel, earth angel. This was so fun. Yeah, this was a big, big, big thing. I went five different continents, 91 shows. Yeah, from April to I think it was December. It was so massive. And the first thing I want to ask you, because what's interesting to me is like even that last moment watching you down here dance with the fans. It's like, OK, we all know what it's like to experience a Katy Perry show. But how does Katy Perry feel experiencing a Katy Perry show? Well, some people say that I'm the one that has the most fun at my shows because it looks like it. I do. I do have the most fun and I have the most fun learning it. But it's very technical and I have to always keep my head in the game. You know, I can't have any missteps that I have to hit certain marks and do certain cues and lighting and positioning. And, you know, it's all a domino effect. So I'm very focused, but trying not to look so much. So I'm trying to look like, you know, just chill. It's just like a muscle. There is a part in the Lifetime story you saw, you know, when you get to do the choose your own adventure, that I get to be a little bit more chill and I get to interact with the fans. I mean, it was a it was a full on dance party. I remember when I was planning this tour, that was like most important is to be as close as possible to the fans and to make it a dance party. And I hadn't seen them for over eight years. And I felt like I owed that to them, to that reconnect feeling. And I think we kind of delivered. We delivered. We did. We delivered, guys. Flew over them. I'm always on top of them. I'm always on top, which seems so scary. We're definitely going to talk about that. And but I do want to talk about what it is like for you to like kind of look back and reflect on this experience and watch it on the big screen, experiencing it, dancing with your fans. Like, I think like everybody in here probably has a favorite song. They can't wait to see when you sing it. Like for me, I'm going to I'm not going to lie. I almost died when you just teased us with wonder right before a firework. Like that was the moment at the concert that I was like losing it. I was like, wonder. So what is that moment? But hold on, Tetris. Have you been a wonder stand pre FIFA or after? Oh, pre FIFA. OK, the first time I ever heard wonder, I was like sort of wonder was always going to get its moment. You know, we were just waiting for the right one because I have played a lot of sporting events and big events like that. And people have heard roar and so many different renditions of firework. And actually, they were the ones that are like, there was a katy cat like working for FIFA. So why don't you play wonder? And I was like, OK, let's play wonder. I can do that. I can do that. I can bring tears out from Norway, sweetheart. But that's what I want to know is like when you watch the film back, what's the song you feel like you would lose it to the more as a katy cat at a Katy Perry show? I think when you have a combination of like California Girls, Teenage Dream and TGIF, you're just there to party. You know, like the world is hard sometimes and a chaotic place and there's darkness and all this stuff. And you go to concerts to let go of all that and to escape. And yes, if you wanted to look through the layers of the messaging of the tour and there there are subliminal messages and deeper messages and all my albums, all my fans know that they get, you know, you got the frosting, you got the different layers, but it takes a lot to bake the whole cake. There's a whole cake. There's not just fluff and frosting. Look, I just know when I go to a show and I go to so many. You see me so many because I'm such a fan of music. You better play your hits. Play the hits. I want to hear some things from the new album, but like not too much. Not unless that album has been on the charts for like a hundred weeks plus. You know what I'm saying? You have a lot of those too. No, I know, but I want to sing along. I want to connect with everyone under the same roof, these strangers. I feel like we're very isolated in our own little echo chambers and everything. And when you get into these places where you're singing along with strangers right next to you, you know, that's very unique. That's different than your day to day life. Like how many of us are are asking the name of the person that made us food or coffee or blah, blah, blah. You're sweating and singing along and kind of like sometimes really singing to your neighbor at these concerts. And so these I think concerts and sporting events, those third spaces where we all gather around and join together as strangers and kind of unity, that's like some unique energy. So I do got to talk to you about this because this tour was insane. And even watching it back on the screen tonight, all I could remember is when I was watching it at the forum and I was tired watching you. Yeah, because you're climbing, you're flying, you're running. Like so much is happening on this tour. So how did you keep up with yourself? Like what was every night like for you physically? Oh, I was a lean, mean fighting machine. It was the leanest, most in shape I had ever been in my entire life. I was like, oh, I feel like Madonna right here. I ain't never seen these abs before. It's crazy. But running that stage is the biggest cardio. I mean, I think doing like ten of those, ten of those lapses a mile is anything that's big in the very beginning. I feel super overwhelmed because it's big. I'll get to the show and I'll be like, oh, my God, I sketched this on a napkin. This isn't supposed to be this big. This really came to life in a way that was much bigger than I thought. Well, be careful what you wish for because you will get it. And I got there and I was just like, I'm going to have to eat this elephant one bite at a time. And you just show up, keep showing up every day. A little bit a little. Then it turns into muscle and memory a little bit. Everybody thinks that you're going to learn something overnight, instantaneously, and it just takes repetitive like it's repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition. You just got to actually put in the repetition. And I mean, you talk about writing it on a napkin and creating those ideas. I even like watching you like with the lamp in the hotel and how you notice it was infinity and everything. So once you've created this show, what is the one part of it that you were like? I kind of wish I didn't create this. There's like a sphere, the ball, the ball was stressful and it was so high up and it's a lot higher. And like to dance on a metal ball sphere, it's not easy. It's not easy. And so that was technically pretty difficult. And using that jungle gym and like going backwards and singing backwards and then like sliding under and, you know, doing the splits and doing everything with breath, you know, it's it's very athletic. Well, you talk about singing guys. How good does she sound on this tour? I mean, Katie, your vocals and, you know, sometimes the girls mics don't be on, but your mic was on. You know, let me just tell you something, and this is for better or for worse, and this is me saying something that my team is like, don't say it, don't say it, don't say it. Every artist does a little putting things in the can. Right. Every single artist, every single artist, because they know, oh, my God, I'm going to have to do this. And I think about all the time because you also you want to put some things in the can because you can get really sick on tour. And it's a big deal. And I always think, oh, this is a tour where I'm going to probably put, you know, a bunch of things in the can. And I just never end up doing it. I just create this stamina. And not every note is perfect. Not every inflection is right. And never not every ad lib is like the album. But in a world where everything is getting so ******* automated and so ******* perfect, it's nice to see a little color outside of the lines and character and like who wants a straight line? I mean, unless it's a part, right? I want a straight line if it's a part. That's yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But, you know, it's just that's life. Life is real. Life is authentic. And, you know, I I'm a performer. I'm a singer. But number one, I'm a storyteller. And so I just do what I have to do to tell the story. Yeah, we definitely heard it. And I do want to talk to you about the community that you built on the tour as well. You brought your family out. I love seeing like Daisy's little tour box with all that stuff in it. That was so adorable in the film. So what was it like to have that community and family vibe on this tour? Well, it was really important and wonderful for her to see her mom and her power, I think, in the beginning of this tour. From the outside, and I know, you know, the fans are different, but the outside, everyone that wants to have a hot take. There were a lot of people betting against me. Right. In the very beginning. And this man, this is how she danced. Like, this is how I ******* dance. OK, what's up? I'm having fun. I am living my whole life. You want to call me the queen of cringe? I'm going to suck the ******* juice. Excuse my language. I am going to suck the juice out of every single one of these fruits on this life. I'm going to never have any regrets. I'm going to leave no stone unturned. I'm going to live my life to the fullest. I am not scared. You know, this is that one opportunity in this skin, you know, as this character. And I don't want to have any regrets. And it was wonderful for Daisy to see. And it wasn't always peachy keen jelly bean. Right. There were days that were hard. I remember. It was really. Let me tell you, it was hard before July 28th and then it got pretty. I got cute. I got really cute. I think we know what you're talking about. Yeah, I got cute. I went to Canada. And then I got real cute. And then I was like floating like the butterfly on the butterfly. But before that, I remember it was actually the lowest part because it was my third winter. I was like, you know, I was having a really tough time. And then, you know, after the hurricane, the rainbow, you know, it's really weird that somewhere before those cliches, it's like in your darkest times, like right right after that. It was like it's like, well, I'm too long to leave. I want to talk about that just briefly, because what is it like for you at a tour when you have like important people coming to see you that aren't just your fans? You know, when you played your Montreal show, there was somebody very special that's also important in Canada that was at that show. I think, you know, I'm talking about. So what do you get nervous then? So I don't typically get nervous. And I have had a lot. I had a lot of people come see this show. And I love when my friends come because they don't believe that I work. And I'm like, how do you think I pay for everything? Let me show you, right? I don't typically get nervous. Maybe I get some butterflies on the first show because it's all the things coming together. And, you know, because of social media, you have you want to kind of get it right. There's you can't really learn along the way. But in Montreal, you know, this is the Lifetime's tour. You know, when the documentary comes, y'all might see me in a different way, because I was like in Montreal. It's like, I can't look at it. I'll pass out. Amazing. Well, there's a lot of energy. I'm sure it was. I can't even imagine what that feels like. Today, we lost one of the best songwriters that ever lived, Miss Dolly Parton. One other quick question. You were just in Mexico like yesterday. I came from Mexico today. Yeah, that was wild. And I do want to say that was a beautiful moment that you shared, tributing our very own Dolly Parton. Oh, how special is it for you on a tour when you have those moments to be able to acknowledge and do stuff like that on stage? Well, I mean, it's just like, oh, it's it's such an it's a lot of emotion to feel for everyone in a day. And I think we're all still processing because she's such a light and she was such a light. But her light ripples and will forever ripple. And I think we'll shine even brighter now. And all the philanthropic work that she does and all the young kids literacy that she's done with sending books to preschoolers. Like, I don't know if everyone knows how mega that is and all the different things she's helped behind the scenes. All the good work. She wrote nine to five. She did, you know, all those songs, Jolene. And and I got to spend some time with her. And she was always so wickedly funny. It was amazing. She didn't seem like she ever had a bad day. And if anything, she would just make a little joke about it. Right. She was an earth angel, an earth angel. So I think her legacy is one to follow and look up to forever. And I just think it's going to continue to expand. And I think everyone should emulate her. She's kind of like the bar. Can we make some noise for Dolly, everyone? And so you put out an album one time. It was a big one. It might have been sweet. 16 years ago that you put out this album. Yeah. Teenage Dream. Have you guys heard of that? And as we celebrate, as we look back on that album, what I want to ask you is like, oh, God, I wish I was a girl. Thank you, though. You know, this skin. But I think about like we were talking to Alex Warren the other day and we talked about like how ordinary. No, it's been 10 weeks at number one. And then I think about Teenage Dream. And what a moment that was for you. Yeah. And having five singles from an album go number one, tying Michael Jackson. All of that. Right. I remember I was on tour. I was on the Calvary Dream Tour. And I was just like, I remember pacing between some. It was like one of I forget which one had gone number one, but it was like it was like the fifth one. I walked into management. I was like, does is this normal? Is this normal? And they're like, no, this isn't normal. And I was like, OK, I don't really understand. But here I am. I'm going to hold on to this rocket for dear life. And when you have a moment like in that that in your career, do you constantly think about that as you're releasing new music? Or is it like that was that moment? It lived there. And how do you reflect on Teenage Dream? After you have those moments, you try and see if you can do things like that. But eventually you just have to get back to the art and you have to get back to your authentic self. Teenage Dream was like an Everest, right? And I climbed it and I saw the view. And there's so many other mountains with so many other views. I don't need to climb Everest twice to be like I climbed Everest twice. OK, well, once was enough. You know, so I was just grateful that I had that. So many people don't. I'm grateful that I even had one hit, let alone all that. I'm grateful I got to wake up today. I'm grateful that I have a daughter. I'm grateful that I've got all of this opportunity. I'm grateful for my fans. I'm like gratitude every day. First thing out of my mouth, I say it every single day. Even on my crummiest days, I say it. I say it through my Invisalign and my mouth tape. And I go, thank you, God, today. I'm so grateful in every way. And then I list some things I'm grateful for. My breath stinks and my hair is a mess. And that's how I start my day every morning when you're wide awake. Well, speaking of Teenage Dream, everybody. Oh, I think we have a little surprise to say. Sweet 16 to Teenage Dream. She's cute. She looks the same. She looks like she hasn't aged a day. Thank you, Cyan. And you do still look the same. You look so good. So, guys, make some noise for Teenage Dream right now. And then just to wrap things up, like, obviously, the new music is amazing. Thank you. I cannot. It's very cathartic. Honestly, great excuse, a great word to use, because I will say every time I play Burn in the car, I go through a therapy session. Do you put your foot on the pedal a little heavier? I should not, but I do. I know it's one of those heavy pedal foot songs. I'm going through therapy. So as you are. No. Well, with your music. OK. But as you're releasing that, you get band-aids. What's next for you? What are you excited about? What do you want to share with me? I feel like I was clearing the path with those two songs. May the bridges that I burn light the way to where I go next. Yes, but you do have to clear the path a little bit. Some of that brush don't serve you anymore. You know, so and and I had to get it out better, better out than in. I'm not trying to see that thing show up. It's something else. Exercise. And you're trying to watch it burn, girl. I watch it burn. And you know what? I had a long conversation with myself on if I was going to put that out because it's personal and there's a lot of nuances and things like that. And I'm always, you know, thinking of my family. And and I was like, but you know what? I probably should do it for that for that other that other woman that's debating it to, you know, debating like, am I allowed to feel these feelings? Am I allowed to be angry? Because women especially, it's like, oh, we're not really allowed to be angry. Oh, you can be angry. Like Mother Earth. You think Mother Earth is just like cute and green. Mother Earth has its moments, as we've been seeing. Like there can be anger. It doesn't matter if you're male or female. But anger is energy that you can use and create with. So I did. Well, not only thank you for doing that for you, but thank you, Katie, for doing that for us. Yeah. Everybody make some noise for Katy Perry.