Music News: Battle of the Divas - Katy Perry vs. Lady Gaga

By John Hill

The Pop Gods took pity upon mankind this week, with not one pop diva releasing new music, but TWO! Because every gay boy will have an opinion, let’s break down the new offerings from Katy Perry and Lady Gaga who both have new albums coming out in mid-October.

Katy Perry - Roar
At first glance, this is a paint-by-numbers pop song for 2013 preceding her upcoming disc Prism. That opening bit sounds just like Sara Bareilles’ current single “Brave,” and the verses steal vocal stylings from Avril Lavigne, but the chorus is decently solid. There isn’t anything all that substantial to the track, and even the backing track sounds a bit half-hearted, but don’t count the track out because after a few listens it WILL be stuck in your head. A decent track, but a bit of a letdown next to much stronger cuts from her last album Teenage Dream.

 
Lady Gaga- Applause
If “Roar” sounds like someone is capitalizing on current musical trends, then “Applause” starts out cashing in on a retro mid-80s punk sound pioneered by female-led groups like Missing Persons and Berlin. In fact, Gaga seems to have taken a few notes from Dale Bozzio in her vocal style and delivery on those verses (“I’ve heard your theory/nostalgia’s for geeks” hits home instantly). But once she segues into the anthemic chorus, it’s all Gaga vocally and the track takes flight. This is how you kick off the promotion of a new album like ARTPOP.


So who wins this Battle of the Divas? Gaga, and it wasn’t even close. Both tracks are now on Amazon and iTunes, so cast your vote with your wallet and let your inner diva OUT!

While his full-time job is in education, John Hill also writes a successful music blog titled Pop Music Notes. He is also active on Twitter @popmusicnotes and lives in Denver with his partners in crime James and Bruiser.

Movie Review: Katy Perry: Part of Me

By Miranda Blake

“Be yourself and you can be anything” seems to be both the theme and the message of “Katy Perry: Part of Me,” a documentary which follows the life of pop star Katy Perry as she embarks on a yearlong world tour. In addition to that message, the audience gets concert footage and costume changes and views of her backstage antics and angst. We also get to peek into Perry's personal life - past and present - including her struggle to rise to fame and the difficulties of balancing that public fame with her personal life.

           

Another theme is dedication. Throughout the film Katy demonstrates great dedication to her family and friends, her marriage to comedian Russell Brand, and her career. I found her boldness and determination to be successful quite admirable. For example, producer Glen Ballard (who had great success working with Alanis Morisette) tells the story of their meeting and says that he was impressed with the way she just knocked right on his door and asked to play him a song. 

The most emotional part of the film was watching just how hard Perry worked to keep her marriage alive, only to fail in the end. Despite the apparent heartbreak that the star deals with after receiving the news that her marriage is over (Brand files for divorce because of “irreconcilable differences”) she doesn't allow herself to succumb to the pain and refuses to cancel her scheduled performance.

Throughout the movie, we are treated to homemade videos sent in by fans. Each one says basically the same thing, that they look up to Perry because she makes them feel okay about being themselves and being “different.”

At one point while onstage Perry even thanks her fans for “believing in my weirdness.” This struck me as odd because not once during the movie did I find her to be in the least bit weird. As a matter of fact she seems to me to be a perfectly average girl, albeit one who managed to make it big in the entertainment industry. This was definitely the biggest criticism I have of the film and it’s depiction of Perry because, while her fans are sending in videos about how she makes them feel okay to be different, I couldn't stop thinking about how not different she really seems to be. Yes, Katy, it’s okay to be “weird” but it’s okay to be “normal” too.

Overall, “Katy Perry: A Piece of Me” gives an interesting look into the life of someone that most people simply see as a star and forget to view as a person. Witnessing Katy Perry's life from an insider’s point of view allows the audience to relate to her on a more personal level. We come away with the feeling that we know her better than we did before. And that, for me, is what made the movie worthwhile.

A 3D motion picture event movie, “Katy Perry: Part of Me” comes out July 5th and is a backstage pass, front row seat and intimate look at the fun, glamorous, heartbreaking, inspiring, crazy, magical, passionate and honest mad diary of Katy. For more information you can follow “KATY PERRY: PART OF ME” on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/KatyPerry and Like Katy on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/KatyPerry.

Katy Perry - Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection Megasix Smash Up

Katy Perry has released a lyric video for the new song "Dressin' Up," as well as a "Megasix Smash-up" of the six hit singles off her Teenage Dream album.  Both of these tracks are available on Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection, out now!

Katy Perry dedicates new video to The It Gets Better Project

Katy dedicated the video to the It Gets Better Project on Twitter this morning by tweeting: "I am officially dedicating my new video to #itgetsbetter, because everyone has the spark to be a FIREWORK."

Katy Perry on SNL's Bronx Beat

Katy Perry may have gotten the boot from 'Sesame Street' but she was more than welcome on 'Bronx Beat.'

California Gays cover Katy Perry's 'Peacock'

The gents that brought you "California Gays" have now made a video to another song off the 'Teenage Dream' album.

It kind of melts my popsicle.

Katy Perry answers fan questions on YouTube Moderator

Katy Perry, whose "California Gurls" is the smash single of 2010, is participating YouTube Moderator (past moderators include James Cameron and President Obama) and will be the first music artist to have her responses featured. Fans can login to YouTube now and submit text and video questions. Other fans can vote on their favorite questions, and in late July (exact date TBA) Katy will answer the ones with the most votes.

Submit questions here by July 18.

And of course you've seen this already, but once again, here are the California Gays!