8 Of Katy Perry's Campiest Songs To Blast This Pride Month

Katy Perry arrived on the pop-cultural scene with queerness on full display. Her 2008 breakout hit "I Kissed A Girl," grabbed the attention of many young LGBTQ+ people at a time when anything explicitly queer was still pretty firmly taboo. Although the song received criticism for trivializing queer female relationships (we'll address this further down), she's always supported her LGBTQ+ fans.

Beyond being a great ally, Perry's discography is full of fun, campy tracks that have entertained audiences for nearly 15 years. That's why I've compiled some of Katy's campiest songs to add to your Pride Month playlists. I'm also aware that what's considered "camp" is much debated, but I think the woman who showed up to the 2019 Met Gala as a chandelier and later a bedazzled hamburger fits the bill! To me, Perry has often used "over-the-top-ness" or "bad taste" as a vehicle for good, joyful art for the masses.

These songs are also sure to get you pumped for Katy Perry's upcoming appearance at "Can't Cancel Pride — Proud AND Together." On June 14th, Perry will join fellow LGBTQ+ allies and icons like Elton John, Sam Smith, Lizzo, Anitta, Dove Cameron, Betty Who, Kim Petras and more! Fans can stream the show, hosted by JoJo Siwa, at 8pm ET/5pm PT on iHeartRadio’s TikTok, YouTube, Facebook pages, iHeartRadio’s PrideRadio.com, CWTV.com, The CW App, and Revry.

Without further ado, let's take a look at all the times Katy Perry looked "camp right in the eye."

Over a decade later, Katy's debut single "I Kissed A Girl" is still as fun as ever. At the time, the song's lyrics further pushed society's subconscious idea that queer female sexuality is purely experimental and something that young girls grow out of. Now, we know better and so does Katy Perry. In a moment of great allyship, the singer stated she would approach the song differently now. "We've come a long way. Bisexuality wasn't as talked about back then, or any type of fluidity. If I had to write that song again, I probably would make an edit on it. Lyrically, it has a couple of stereotypes in it. Your mind changes so much in 10 years, and you grow so much. What's true for you can evolve." Despite all of that, the song is still a celebration of queerness and reminds us the world could always use more bisexual anthems about the taste of cherry chapstick.

Katy continued the momentum of her successful pop career with her hit "California Gurls." The single comes from her 2010 album Teenage Dream and was instantly hailed for its "infectious" melody. The Candy Land-themed music video also features some of Perry's campiest moments including whipped cream guns attached to her bar. And who could forget when she performed it as part of her Super Bowl Halftime show in 2015 with the infamous Left Shark.

Katy's hit song "Roar" is a prime example of a power-pop anthem. The self-empowerment anthem was released in 2013 and is featured on her fourth studio album Prism. She also performed the song as the opener to her 2015 Super Bowl halftime show where she rode in on a giant gold lion. Furthermore, the song was used during a lip sync battle between drag performers Katya and Kennedy Davenport on the 7th season of RuPaul's Drag Race. Dressed in Hello Kitty-themed drag, the two queens dipped and landed impressive splits during what's now thought to be one of the most iconic "lip sync for your life" battles in the show's history! Check it out here.

Katy Perry released her clown-themed sixth studio album Smile during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when everybody needed something to brighten up their days. Similar to 2013's "Roar," the song "Smile" is an empowering anthem about gratitude and growth with Katy singing lines like, "I'm 2.0, remodeled/ Used to be dull, now I sparkle/ Had a piece of humble pie/ That ego check saved my life." The track also got a remix from Italian DJ and producer Giorgio Moroder who is often referred to as the "Father of Disco."

Another hit of her third album Teenage Dream, Perry's "E.T." tells the story of falling in love with a being from another planet. The song was immediately a hit during a time when Perry and other pop stars like Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, and Kesha were laying it on thick with campiness. Perry dialed it up with the music video, appearing as an alien floating through outer space while slowly evolving into a humanoid before landing on a post-apocalyptic Earth covered in trash.

Katy Perry teamed up with Nicki Minaj for the polarizing track "Swish Swish," off her fifth studio album Witness in 2017. The song featured basketball metaphors to address Perry's haters and also came with a music video that sees Perry as the captain of the basketball team "The Tigers." Several internet stars and comedians doing nonsensical things on the court make the music video confusing but also hilarious. Perry then gave the track its live debut on Saturday Night Live which included carious iconic drag queens and queer performers working the runway while she sang.

"Do you ever feel like a plastic bag?" is one of the most recognizable introductions to a song in recent pop music history. While the metaphor may seem a little silly, it comes back around to be genius. The line itself has taken on a life of its own. To this day, people still stop to sing out upon seeing a plastic bag tumbling around on the street. "Firework" is an instant mood-booster and the music video took Perry's whipped cream can bar from California Gurls to a whole new fiery level.

Last but not least, there's "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.), which I believe may be Perry's campiest song to date! The song was featured on Teenage Dream and includes phrases like "epic fail," "streaking in the park" and "it's all a blacked-out blur." In short, the song is the ultimate ode to trashy parties and having fun regardless of what people say. It's Katy Perry at her goofiest and it's a joy to listen to and sing along to. In an industry where people often take themselves a bit too seriously, Perry has always been there to remind us to loosen up a little and celebrate ourselves. Happy Pride!