Katy Perry's new single, "Watch It Burn," has failed to make a significant impact on music charts, sparking concern among fans about the pop star's career. The song, intended as a return to Perry's musical roots, did not enter the top 200 of Spotify's global or U.S. streaming charts upon its release. Its highest peak has reportedly been No. 127 in Brazil.
Despite promotional efforts including a music video and performances at festivals like Rock in Rio Lisboa and O Son do Camiño, the track has not resonated with audiences as expected. Fans have taken to social media to express their surprise, with comments like "People really have moved on from her? She was, NOT THAT LONG AGO, one of the biggest pop stars on earth" and "It's over."
"Watch It Burn" has performed less successfully than Perry's previous single, "Bandaids," which debuted at No. 101 on the global Spotify chart before dropping off. Perry has spoken about grappling with darker themes in her music, stating in a recent podcast appearance that she has not allowed herself to express anger about past events.
This recent performance follows a trend of declining chart success for Perry's new music. Her last two studio albums, 2020's "Smile" and "143," did not achieve significant chart positions. Several singles released in recent years, including "Bandaids" and "Lifetimes," have failed to reach the Billboard Hot 100. Her 2024 single "Woman's World" peaked at No. 63 on the Hot 100 but received mixed reviews.
However, some of Perry's older songs have experienced renewed popularity through social media platforms like TikTok. Her 2011 single "The One That Got Away" has amassed over 1.6 billion streams on Spotify, and "Last Friday Night" from the "Teenage Dream" album has also seen a resurgence on streaming charts.
In a separate incident, Perry was forced to cancel her performance at the Werchter Boutique festival in Belgium on short notice due to severe thunderstorms and crowd safety concerns, as mandated by the government. She expressed her disappointment on Instagram, stating she had "no choice" but to pull out of the show, emphasizing that attendee safety was the priority. Perry had planned to wear an outfit from her 2009 performance at the same festival.