Pop star Katy Perry has expressed strong disapproval of the White House for using her 2010 hit song "Firework" in a TikTok video that featured footage of recent U.S. military strikes on Iranian targets. Perry stated that she did not grant permission for the song's use and condemned its application in a context she views as antithetical to its intended message of hope and healing.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Perry wrote, "I am deeply appalled and angry to see ‘Firework’ used on the @WhiteHouse TikTok account as a backing track for video footage of military strikes. I did not approve this, I was not asked, and I absolutely do not condone it."
The singer emphasized that she wrote "Firework" as an anthem for personal strength and resilience during difficult times. "To see a message of self-worth and upliftment weaponized to soundtrack destruction and violence is a complete violation of everything my song stands for," Perry stated. "My music is for bringing people together, not celebrating warfare."
The White House TikTok account posted the video with the caption, "Iran has been warned," accompanied by a firework emoji. The use of the song came amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran following U.S. military actions.
In response to Perry's statement, Kaelan Dorr, Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Communications Director, shared a montage of clips from Perry's 2012 music video for "Part of Me," which depicts her in U.S. military attire. Dorr's post on X included the question, "This you?"
In September 2023, Perry sold the majority of her music catalog, including her first five studio albums, to Litmus Music in a deal reportedly valued at $225 million. This catalog sale included her interests in master recording royalties and music publishing rights for hits such as "Firework," "I Kissed A Girl," "Hot N' Cold," "Roar," "California Gurls," and "Dark Horse."
"Firework" was released in 2010 and spent four weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, becoming one of Perry's most successful songs. It contributed to her album "Teenage Dream" tying Michael Jackson's "Bad" for the most number-one singles from a single album in history.
Perry is one of several artists who have publicly objected to the Trump administration's use of their music in official social media content. Previous instances include artists like Ariana Grande, Kesha, Sabrina Carpenter, Céline Dion, and Bruce Springsteen, who have also voiced objections to their songs being used in politically charged or official White House videos.