Katy Perry has broken her silence on the fierce backlash she faced after her recent Blue Origin space trip, admitting she felt “battered and bruised” by online criticism.
The all-female voyage attracted backlash for its timing and tone, with critics calling the trip “tone deaf” given the current cost-of-living crisis.
Perry, who sang What A Wonderful World during the flight and even teased her new tour setlist while in zero gravity, was singled out; with other notable names, including Emily Ratajkowski sharing their disdain.
In light of the furore, some fans showed their support for the singer and crowdfunded for a digital billboard in New York's Times Square for 24 hours declaring their love for the star.
A Brazilian fan account on Instagram explained fans had done it to “remind her that she is never alone; our love for her is boundless, unwavering, and eternal”.
“We're so proud of you and your magical journey and we love you to the moon and back.
“Know that you are safe, seen and celebrated. We'll see you around the world, this is just the beginning.”
Two weeks after the 11-minute space flight, which saw Perry join five other women, including Gayle King and Jeff Bezos’s partner Lauren Sánchez, the singer addressed the controversy in an emotional comment to fans.
“I love you guys and have grown up together with you and am so excited to see you all over the world this year!” she wrote.
Perry acknowledged the impact of the criticism but reassured fans she is staying grounded: “Please know I am OK, I have done a lot [of] work around knowing who I am, what is real and what is important to me.”
She continued: “I’m not perfect” but rather “a human journey, playing the game of life with an audience of many and sometimes I fall.
“But I get back up and go on and continue to play the game and somehow through my battered and bruised adventure I keep looking to the light and in that light a new level unlocks.”
Adding: “When the 'online' world tries to make me a human Piñata, I take it with grace and send them love, cause I know so many people are hurting in so many ways and the internet is very much so a dumping ground for unhinged and unhealed.”
Perry responded directly, saying she was “so grateful” and looked forward to seeing fans on her just-launched world tour, which will run through December across North and South America, Europe, and the Middle East.
Her comment comes as Lily Allen apologised to Perry after criticising the singer’s headline-making trip to space.
Allen, 39, was among an initial wave of critics who slammed the mission earlier this month, which saw Perry launch into space alongside King, Sanchez, ex-NASA engineer Aisha Bowe, astronaut and activist Amanda Nguyen and film producer Kerianne Flynn.
“I would actually like to apologise for being mean about Katy Perry last week,” she said. “There was actually no need for me to bring her name into it, and it was my own internalised misogyny.
“I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and it was just completely unnecessary to pile on with her.”
