A resilient collection of mid-tempo dance-pop and self-help anthems. Bright, shimmering production meets lyrics about finding light after a period of darkness.
It's the musical equivalent of finally seeing the sun after a week of rain.
A determinedly optimistic recovery narrative that acknowledges past pain while reaching for joy.
Released in 2020, Smile represents a pivotal 'recovery' chapter in Katy Perry's discography. Following the experimental and critically divisive Witness, Smile returns to a more accessible pop palette while centering its narrative on Perry's personal journey through clinical depression and her eventual 'journey towards the light.' The album was produced by a massive roster of hitmakers including Zedd, Ian Kirkpatrick, and Stargate, resulting in a sound that blends 2010s maximalism with 2020s disco-revival trends. Despite its bright title, the record is tonally complex, featuring some of Perry's most vulnerable songwriting in tracks like 'Daisies' and 'Only Love.' It notably includes the 2019 sleeper hits 'Never Really Over' and 'Harleys in Hawaii,' which many critics cited as the album's strongest sonic anchors. While reception was mixed regarding its lyrical depth, the album was praised for its cohesive theme of resilience and Perry's vocal maturity.
Put this on for
Mirror pep talk before a day you know will be difficultSolo dance party in a kitchen flooded with morning lightDriving toward the coast with the windows down and no planQuiet realization that you finally stopped checking your ex's feedDeep cleaning the house to clear out old energyLate night skincare routine while processing a long weekWalking through a park as the first warm breeze of spring hits
Moments worth waiting for
The rapid-fire vocal delivery in the verses of 'Never Really Over' that mimics the circular nature of intrusive thoughts.
The heavy, trap-influenced beat drop in 'Not the End of the World' that interpolates 'Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye'.
The stripped-back, acoustic vulnerability of 'What Makes a Woman' that closes the album on a grounded note.
Sounds like
2020s production with a 2020s soul
Sits beside
Golden - Kylie Minogue, Special - Lizzo, High as Hope - Florence + The Machine, Rare - Selena Gomez
Lyrical territory
self_examination, identity, love_lost
03Deviation
Smile · vs · Katy Perry
Artist
This Album
Medium Energy
Energy · ↓ −13% less than usual
On this album, medium energy sits about 13% less prominent than across the rest of the artist's catalogue.
