Katy Perry Took the VMAs by Storm – Here's Why Her Performance Stood Out

There were a lot of performers at the 2024 MTV VMAs on Wednesday night, but Katy Perry's was the best – and here's why.

Perry had the audience on their feet as she performed her chart-topping hits just before receiving the Video Vanguard Award.

"Woman's World" was noticeably missing from her performance despite performing other popular songs during her MTV VMAs performance.

Perry's performance intro started with a pre-recorded video of her soaring above the ground and gliding through a sky filled with clouds, passing by clips from her previous music videos and live performances of her most iconic songs.

Computer-generated graphics took center stage as they showed a brief segment of her famous song "Roar," culminating in a striking closeup of Perry's face that dominated the screen.

Upon awakening, the performer was greeted by the familiar lyrics of "Woman's World," emphasizing that the world belonged to women and she was fortunate to be a part of it.

Then, the haunting melody of synthesizer tones filled the air around her.

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As Perry transitioned from the subtle allure of "Woman's World," her next performance stole the spotlight—a rendition of a segment from her popular song "Dark Horse," a standout track from 2013.

Continuing her momentum, Perry delivered a powerful rendition of "E.T." before boldly showing her fearlessness in embracing new tunes. The audience was treated to an exclusive preview of her latest single, a collaboration with Doechii titled "I Belong to Him, He Belongs to Me," set for release this Friday.

After performing some of her biggest hits like "California Gurls" and "Teenage Dream," she revisited the song that catapulted her to fame, "I Kissed A Girl."

Perry then delivered one of her beloved songs, "Firework," to close the show.

While she left out "Woman's World," the singer performed "Lifetimes," a song from the "143" album set to be released later this month.

A point of interest is that Perry collaborated with the controversial producer Dr. Luke on "Woman's World."

Critics panned the song, and listeners showed little interest, resulting in a modest peak at number 63 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart since its release in July.

Despite being a song supposedly about women, it is reported that male contributors co-wrote the majority of the song.

Dr. Luke, Aaron Joseph, Vaughn Oliver, and Rocco collaborated to work on the song, with Perry and Chloe Angelides being the sole female contributors in the songwriting process.

Receiving one of the top honors at the event, it was fortunate that Perry chose not to sing "Woman's World" but instead delighted the audience with her classic hits from the past, which the majority of the viewers enjoyed.

Perry's earlier music resonated deeply with her fans, evoking feelings of nostalgia and temporarily overshadowing the lackluster reception of her recent comeback.

@CultOfIndia wrote on X, "katy Perry's discography is nothing but a bunch of smash hits. like hit after hit was performed tonight during her vanguard performance and some of her new music isn't bad either. 10 out of 10 for Mother Perry."

@Hilt0nnn also tweeted, "No offense to Doechii, but I believe Katy Perry can perform better on her own. Her medley performance was absolutely breathtaking. I'm left speechless. Katy's charisma and power shine through when she embraces her darker pop sound, like in Dark Horse and E.T."

"She showed why she deserves the Vanguard Award and demonstrated what it means to be a POP artist! The best of the night!" @vitormachadom said.

"I was THOUGHTFUL... captivated and glued! You are a visionary with the right sauce! Congratulations," @passport2hauteT declared.

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Katy Perry, MTV VMAs