Katy Perry Gave Her First Postpartum Performance at the AMAs, and It Was So Emotional

Olivia Harvey
·2 min read
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ABC

At last night's, November 22nd, American Music Awards, Katy Perry sat down with Darius Rucker of Hootie & the Blowfish fame to perform a soulful rendition of her new song "Only Love." This appearance is Perry's first live performance since giving birth to daughter Daisy Dove in August, and it was a graceful, powerful, and beautiful return to the stage.

"Only Love" is a pop track off her latest album Smile, which was released within the same week Perry gave birth (she was truly in icon mode this summer). For its AMAs debut, Perry stripped the song down and performed it acoustically with Rucker on the guitar.

"Went back to church, met a new friend @dariusrucker and found #OnlyLove ♥️" Perry captioned a preview Instagram post before the AMAs aired, calling this version of herself "Katheryn."

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A post shared by KATY PERRY (@katyperry)

Before taking the stage, AMAs host Taraji P. Henson said, "She taught us how to be a firework and shine. You know I love when we shine, baby, shine. She's invited one of her very favorite singers to join her in a very special duet that she has created just for us."

Henson continued, "It asks the question, if you had one day left to live, what would you do with it? What would you do if you had nothing to lose? Please welcome Katy Perry and Darius Rucker, reimagining Katy's new song, ‘Only Love.’”

Perry dedicated her AMAs duet to her father, Keith Hudson, posting a photo of the two of them from when Perry was a baby. The lyrics to "Only Love" allude to her troubled past relationship with her parents, who are both Pentecostal pastors.

The lyrics go, "Oh, I'd call my mother and tell her I'm sorry, I never call her back/ I'd pour my heart and soul out into a letter and send it to my dad/ Like, oh, my God, the time I've wasted, lost in my head."

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A post shared by KATY PERRY (@katyperry)

In the end, the song is all about ditching the hate we may have in our hearts and only bringing love with us to whatever afterlife we believe in. And after watching such a stunning duet between Perry and Rucker, it's hard not to feel anything but love and warmth in your heart.