Katy Perry Makes Political Statement During Grammys Performance: ‘No Hate!’
Katy Perry brought disco magic to the 2017 Grammys on Sunday by performing her new song “Chained to the Rhythm.” The pop star released the new track on Friday before the awards.
And that’s not all — she made a political statement. Clad in a white suit that would make Hillary Clinton proud, she wore an armband reading “Persist” — likely a reference to Senator Elizabeth Warren, who was recently silenced in a speech criticizing Jeff Sessions. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s justification for the silencing — “She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted” — became a rallying cry for supporters on social media.
The pop star was one of Clinton’s most vocal celebrity supporters ahead of the general election. At the end of her performance, a graphic of the Constitution appeared behind her, and before she left the stage, she declared, “No hate!”
Skip Marley, who’s featured on the track, also joined Perry for the performance. Before she took the stage, country group Little Big Town introduced Perry by covering a bit of her hit “Teenage Dream.”
Spotify, which heavily promoted Perry’s new tune, announced on Saturday that the track set a new record for highest first-day streaming for a single track by a female artist.
While Perry has been nominated for a slew of Grammys in the past, she does not have a single win to her name. In 2011, “I Kissed a Girl” was nominated for best female pop vocal performance, as was “Hot n Cold” the following year. 2011 earned Perry four nominations including album of the year for “Teenage Dream,” and in 2012 she nabbed two for “Firework.” But, of all her nominated hits — “Wide Awake,” “Roar,” “Dark Horse” — none have been selected as winners. Perry has, however won numerous other prizes including five American Music Awards, five MTV Video Music Awards and four Guinness World Records.
Perry spent most of the past year on the road supporting Hillary Clinton’s presidential race. With the exception of “Chained to the Rhythm” and her Olympics anthem “Rise,” she has not released any new music.
The 59th Annual Grammy Awards — hosted by James Corden — were filmed at the Staples Center in Los Angeles and broadcast live on CBS Feb. 12.
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