Katy Perry – Roar

“What the hell is that breakfast, anyway? Muesli, yoghurt and bacon?”

Tim: One of the biggest pop stars around yesterday decided to properly launch the much-awaited first single from her new album..

Tom: Ooh, Lady Gaga?

Tim: Now now, don’t get ahead of yourself – here it is.

Tim: An interesting take on a lyric video; you may recognise it as it has been done before, but not by anybody anywhere near as famous. One problem with it, though – the implication is that that phone’s battery will have a good 50% left by the evening. NOT A CHANCE LOVE.

Tom: I actually found the video really distracting: trying to decipher all the not-quite-emoji put me off the song entirely. So by the time it got to breakfast I’d switched to another tab.

And what the hell is that breakfast, anyway? Muesli, yoghurt and bacon?

Tim: Good grief, I’d not seen that – how very very odd. The tune itself, though? Rather good indeed, I’m pleased to say. Takes a while for the first verse to get anywhere, but once the chorus hits it really is wonderful.

Tom: Ooh, now that’s where I disagree. I don’t think there’s that much to it at all. The “hear me roar” is the message, but it’s not backed up by much at all.

Tim: You really think? The verses I agree with, but the chorus sends it to power-pop, catchy, inspiring banger mode. If we’re honest, this would also fit a key change perfectly, but there isn’t one so oh well. We’ll just have to make do with what we’ve got, but since what we’ve got is quite good anyway that’s not such a problem.

Tom: A key change would help, but really? This has gone as far as it’s ever going to go by about 60 seconds in.

Tim: Hmm. Here, it seems, we differ. Also, bonus fact: Harry Styles claims to have a phobia of the Marimba ringtone that is heard at the beginning of this video. No idea why.

Tom: I was worried that the whole track would be based around that ringtone. Someone’ll do it, sooner or later.