Roar

Katy Perry stepped into the spotlight in August 2013 with a track that demanded attention. Roar arrived as the lead single from her fourth studio album, Prism, marking a shift toward anthemic pop and arena-ready rock sounds. The song emerged from a writing session in March of that year, where Perry joined forces with Bonnie McKee and production heavyweights Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and Cirkut. They recorded the anthem across multiple studios in California and Sweden, crafting a power pop explosion about finding one's voice and standing up for oneself.

The track quickly became a global phenomenon, dominating charts from Australia to the United States and securing its place as the fifth-best-selling single worldwide for 2013. In the United States alone, it earned fifteen times platinum certification, helping Perry become the first artist to hold three diamond-certified singles in the country alongside Firework and Dark Horse.

The music video, directed by Grady Hall and Mark Kudsi, added visual flair to the audio experience. It depicted Perry surviving a plane crash in a jungle setting and taming a tiger, a metaphor for conquering inner demons that resonated with audiences worldwide. The clip eventually surpassed four billion views on Vevo, cementing the song's status as a modern classic. [edit]