Watch It Burn

Katy Perry dropped Watch It Burn on June 25, 2026, as a standalone single via Capitol Records. The track marked a sharp turn toward pop rock and raw emotional honesty, serving as the follow-up to her November 2025 release Bandaids. Perry co-wrote the song with Amanda "Kiddo" Ibanez, Skyler Stonestreet, Justin Tranter, Jason Gill, Daniel Crean, and Eren Cannata. The production team helped craft a grittier sound that traded her signature polished sheen for guitar-driven arrangements.

The lyrics abandon years of forced optimism in favor of suppressed anger. Perry told Justin Tranter on his Unfamous podcast that she finally felt ready to express rage after prioritizing positivity for so long. Lines like "Said I was too hard to love... For years / I tried to rise above / Was only light and love / But now I'm shut the f*** up" define the song's confrontational tone. Listeners immediately linked the themes to the end of her relationship with Orlando Bloom.

Critics praised the shift in direction, calling it a dramatic pop moment that showcased Perry's willingness to face her past. Clash Magazine and Euphoria Magazine highlighted the emotional candor, while Billboard noted it as a career evolution where she "finally gets angry." Perry previewed the track live at O Son do Camiño in Spain and Rock in Rio Lisboa before the official drop. [edit]