Katy Perry - Wide Awake: Music Video Review

Teenage Dream, drained to an inch of it's life, finally draws to a close with goths, labyrinths and skull-clad doctors in what is, despite those nightmarish things, a fairytale ending. Life imitates art. Someone, somewhere, at some point in history said this. This is (probably) a fact. They were (probably) fairly important hence why people still use this term today. They (probably) weren't talking about Katy Perry but you could say the same thing about the whole Teenage Dream album campaign. Two years it's been since California Gurls exploded out faster than Katy's cream cannons over those angry gummy bears and the glossy visuals have just kept coming ever since. Glossy yes and also accurate, correlating with Katy's own personal woes with the whole Russell Brand saga. Let's take a trip down memory lane and do a KP TD Profile, shall we? Oh and bear with me there are, like, a gazillion songs to go through (ok just 7 but when you release more songs than Rihanna from one album you know you're overdoing it)...

California GirlsRelease Date: May 2010 Scenario: Snoop Dogg is so dope, he's the pimp of Candyfornia. The red light district of LA never looked so yummy. Setting: Candy clouds, Candy Beaches, Candy Gingerbread Huts.... A Fat Kid's Dream basically. Wig Watch: Lavender Rinse (OAP style), Blue and traditional Betty Page Black Remix Partner (in an attempt to hit #1): None, Snoop was already there.

Teenage DreamRelease Date: July 2010 Scenario: Summer lovin' had me a blast, Summer lovin' happened so fast (3mins 50 secs to be precise)... Setting: The Beach, The Pool, The Car, The Back Alley (LOLZ) Wig Watch: Au Naturel plus a very nice up-do at the gym. Remix Partner (in an attempt to hit #1): Got there alongside the co-inciding album release.

FireworkRelease Date: October 2010 Scenario: Exploding Sparkler Chests - enough said. Setting: The random going-ons in the city of Budapest Wig Watch: Black with purple streaks. Remix Partner (in an attempt to hit #1): Did it all by itself.

E.T.Release Date: February 2011 Scenario: Evolution (via extreme, super, master make-up-ness) Setting: The 1950's alien junkyard of Krypton L4 plus the Kanye's (diamond plated) egg bubble. Wig Watch: Red disc dreads, blue disc dreads and a white gladiator high ponytail. Remix Partner (in an attempt to hit #1): Kanye 'Then Imma PROBE YOU' West.

Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F)Release Date: June 2011 Scenario: Epic party LOLZ. M8 I got wasted ROFL. 80's woz so amaze LMFAO. Setting: Rebecca Black's House (it was probably a Friday). Wig Watch: Just black hair but some super smexi braces. Remix Partner (in an attempt to hit #1): Missy Elliot (although she wasn't invited to the PAR-TAY).

The One That Got AwayRelease Date: October 2011 Scenario: Age, Time, Love, Death. The big hitters. Lovely house mind. Setting: Casa del Perry and her closet. By the roadside too. Wig Watch: Back to that Lavender rinse (actually as an OAP this time). Oh and black. Remix Partner (in an attempt to hit #1): B.o.B, not that I ever heard this version.

Part of MeRelease Date: February 2012 Scenario: War. HUH. What is it good for? Not as a video concept that's for sure. Setting: War torn battlefields.... and under a big glossy parachute. Wig Watch: The Shaved Head. Remix Partner (in an attempt to hit #1): None as it co-incided with the re-release/deluxe version.

Phew. That took a while didn't it? Well let's just get on with Wide Awake, the 8th and final (apparently) chapter of this lengthy, lengthy saga.

It's a song about break-ups arriving just in time for the Brand/Perry Divorce to come through in July, funny that... Oh look we're back to California Gurls! Green screen, pink fluff... aww I'm getting all nostalgic. Ignoring the slight continuity fail that her wig is pink when it was lavender rinse in the actual video (re-shoot anyone?), we're having a glimpse behind the happy, bubbly Katy of 2 years ago. Mega awww but as Katy looks into the magic mirror, glittery pink eyeshadow in abundance, she is stunned to learn... DUN DUN DUN! That Cotton Candy Katy is dead and buried - KP's gone goth.

http://youtu.be/k0BWlvnBmIE From lavender rinse into full blown gloomy indigo, Anti-Katy is a-wandering the ivy drenched labyrinth of doom oil lamp in hand as if she's been shipped back off to Victorian London. In the distance, a sunbeam appears through the clouds and Katy wishes she's read the BBC Weather report before stepping out in her emo cloak of angst. A fun way to pass the time with this video is to play Guess the Relevance to KP's Real Life and first up (asides from the stone maze which I doubt symbolises Katy's eternal struggle to read maps) is the single, toxic red chilli pepper hanging from a branch. Dodgy curry last April? Unfortunate chilli nachos addiction? It's a strawberry you say? Could have fooled me... Maze and chilli-berry say hello to Katy's firework powers. It's been a while but they're back, flare style. Instead of a helicopter or the coastguard, her chest sparks are answered by a young girl in a tea dress. Yay. They transfer powers on the accounts of the poisonous strawpepper and run slap bang into Willy Wonka's room of mirrors. D'oh. Freddie Krueger (having run out of endless Nightmare on Elm Street remakes to star in) is doing a cameo as a paparazzo until Katy smashes him so hard he turns into butterflies. Ideology = the paparazzi will stalk you in your dreams and rip you apart with sharp claws. Nice to know. Hospital time and KP is looking worse for wear, serving up a little Girl-From-The-Ring-With-A-Dye-Job for the masses. The angry bull-skull nurses are unamused. "Nah, she aint ill. We just saw her break that mirror. Can't pull the wool over our empty eye sockets. Whatcha gonna do little girl?". Well Little Girl is gonna go all Dragonball Z on this shiz, HIYAAAAAA! Stomped into oblivion, Katy goes through an amazingly quick recovery (faker) to land in the magical garden at the end of the maze. More Awww. There stands a handsome prince ready to whisk her away and SHOCK HORROR he doesn't look like Russell Brand unless you squint really hard and keep at a ten metre distance. Katy isn't in the mood for more manly imbeciles however so decides to lamp him one in his smarmy face. Proper job. Together the little Superhero girl and KP leave the crazy cat topiary behind and leave through a heart arch to a pleasant local street. Little girl is actually (if you hadn't already guessed) a young Katy Perry and instead of warning her younger self of the impending humilation of THAT Friday Night of sin with viral youtube wench Rebecca Black, Katy lets her go off on her bike. Innocent. Unknowing. She gave you a glittery butterfly KP. A shimmering butterfly of hope. The least you could have done was warn her about Artie from Glee's crabs and why milk, vodka, scotch and fanta should not be mixed. Off onto the stage, ending Teenage Dream, the album, with Teenage Dream, the song. FIN. One thing you can always count on Katy to do is deliver knock out visuals and the whole album campaign has been a (ahem) dream. Except for the disastrous Part of Me but let's all forget that ever happened. Wide Awake is a much better song that will no doubt resonate with a lot of individuals. Visually its a stunner and the references to previous videos make it a delight for fans to keep watch plus that sentiment I mentioned is much better portrayed here than in Part of Me (with a pinch of humour thrown in for good measure). Despite what you think of her songs or her live vocals, it can't be denied that Katy Perry has really upped the pop game with this album brushing the 'difficult second album' tag aside and raising the bar in every aspect of being a popstar. Just let this be the last one ey Katy - too much milking kills the cow. Or is that chefs with broth? Meh, it will suffice.