Turn up Katy Perry, turn down Taylor Swift

California girls, we’re Unforgettable

Toned, tanned, fit and ready. Yes, that’s Katy Perry.

Last week, there was an article written about the infamous Taylor Swift that sparked my interest. Not going to lie, sophomore year of high school, Taylor Swift was the peanut butter to my jelly. I belted out every word to every song of her “Fearless” album on the way to track practice and the song “Fifteen” felt like my autobiography. But, as time has gone on, Taylor’s songs have gone from being passionate to being plain creepy. Her serial dating and intense songs and lyrics written about nearly every guy she’s ever shared something as small as a hand hold with get boring after awhile. It’s all become too routine. When it comes to matters of the heart, it’s best not to force it or go into every relationship with the attitude that he is your knight in shining armor. Sometimes, you need to let boys chase.

As I entered college, my favorite female artist quickly evolved from Taylor Swift to Katy Perry upon hearing the first guitar strum of the song “Teenage Dream.” To this day, that song never gets old. We could all learn a lot from Katy Perry. I’d like to share with you the top 5 reasons why we should turn up the Katy Perry and turn down the T-Swift.

1) Her songs don’t make you want to sob. I don’t know about you, but I like music that makes me want to roll the windows down and scream the lyrics – not something that gives me the urge open up a jar of Nutella and wallow in my sorrows. Taylor Swift has relatable lyrics that talk about experiences we’ve all had, but some things are better left unsaid. Katy Perry’s songs are fun, upbeat, different, and empowering. Her songs share real emotion, but not in a depressing way. For example, “Part of Me,” a song clearly written about a breakup, builds you up instead of breaking you down. It’s the kind of song that makes you angry. It makes you want to put on boxing gloves and let out your frustrations. It reminds us that we are strong, and nobody can ever take that away.

2) She’s different. When’s the last time you saw a girl in your class walk in with blue hair? What about a cupcake bra? Odds are, you haven’t. Katy Perry is her own person. She does what she wants, and that’s what makes her so unique and lovable. She had an extremely religious upbringing and most people would be shocked to learn that her first album was bible music. She didn’t have much success because it was clear that is not what she wanted to be doing. Once Katy was herself, she gained success.
3) She has her own movie. Enough said. And, if it adds anything, it made me cry. Her movie showed the reality of her life and all the hard work she puts in to make herself the success that she is today.
4) She eats. Probably one of the most annoying habits of girls is the perpetual “I’ll have a salad with the dressing on the side” order at a restaurant. Well, fear not, Katy Perry is not one of those girls. In her movie, she eats everything from pizza to taco bell. Who doesn’t love a woman with curves? Taytay should take a little advice from Katy and trade the skinny Starbucks latte for a cheeseburger.
5) She shows emotion – without being creepy. Taylor Swift’s bluntly honest lyrics have evolved over the years from cute to plain creepy. In her song Last Kiss, Swift sings, “So, I’ll go, sit on the floor wearing your clothes / All that I know is I don’t know / How to be something you miss.”

Not sure which boyfriend of hers she is referring to in this song, but if I were him, I’d probably be on my way to my lawyer’s office to get a restraining order. The way Swift feels is a relatable feeling, but that is normally something you wouldn’t want the whole world to know about. Katy Perry, on the other hand, has songs that illustrate real, relatable emotion without the creepy aura. A perfect example is “Not Like the Movies,” a song that delves into a common problem people in relationship experience: lack of feelings, or something in your relationship that doesn’t feel right. But, you smile and pretend everything is OK because you know you should.

One of the most important things in life is to be you, love who you are, and not care what other people think. Katy Perry mastered this skill. She dresses how she wants, sings what she wants, and does what she wants. We can all learn something from Katy Perry, and maybe if we did we can live our very own “Teenage Dream” at any age.