Katy Perry felt 'battered and bruised' by Blue Origin backlash
Singer Katy Perry has admitted feeling "battered and bruised" by the backlash following her recent space trip, but reassured fans she is OK as would "keep looking to the light".Writing two weeks after the much-derided Blue Origin voyage, which saw her take an 11-minute flight with five other women, the US star said the "online world" had tried to make her a "human Piñata".Her comments came after fans paid for a billboard in New York to show their support for her ahead of her world tour. Responding to a fan account that posted a video of the billboard, Perry said she was "so grateful" for her fans, adding they were "in this beautiful and wild journey together".
Perry has been one of pop's most successful singers over the past two decades, but the narrative around her has become more negative in the past year.A poorly received album was accompanied by a lead single, Woman's World, which had a music video which many viewed as regressive. She was then criticised for her part in Jeff Bezos's all-female Blue Origin space flight, during which she sung Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World to her fellow passengers, and held up the setlist for her new tour to an in-flight camera.Some commentators said it was "tone deaf" for celebrities to be taking part in such a fleeting and expensive trip at a time of economic struggle. However, singer Lily Allen apologised this week for "being mean" about Perry, saying that although she disagreed with the flight, there was no need to join the "pile on" against the singer.
Some fans showed their support for Perry by clubbing together to pay for a digital billboard message in New York's Times Square for 24 hours. A Brazillian fan account on Instagram explained fans had done it to "remind her that she is never alone; our love for her is boundless, unwavering, and eternal"."We're so proud of you and your magical journey and we love you to the moon and back."Know that you are safe, seen and celebrated. We'll see you around the world, this is just the beginning."
'Unhinged and unhealed' internet
Perry left a comment expressing her gratitude, telling fans: "I love you guys and have grown up together with you and am so excited to see you all over the world this year! "Please know I am OK, I have done a lot work around knowing who I am, what is real and what is important to me."She said she is "not perfect", but rather on a "human journey playing the game of life with an audience of many and sometimes I fall"."But I get back up and go on and continue to play the game and somehow through my battered and bruised adventure I keep looking to the light and in that light a new level unlocks."She added: "When the 'online' world tries to make me a human Piñata, I take it with grace and send them love, cause I know so many people are hurting in so many ways and the internet is very much so a dumping ground for unhinged and unhealed."The singer, whose hits include Roar, Firework and I Kissed A Girl, has just started a world tour, which will run until December and visit the US, Canada, South America, Canada, Europe and the United Arab Emirates.Perry said she was looking forward to "seeing your faces every night, singing in unison, reading your notes, feeling your warmth".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Rihanna to welcome new arrival this summer
Rihanna, Vick Hope and Georgia Harrison are among the stars who will be hearing the pitter patter of tiny feet this summer, as they prepare to welcome new arrivals For some celebs, summer is set to arrive with a bump! These showbiz mums-to-be will soon be hearing the pitter patter of tiny feet... Liz McClarnon Atomic Kitten star Liz had her followers in tears when she announced that after 'dark times' and 'painful IVF', she is welcoming a baby into her family. The singer shared a clip on Instagram of herself sitting in a sunny garden – then she stood up and turned to show off her baby bump. Liz said, 'I'm pregnant!' before adding,'We feel like we've been given the world!' The 44-year-old said she wants to 'help others' after IVF and 'loss'. Poppy Delevinge Model Poppy is another glowing mum-to-be, preparing to welcome her first child. While she said she is 'in awe' of her pregnant body, she also joked she might be one of the 'worst dressers' when it comes to picking out pregnancy outfits. She announced her pregnancy with Archie Keswick in January, later revealing they're expecting a baby girl. She told ELLE magazine, 'She really is all I've ever wanted.' Poppy said her sisters Cara and Chloe couldn't wait to become aunties, joking that her baby would be another addition to the Delevingne 'tribe'. Rihanna Fans were delighted to see Rihanna, 37, rocking her baby bump on the star-studded Met Gala blue carpet in May. The singer is already a proud mum to two sons, RZA, two, and Riot, 21 months, with rapper A$AP Rocky. Rihanna is known for her high-profile pregnancy announcements after she debuted her second pregnancy while performing at the Super Bowl half-time show in 2023, but she prefers to keep her family life out of the spotlight. Vick Hope BBC Radio 1 presenter Vick and her husband Calvin Harris waited for months before revealing they are expecting their first child. They kept the details quiet until Vick announced on the radio that she was about to go on maternity leave, saying they'd been 'enjoying this privately and quietly'. Vick then showed off her growing baby bump in a fitted maxi dress at Radio 1's Big Weekend. Georgia Harrison Celebrity SAS winner Georgia and her partner Jack Stacey are preparing to become first-time parents. Ten months after their first date, the budding parents are delighted to be growing their family, describing their pregnancy as a 'beautiful surprise'. Georgia exclusively told OK!, 'When you know, you know. I know it's cringey but that's definitely how we feel. Anyone who knows us knows how strong we are and how happy we make each other.' The former Love Island star emphasised that while some people might say it's 'too soon' to start a family, the couple 'couldn't be happier'. Fans showed their support for Georgia and said she will be the 'best mama'. Zahida Allen Geordie Shore star Zahida, 30, delighted her fans with a surprise summer pregnancy announcement – in the same month that she's due to give birth! The reality TV star is just days away from welcoming her first baby. After discovering that she was expecting a baby girl 'very late' into the pregnancy, Zahida shared a photo online of herself cradling her bump, and said, 'A special announcement... Mini Z coming very soon - May 2025.' In an emotional caption, she described her daughter as the 'biggest blessing of my life'.
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
'I'm a fragrance expert - book boyfriends would wear these scents'
Fragrence expert shares what book lovers' favourite male characters would smell like - some might surprise you My friends often tease me for having two very specific interests: books and perfumes. So when a conversation came up about what 'book boyfriends' smell like, I knew it was time to put my niche interests to the test. I know I'm not the only one who has flicked through pages of the latest BookTok trending novel and thought the guys smell pretty good, so I decided to track down what some of the biggest book boyfriends smell like. I even headed to my Instagram and asked everyone there for their favourite book boyfriends so I wouldn't miss any. So I've headed to my library and searched for just how our favourite book boyfriends smell and matched it up with fragrances so your real life boyfriend, or partner, can smell just like them. Now there are some missing here, with either there being no description in the books what he smells like or there not being anything on the market that I could find to fit the bill. He's not in the official list below but Shatter Me's Aaron Warner would probably wear a basic gardenia body spray because that's what he smells like during that first kiss. Rhysand - A Court of Thorns and Roses series Arguably he's BookTok's favourite boyfriend and for someone we've seen lovingly called a 'shadow daddy' online he seems to have a very fresh and light smell. In Chapter 48 of A Court of Mist and Fire, just before things heat up, is the line: "He tangled his legs with mine, and then a heavier, warmer darkness settled over us, smelling of citrus and the sea." From this it seems fair to assume that this is what Rhysand smells like and luckily there's a scent out there that seems like a dead ringer. Wood Sage and Sea Salt by Jo Malone London is a blend of sea salt, seaweed and grapefruit (while this isn't necessarily the first citrus fruit that springs to mind it is undeniably a citrus fruit). There is also a touch of wood there but in my opinion that's needed to round it out to a well balanced fragrance. Jo Malone London scents are expensive, a full sized bottle costs £118 but for those just wanting to trial it 9ml bottles exist for £18. Fortunately Jo Malone London also releases most of their scents in a candle and that means it's possible to have your house smell just like Rhysand while you're reading about him, although the candle is £56 for a 45 hour burn time. Xaden Riorson - Empyrean series Now if anyone could dethrone the Lord of the Night Court, it's the guy with the dragon. In Chapter 10 of Fourth Wing, towards the end, Violet and Xaden are facing off when he comes close enough for her to smell him. The key line reads: "His ominous tone is at odds with his gentle grasp, and sh*t, does he have to smell so good? Like mint and leather and something I can't quite identify, something that borders between citrus and floral." Now Violet can't identify it when it's right in front of her but I did my best to find something that fits the bill. I was surprised by which scent won overall. For me it's a choice between Eros by Versace (from £55) and Rabanne's 1 Million (from £66) - but 1 Million just edges Eros out for me. Both of them include citrus fruits, a slight floral and the necessary mint and leather but Eros notably has candy apple in there while 1 Million has cinnamon and 'spicy notes'. It feels safe to say Xaden leans more spicy. Miles Nowak - Funny Story Emily Henry is one of the biggest names in contemporary romance and for good reason. Her books are filled with men that are easy to fall in love with but our favourite has to be Miles. In Chapter 4, Miles Nowak is ushering a very tipsy Daphne home and explaining how he thinks fellow bartenders can smell that he's one of them. Notably the book reads: "Does it smell like gingersnaps?' The slur in my voice has worsened as we climbed the stairs. Miles stops outside our front door, laughter gurgling out of him. 'Gingersnaps?' That's what he smells like. Sweet and a little spicy. A natural earthy smell folded into a sugary baked good." While I love a smoky blend on men as much as the next girl, it's the sweet scent of sugary baked goods that hold my heart so I was thrilled with Miles taste in scents. Now there was an obvious choice for this, and Jo Malone London if you're reading this we are begging you to bring it back, the limited edition Ginger Biscuit would've been an outright winner. However it currently is out of stock everywhere online and I'm not sending anyone to fight for the few remaining bottles on eBay. Serge Lutens Five o'clock au Gingembre is supposed to smell like a slightly more complex take on Ginger Biscuit and is currently reduced on LookFantastic but even reduced is still £115.20 for a 50ml bottle. There is a more budget friendly option on the market, Ginger Babe from Aroma Concepts which is currently £24 on Amazon. There aren't many reviews on Amazon but on TikTok and fragrance forums there's a lot of buzz about it. Alex Claremont-Diaz - Red, White and Royal Blue Seeing him played by Taylor Zakhar Perez definitely hasn't hurt the internet's love of Alex Claremont-Diaz, the First Son of the United States in the feelgood romance. The film has actually done us a solid, as it doesn't strictly say in the book what he smells like, but in the hospital scene of the film (about 15 minutes in) Prince Henry comments on Alex's signature scent: " Santal 33? Makes sense." The Le Labo scent is quite pricey, with the cheapest price we've found for it being £74 for a 15ml bottle, but we've got to agree with Prince Henry. It makes sense. Haymitch Abernathy - The Hunger Games series Now in the past I wouldn't have thought of Haymitch and a book boyfriend in the same sentence, but with the release of Sunrise on the Reaping and the upcoming film. We are all kind of loving him at the moment. I've not found any lines in the book that outright say what he smells like but it seems fair to assume he would smell like wood smoke and alcohol. Even before he took up drinking he worked with booze and I don't think I need to elaborate on smoke. Jazz Club from Maison Margiela seems like a solid match for him, even if it probably comes more naturally than spraying it on. It's a blend of rum, tobacco leaf and some spices that I could see him wearing and at £62 for a 30ml bottle it's one of the more affordable scents in this list. Now I think a better fit, with his humble beginnings and 'District 12 White Liquor', might be Vodka on the Rocks by Kilian. It's fresh with some spices, wood and notably oak moss in the composition. It is also £225 though, so I'll keep to picturing Jazz Club.
Leader Live
6 hours ago
- Leader Live
JoJo Siwa says Chris Hughes feels like family and her mother ‘adores' him
The two met in the ITV1 Celebrity Big Brother house, growing close during their time on the reality show, claiming their relationship was 'platonic'. Since leaving the house, they have been seen together and recently shared photographs of them together on Instagram, suggesting they are in a relationship. A post shared by JoJo Siwa (@itsjojosiwa) Siwa, 22, told Channel 4's Sunday Brunch: 'She (Siwa's mother) does love him. My parents think the absolute world of him and him and my dad are like best friends. 'Chris was actually telling me that yesterday they went to the spa together. They're literally best friends. 'Mum, she absolutely adores him. I love watching her watch us because I've never seen my mum so happy. 'It feels like we're a family. It feels like he's been in my family for however many years. It feels like they just all get along as well as I do. 'I think there will definitely be a lot more time spent here, and I think from him as well, a lot more time spent over there, but we both have families, you know, on either end.' The 22-year old singer is known for her songs Karma and Guilty Pleasure, which she released in 2024, while sports presenter Hughes, 32, appeared on the third season of the ITV reality TV series Love Island. Speaking about her decision to join Celebrity Big Brother, she said: 'I didn't even question a yes or no. I knew it wasn't even a question. It was an immediate yes. 'I think for me, growing up on reality TV, it almost feels like a little bit of home to me, and it just feels like it's just fun. 'And right before I went in, I told my mom, I was like, I think this is gonna be the best thing I've ever done. And she's like, what do you mean? And I was like, I don't know, something tells me, like for my personal, like for my life, it feels like it's gonna be the best thing I've ever done and by a landslide it has been. 'Being on Big Brother you're captured 24/7 so for people to just get to see the real me was something that I wasn't sure how to share, essentially on my own, I guess I wasn't brave enough to share it.' The Celebrity Big Brother final saw Coronation Street actor Jack P Shepherd crowned the winner. Siwa placed third on the ITV1 reality show while Hughes came sixth.
