Katy Perry, Firework | Music Lifts 🎶 🏋

In the 36^th edition of Music Lifts (2023), we’re uplifted by pop superstar Katy Perry performing, “Firework.”

Welcome to Music Lifts 🎶 🏋, a column that seeks to highlight songs that encourage, inspire, and uplift the spirit; songs that exude fortitude, positivity, and resolve, even in the face of adversity.  Featured songs aren’t genre-specific; songs may or may not be faith-based. The goal is for these songs to make you feel better – be LIFTED to new heights!  So, for the 36^th edition of Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 (2023), we highlight 🎵 “Firework” as performed by 🎙 Katy Perry.

Baby, do you know what you are? “You’re a firework 🎆!” WOO! It’s hard to believe that the 🎙 Katy Perry classic, 🎵 “Firework”, arrived way back in 2010! Perry experienced the biggest success of her career, as her 💿 Teenage Dream album was chocked-full of hits. “Firework” spent four weeks at no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, tallying 39 weeks total on the charts.  The song features marvelous production (🎛 Sandy Vee and StarGate), tuneful melody, a strong vocal from Perry, and most of all, inspiring, memorable, and uplifting songwriting (Perry and 🎼 ✍ Ester Dean join the production team as writers).

The inspirational, uplifting nature of “Firework” is what has always stood out to me personally.  In the first verse, Perry paints a picture of feeling worthless, and going through ample adversity. “Do you ever feel already buried deep?” she sings, adding, “Six feet under screams, but no one seems to hear a thing.”  Following these negative feelings and vibes, Perry shifts all things inspiring.  In the pre-chorus, she tells the hopeless, “You just gotta ignite the light / And let it shine / Just own the night / Like the Fourth of July.” Why? “‘Cause baby, you’re a firework / Come on show ‘em what you’re worth / Make ‘em go, ‘Awe, aw, awe’ / As you shoot across the sky-y-y!” WOO! The second verse, following the epic chorus, embraces this newfound hope and fearlessness, contrasting the mopey first verse.  Katy encourages us to open a new door! Even though the chorus is the sugar honey iced tea on this bombastic encouraging pop joint, the bridge must be mentioned in all their brightness! “Boom, boom, boom / Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon / It’s always been inside of you, you, you…” Just remember, whether it’s The fourth of July or nah, YOU own every night, darlings!

🎙 Katy Perry • 💿 Teenage Dream • 🏷 Capitol • 📅 2010

Katy Perry, Firework: Music Lifts 🎶 🏋 No. 36 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Capitol; cottonbro studio, Itzel Sandoval, Neeraj Nagdeve via Pexels]