Katy Perry's Biggest Song Was Inspired By "Some Bulls**t Behind The Scenes"

One of the highest-charting songs of Katy Perry's career manifested out of less than ideal circumstances. Beyond the glitz, glam, and mass appeal of the music industry, being a musician is a full-time job like any other and, as with any job, not everything in the office runs perfectly smoothly. Even the most iconic records have behind-the-scenes drama.

Per an interview with Daniel Way for Behind the Wall on YouTube, Bonnie McKee makes it clear that Katy Perry's job is no different, and her hit song "Roar" manifested from such behind-the-scenes drama. As one of the writers on the song, McKee speaks in-depth about how it came about from, in her words, the "bulls**t" that women like herself and Perry have suffered behind the curtain from those in power, thanks to sexism.

McKee and Perry were able to take their collective frustrations about the music industry and turn it into an inspiring power anthem for women worldwide.

Katy Perry's "Roar" Was A Response To Sexism In The Music Industry

"Roar" by Katy Perry was Released on August 10, 2013

Katy Perry and Bonnie McKee wrote "Roar" alongside Lukasz Gottwald, Max Martin, and Kenry Walter before the song was recorded in March 2013 at four separate locations: Luke's in the Boo, Playback Recording Studio, MXM Studios, and Secret Gardon Studios. The song served as the lead single for Prism, Perry's fourth album, and in addition to breaking numerous chart-topping records, "Roar's" music video proved to be one of the most watched that decade. When Daniel Way asked McKee during their interview about the process that came about in making the song, McKee had this to say:

Katy and I are two powerful females in the music industry, and we still have had to deal with sexism and people getting in our way ... There's a lot of bulls**t that happens behind the scenes ... and, you know, it ended up kind of translating to anyone who's struggling with anything. I've had people tell me that "Roar" helped them through their battle with cancer, helped them through their divorce ... it's really just about perseverance.

Rather than vent frustrations about the unfairness of the music industry, a pain that only a select few listeners, Perry, McKee, and co. took an alternative route. Instead, they made "Roar" universal for women of all walks of life. To McKee's point, the lyrics of the song center around perseverance and, ultimately, "Roar" is about being empowered in the face of adversity. McKee and Perry struggled to remain empowered in the adversity they face in the music industry, but producing songs like this helped boost that empowerment.

"Roar" Became An Anthem For Overcoming Challenges

Why Katy Perry's "Roar" Resonates with So Many Different Women Across the Globe

Similar to the artist who matched a Michael Jackson accomplishment, women in every profession face sexism and other obstacles in the average workspace. Again, being a musician is no different from any other job, and unfortunately, sexism is common for women in any field. That's why "Roar" resonated so strongly with so many different women, so strongly that the number one record connects with women going through countless challenges. Katy Perry and her writing team produced the power ballad that women needed to hear for what they were all going through.

Source: Daniel Way's Behind the Wall (YouTube)