
Katy Perry Is a Creepy, Lovelorn Bot We Can Relate To
Feb 14, 2019
Katy Perry, PAPER's Transformation cover star, is ever the character actor. For her latest role in the futuristic new "365" video with Zedd, out on the day of love, Perry plays a pre-programmed robot assigned to live with Zedd for a year, and together they are meant to test the bounds of domestic bliss.
But because Perry is a robot, she's not quite capable of feeling anything beyond surface-level emotion, so as she and Zedd wander through the prototypical house they share and try to replicate a loving relationship, she fails to do much beyond force a creepy perma-smile. She keeps house and does all the things women in the '50s did to please their men.
Related | Katy Perry: Outside the Box
Much to Zedd's dismay, because he's just a test subject for this experiment, and it's clear that for every superficial attempt of RoboKaty to capture his heart, he's pulled further away. This is all illustrated through facial expressions, smiles and wide-eyed gazes that are held a little too long.
Of course, as Zedd draws away from RoboKaty, her programming to love malfunctions as she experiences what can be best described as a relatable sexy-psycho jealousy freakout. Which, is honestly the most interesting thing about this whole situation because when one, whether robot or human, finally realizes that patriarchal love is all a lie designed to trap people in stifling gender roles for all eternity, it is worth freaking out over... When RoboKaty is de-programmed post-freakout, she sheds a real tear when she sees other RoboKatys waiting in the wings to go out and fake-love more stupid men. Definitely worth crying over if that's what society comes to.
Anyway, watch the video below if you're into dystopian meta-commentary about gender roles, the farce of tech-inspired matchmaking, and destroying the patriarchy. Also: a pretty solid pop tune from Zedd and Perry, which of course, is what also helps you stay till the end.
Photo via YouTube
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