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2026 single by Katy Perry
"Watch It Burn"
Perry's face dripping with water in front of a black background
Single by Katy Perry
ReleasedJune 25, 2026 (2026-06-25)
GenrePop rock
Length2:55
LabelCapitol
Songwriters
Producers
  • Justin Tranter
  • Jason Gill
  • Daniel Crean
  • Eren Cannata
Katy Perry singles chronology
"Bandaids"
(2025)		 "Watch It Burn"
(2026)
Music video
"Watch It Burn" on YouTube

"Watch It Burn" is a song by the American singer-songwriter Katy Perry. It was released through Capitol Records on June 25, 2026, alongside a music video that Christian Breslauer directed. She co-wrote this track with Amanda "Kiddo" Ibanez, Skyler Stonestreet, and its producers Justin Tranter, Jason Gill, Daniel Crean, and Eren Cannata. "Watch It Burn" is a pop rock track with lyrics about bottled-up anger, emotional release, and reclaiming personal power after years of "people-pleasing" and "love and light" conditioning.

Promotion and release

[edit]

On November 6, 2025, Katy Perry released the music video for "Bandaids". Towards the end of the video, "Watch It Burn" was mentioned by a radio DJ, serving as an Easter egg for its future release.[1][2] On June 14, 2026, she posted a teaser video on her social media, with the caption reading "Maybe it's finally time to watch it burn". In the video, her song "The One That Got Away" (2011) plays in background, and the singer wears an all-black ensemble and is holding a baseball bat.[3] Two days later, she posted another teaser video on social media, featuring her singing the track while wielding a baseball bat inside a graffiti-filled rage room and wearing the same all-black ensemble.[4][5] On June 17, 2026, Perry confirmed the song's title of "Watch It Burn" during her appearance on American singer-songwriter Justin Tranter's podcast Unfamous with Justin Tranter. The following day, she shared the pre-save links for "Watch It Burn" on her social media, along with the single cover and the release date of June 25. Its single cover features a close-up of her face covered in beads of water and illuminated by a glowing light.[5]

Composition

[edit]

Perry, Amanda "Kiddo" Ibanez, and Skyler Stonestreet co-wrote "Watch It Burn" with its producers Tranter, Jason Gill, Daniel Crean, and Eren Cannata.[6] The track is a pop rock "fiery anthem" where Perry unleashes "pain and suppressed anger",[7][8] with a runtime of two minutes and 55 seconds.[9] It is written in the key of D major with a tempo of 130 beats per minute.[10] Nicole Glennon from the Irish Examiner wrote the song has a "rock-inflected edge",[11] and Sophie Gliott from Hot Press commented that the use of rock music "signifies a step in a new direction for Perry".[12] "Watch It Burn" explores themes of bottled-up anger, emotional release, and reclaiming personal power after years of "people-pleasing" and "love and light" conditioning.[2][8] Moriel Mizrahi Finder of Elle suggested that the lyrics were focused "less on revenge and more on moving forward".[13] On Tranter's podcast, Perry explained the song's lyrics of "light about match" is a reflection on her "tough" past year and about wrestling with her "darkness".[14]

On June 18, 2026, when appearing on Zane Lowe's talk show, Perry opened up about her hesitation to release "Watch It Burn" and originally repeating to herself, "I'm never going to release this". She also discussed the honesty behind the lyrics, which reflect on moving past a painful relationship and putting herself first.[15][16]

Critical reception

[edit]

Writing for Clash, Gennaro Costanzo rated "Watch It Burn" eight out of ten and praised its energetic pop rock production, highlighting its anthemic bridge. He compared the song to a more mature, more nonchalant, and angrier counterpart to Perry's 2008 single "Hot n Cold".[7] Sebas Alonso of Jenesaispop noted its connection to 2000s rock, particularly Linkin Park, and praised its melody, while favoring its rock elements over the electronic dance music influences of Smile (2020) and 143 (2024).[17] Chiara-Lee Haartje of Radio Hamburg also praised the song's blend of pop and rock, describing it as one of Perry's most emotional releases and noting its more serious tone.

Music video

[edit]

Production and release

[edit]

A music video for "Watch It Burn" premiered on the same day as its single release. It was directed by Christian Breslauer,[2] and the production was handled by London Alley and the Lucky Bastards.[19] The video received a premiere broadcast on MTV Live, MTVU, and on the Paramount Times Square billboards.[6] On YouTube, the music video for "Watch It Burn" surpassed 350,000 views within twelve hours of its release.[20]

Synopsis

[edit]

Serving as a sequel to the video for "Bandaids",[2][6] the music video for "Watch It Burn" begins from a point-of-view perspective, showing a badly burned Perry being wheeled through the halls by nurses in hazmat suits. During surgery, a scorpion tail abruptly emerges from her back and attacks one of the surgeons. Amidst the ensuing chaos, a priest in protective gear arrives to perform an apparent exorcism while Perry repeatedly loses consciousness. Upon awakening, she examines herself in a shattered mirror. Though the tail initially seems to have disappeared, its sudden reemergence prompts her to flee the hospital in a red Jeep Wrangler. When taking the Jeep through a car wash, she undergoes a physical transformation there into a human-scorpion hybrid, complete with a large, articulated stinger. Perry exchanges the Jeep for a black suit and dresses in that before traveling down a city street. Her tail develops a mind of its own while outdoors, shattering windows, keying car doors, and setting fire to the surroundings and various media props, including a newsstand displaying fictitious magazines. The video concludes with Perry entering a church, where she collapses in front of the congregation before the churchgoers lift her and submerge her into a bath on the altar, which washes away her scorpion tail and restores her to human form.[21]

Analysis and reception

[edit]

Costanzo of Clash wrote the music video's visuals leaned heavily into Perry's "5° Scorpio placement". He further called it "an uncompromising visual metaphor for a sign known for destruction, rebirth, and claws".[7] Writing for People, Lily Brown suggested that the use of a scorpion tail symbolizes self-acceptance and embracing "darker sides" without letting them take control. Brown also noted that the video's Easter eggs refer to media manipulation.[21] Margaret Farrell of Stereogum did not understand the church scene towards the end of the video, uncertain on whether it was supposed to connect to Perry's "Christian rock beginnings" or be "a literal spiritual rebirth or an artistic one".[22] Haartje of Radio Hamburg praised the visuals in the video, calling it "spectacular", and described Perry's physical transformation as "a symbol of a radical new beginning".

Live performances

[edit]

Perry performed "Watch It Burn" live for the first time on June 18, 2026, during her Out of Office Tour as part Son do Camiño festival in Santiago, Spain, a week before the song's official release.[23] Two days later, she sang the track during Rock in Rio Lisboa 11.[24] On June 24, 2026, Perry performed "Watch It Burn" in Malahide Castle, Dublin, Ireland.[11]

Track listing

[edit]
  • Digital download and streaming[9]
    1. "Watch It Burn" – 2:55
    2. "Bandaids" – 3:08

Personnel

[edit]
  • Katy Perry – vocals, songwriting
  • Amanda "Kiddo" Ibanez – songwriting
  • Skyler Stonestreet – songwriting
  • Justin Tranter – songwriting, production
  • Jason Gill – songwriting, production
  • Daniel Crean – songwriting, production
  • Eren Cannata – songwriting, production

Credits adapted from Universal Music Group.[25]

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance
Chart (2026) Peak
position
Argentina Anglo Airplay (Monitor Latino)[26]10
Costa Rica Anglo Airplay (Monitor Latino)[27]16
Italy International Airplay (EarOne)[28] 23
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[29] 9
Nicaragua Anglo Airplay (Monitor Latino)[30]8
UK Singles Sales (OC)[31] 34
US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)38

Release history

[edit]
Release dates and formats
Region Date Format(s) Label Ref.
Various June 25, 2026 Capitol
Italy June 26, 2026 Radio airplay Universal

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ Mier, Tomás (November 6, 2025). "Katy Perry Gets Brutally Honest About Heartbreak in Stunning 'Bandaids' Video". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 7, 2025. Retrieved November 7, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Ducrocq, Louise (June 26, 2026). "Katy Perry Releases New Single 'Watch It Burn'". Ireland's Classic Hits Radio. Archived from the original on June 26, 2026. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Katy Perry crops cryptic construction gear teaser sparking major fan frenzy: 'Maybe it's finally time to watch it burn'". The Times of India. June 15, 2026. Archived from the original on June 18, 2026. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  4. ↑ Martin, Annie (June 17, 2026). "Katy Perry wants to 'Watch It Burn' in teaser for new song". United Press International. Archived from the original on June 18, 2026. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
  5. 1 2 Peters, Mitchell (June 19, 2026). "Katy Perry Teases New Song 'Watch It Burn', Reveals Release Date". Billboard. Archived from the original on June 20, 2026. Retrieved June 20, 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 Cashmere, Paul (June 26, 2026). "Katy Perry Releases Watch It Burn with Fiery New Visual Chapter Completing Bandaids Story Arc". Noise11. Archived from the original on June 26, 2026. Retrieved June 26, 2026.
  7. 1 2 Costanzo, Gennaro (June 26, 2026). . from the original on June 27, 2026.
  8. Tate, Sarah (June 25, 2026). . iHeartRadio. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 Perry, Katy (June 25, 2026). "Watch It Burn – Single". Apple Music. Archived from the original on June 27, 2026.
  10. ↑ Perry, Katy (June 25, 2026). "Watch It Burn". Beatport. Archived from the original on June 27, 2026. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
  11. 1 2 Glennon, Nicole (June 25, 2026). "Katy Perry in Dublin review: California girl rolls out the hits in Malahide". Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on June 27, 2026. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  12. ↑ Gliott, Sophie (June 25, 2026). "Live Report: Katy Perry sends Malahide Castle up into space". Hot Press. Archived from the original on June 27, 2026. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  13. ↑ Finder, Moriel Mizrahi (June 27, 2026). "Katy Perry's Song 'Watch It Burn' Is a Fiery Anthem About Finally Putting Yourself First". Elle. Archived from the original on June 27, 2026. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  14. ↑ Shuman, Chiara (June 17, 2026). "Katy Perry details 'angry' confession in rare personal interview". Hello!. Archived from the original on June 18, 2026. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Katy Perry Reflects on Her Mental Health Struggles Amid Orlando Bloom Split: 'Really Intense'". First for Women. June 22, 2026. Retrieved June 28, 2026 – via Yahoo! Life.
  16. ↑ "Katy Perry da carpetazo a Orlando Bloom en 'Watch It Burn': "Por fin me puse yo primero"" [Katy Perry shelves Orlando Bloom in 'Watch It Burn': "I finally put myself first"] (in Spanish). Europa FM. June 24, 2026. Archived from the original on June 28, 2026. Retrieved June 28, 2026.
  17. ↑ Alonso, Sebas (June 26, 2026). "Katy Perry recupera con tino su faceta rock en la endemoniada 'Watch It Burn'" [Katy Perry skillfully revives her rock side in the devilish 'Watch It Burn'] (in Spanish). Jenesaispop. Archived from the original on June 27, 2026. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
  18. ↑ Perry, Katy (June 26, 2026). "Katy Perry - Watch It Burn (Official Music Video)". Capitol Records. Archived from the original on June 26, 2026. Retrieved June 27, 2026 – via YouTube.
  19. ↑ Rossini, Matteo (June 26, 2026). "Katy Perry ha pubblicato il nuovo singolo Watch It Burn: il testo e il videoclip" [Katy Perry has released the new single Watch It Burn: the lyrics and the video clip] (in Italian). Sky TG24. Archived from the original on June 27, 2026. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
  20. 1 2 Brown, Lily (June 25, 2026). "Katy Perry Grows a Scorpion Tail as She Unleashes Her Dark Side in Fiery 'Watch It Burn' Music Video". People. Archived from the original on June 27, 2026. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
  21. ↑ Farrell, Margaret (June 26, 2026). "Katy Perry Acquires Demonic Scorpion Tail in "Watch It Burn" Video". Stereogum. Archived from the original on June 27, 2026. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
  22. ↑ Martínez, Elena (June 19, 2026). "Katy Perry te obliga a coger vacaciones en el arranque de su gira de festivales en O Son do Camiño" [Katy Perry forces you to take a holiday at the start of her festival tour in O Son do Camiño] (in Spanish). Los 40. Archived from the original on June 19, 2026. Retrieved June 19, 2026.
  23. ↑ Ryan, Gary (June 21, 2026). "Katy Perry says she lost her "roar", teases new material at Rock in Rio Lisbon 2026". NME. Archived from the original on June 22, 2026. Retrieved June 22, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Give her the gasoline: Katy Perry releases "Watch It Burn"" (Press release). Universal Music Group Canada. June 25, 2026. Archived from the original on June 26, 2026. Retrieved June 26, 2026.
  25. ↑ "Top 20 Argentina Anglo música". Monitor Latino. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  26. ↑ "Top 20 Costa Rica Anglo música". Monitor Latino. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  27. ↑ "EarOne International Airplay Week #27 dal 26/06/2026 al 02/07/2026" [EarOne International Airplay Week #27 from 26/06/2026 to 02/07/2026] (in Italian). EarOne. Archived from the original on July 3, 2026. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  28. ↑ "Hot 40 Singles". Recorded Music NZ. July 3, 2026. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  29. ↑ "Top 20 Nicaragua Anglo música". Monitor Latino. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
  30. ↑ "Official Singles Sales Chart on 3/7/2026 – Top 100". Official Charts. Retrieved July 4, 2026.
  31. ↑ "Watch It Burn" on Italian radios:
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Watch_It_Burn&oldid=1363096750"