Katy Perry calls out White House for using ‘Fireworks’ to “celebrate warfare” in new TikTok
Katy Perry has spoken out against the White House after it used her hit single, ‘Firework’, in a video depicting recent military strikes.
Perry’s 2010 mega-hit, ‘Firework’, may have spent 560 weeks across global charts, but the superstar has been very clear that the Trump administration isn’t to be let in on the fun.
In a new post on X, the singer-songwriter wrote, “I am deeply appalled and angry to see ‘Firework’ used on the White House TikTok as a backing track for video footage of military strikes.”
Perry is referring to a post shared earlier this week by the White House, which showed footage of the military strikes in Iran. “Iran has been warned,” the White House added in the caption of the video.
She went on, “I did not approve this, I was not asked, and I absolutely do not condone it.”
Elaborating on the message of the sugary pop hit, Perry added, “I wrote this song to be an anthem of hope, healing, and inner strength for people going through their darkest personal moments.”
The star added solemnly, “To see a message of self-worth and upliftment weaponised to soundtrack destruction and violence is a complete violation of everything my song stands for.”
She signed off, “My music is for bringing people together, not celebrating warfare.”
Her comments are particularly notable as her partner is the former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, who has previously clashed with Trump during his first presidential term.
Perry’s comments come only a month after Ariana Grande hit out at the White House for using her song in a TikTok video promoting ICE. The ‘Thank You, Next’ singer wrote, “Please do not ever use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense. Fck ice.”
Plenty of other musicians have joined in on this tradition: The likes of Boards of Canada, Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo have all called out the White House for the unsanctioned use of their songs.
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