--- description: Listen to the newest release from the pop star, who gives a disco tune a subversive underside with lyrics hinting at our modern malaise. title: Katy Perry Gets Subtly Political on "Chained to the Rhythm" image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4710b1fde0b7d9a7/6988b9accd1bba24c4703f11/katy-perry-march.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Newsfeed](/tag/time-section-newsfeed/) ## Newsfeed Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Listen to Katy Perry's Subversive New Disco Tune "Chained to the Rhythm"  by [Raisa Bruner](/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 10, 2017 6:00 PM CUT  WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 21: Katy Perry attends the Women's March on Washington on January 21, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Noam Galai/WireImage) WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 21: Katy Perry attends the Women's March on Washington on January 21, 2017 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Noam Galai/WireImage)Noam Galai—WireImage  by [Raisa Bruner](/author/raisa-bruner/)  ## Raisa Bruner Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Feb 10, 2017 6:00 PM CUT Welcome back, Katy Perry. The blockbuster pop star [finally released her new single](http://time.com/4663794/katy-perry-chained-to-the-rhythm/?iid=sr-link1 "undefined"), “Chained to the Rhythm,” a disco-inflected track that represents a new direction for a singer best known for bubblegum-bright pop tunes. While upbeat on the surface, “Chained to the Rhythm” reflects a dire world of repetition and ignorance, all of us trapped like hamsters on a wheel—more on that later—feeding on a false reality. “So comfortable we’re living in a bubble, bubble/ so comfortable we cannot see the trouble, trouble,” she repeats. Perry seems to have found an outlet in her art for her increasing dedication to political activism. In recent months, she [campaigned heartily](http://time.com/4509391/katy-perry-voting-naked-get-people-to-polls-november-8th/?iid=sr-link6 "undefined") for Hillary Clinton, [produced a PSA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBsImjKVof4 "undefined") about anti-immigrant policies in American history and participated in the Women’s March on Washington. The song, written with hitmakers Sia and Max Martin and featuring a verse by Bob Marley’s grandson Skip Marley, hides its social commentary in plain sight, just beneath its radio-friendly sound. As for the lyric video? While quirky and cute at first glance, there’s a sinister undertone to the world of Mr. Parsons the Hamster. As a godlike human (the talented [YouTube creator Walking with Giants](http://time.com/4510677/mini-food-video/?iid=sr-link1 "undefined")) painstakingly prepares minuscule meals of a hamburger and pasta in a dollhouse-sized kitchen, Mr. Parsons remains glued to an armchair, watching another hamster on a TV go round and round on his own wheel. Presented with the gourmet cuisine, he quickly defers to base instincts, making a mess of the artfully presented dishes and munching serenely on crumbling cake. “Yeah, we think we’re free/ Drink, this one is on me/ We’re all chained to the rhythm,” Perry sings, perhaps referring to the willful ignorance the entertainment-industrial complex often encourages. In contrast, her biggest statement last year was [riding into the Super Bowl](http://time.com/3690105/katy-perry-super-bowl-halftime-show-xlix/?iid=sr-link1 "undefined") on a giant animatronic feline to deliver an upbeat rendition of “Eye of the Tiger.” Have we entered a new era of Katy Perry? Perhaps we’ll learn more at [Sunday night’s Grammys](http://time.com/4655730/grammys-2017-when-who-beyonce-adele/?iid=sr-link2 "undefined"), when she takes to the stage with a crowd of millions watching. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4667037/katy-perry-single-chained-to-the-rhythm/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4667037/katy-perry-single-chained-to-the-rhythm/"},"headline":"Listen to Katy Perry's Subversive New Disco Tune \"Chained to the Rhythm\"","datePublished":"2017-02-10T18:00:16.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:40:59.759Z","description":"Hear the pop star's newest song, a disco-influenced tune with a subversive message","url":"https://time.com/4667037/katy-perry-single-chained-to-the-rhythm/","keywords":["Newsfeed","Entertainment","Music"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4710b1fde0b7d9a7/6988b9accd1bba24c4703f11/katy-perry-march.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Raisa Bruner","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/raisa-bruner/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4710b1fde0b7d9a7/6988b9accd1bba24c4703f11/katy-perry-march.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Women's March on Washington - March","caption":"Women's March on Washington - March","creditText":"Noam Galai—WireImage","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4667037/katy-perry-single-chained-to-the-rhythm/","name":"Listen to Katy Perry's Subversive New Disco Tune \"Chained to the Rhythm\""}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Katy Perry Says Her Parents Voted for Donald Trump","description":"Pop singer Katy Perry, who has campaigned for Hillary Clinton, told supporters of the Democratic nominee on Tuesday night that her parents voted for Donald Trump.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/D1SolLvY/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2016-11-09T04:58:49.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/D1SolLvY.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4667037/katy-perry-single-chained-to-the-rhythm/","duration":"PT55S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4667037/katy-perry-single-chained-to-the-rhythm/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```