What to know about Katy Perry's new album, 'Smile'
After announcing the birth of her daughter, Daisy, early Thursday, Katy Perry's other baby -- her new album, "Smile" -- has now arrived as well.
By now, most fans have likely heard Perry explain how she wrote "Smile" about emerging from a struggle with depression. Her hope now, she says, is that the album might help others in similar situations.
"It's a record that is full of hopefulness and resilience and joy," Perry said during a virtual press conference late last month, ahead of her appearance at the Tomorrowland festival. "Hopefully, people will tune into that, if they want that or need that."
As for how Perry, 35, managed to write upbeat and empowering songs like "Daisies" and the title track while she was going through such a dark time, she said that it's tough to explain.
"I actually think it's kind of like my higher self or my better self or my spirit side kind of just takes the wheel and says, 'Scoot over, I'm going to start channeling a little inspiring message for you from the heavens and hopefully it will inspire you to continue further and therefore maybe inspire someone else,'" she said.
Perry added that writing uplifting songs is something she usually only does when she's upset -- and it's worked out pretty well for her.
"I've said it in the past ... when I write songs like 'Firework' and 'Roar,' it's not because I'm like, 'Yay!' It's like, I'm really bummed," she said. "And I just have to kind of push myself into thinking in a different way. And through that push, I usually get something kind of special."
Perry and her fiancé, Orlando Bloom, 43, announced the birth of Daisy Dove Bloom with the help of the charity UNICEF late Wednesday. She revealed she was pregnant in March by cradling her baby bump in the music video for her single "Never Worn White."
