Katy Perry's "Never Really Over" Video Is A Zenned-Out Version Of "Firework"

Who run the world? Girls. On Friday, May 31, some of the most famous women in the music industry, including Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Cardi B, and Bebe Rexha, decided to drop some new songs on the same day. Like, what? I'm almost convinced that they all came together and thought "Hey, let's all release new music at the same time and break the internet," because this is all too much, right? I mean, aren't you all currently jumping from single to album to music video trying to appreciate all this music goodness? I know I am and I'm not sure if I can keep up, honestly. But one project I keep going back to is Katy Perry's "Never Really Over" music video, which is giving me major "Firework" vibes.

Besides both songs being total bops, the music videos for both "Never Really Over" and "Firework" share a lot of the same elements, like big dance scenes, a bright and sparkly aesthetic, Perry belting out the chorus to the sky, not to mention the fact that in both videos, she gracefully dances around with her hair and dress blowing in and drifting through the wind. Yup, that's Katy Perry. I would say that "Never Really Over" is a zen version of "Firework," or like one fan put it, "Firework with a Prism aesthetic." Pretty accurate if you ask me.

Perry hinted that the music video would have a chill vibe in the days leading up to the video's release. On May 29, she posted the single's artwork, which showed her in a bright orange dress paired with a matching orange border on the picture. She also let her blonde locks let loose and get messy in the wind — a big change to her usual tidy pixie cut. It definitely gave me summer vibes.

Then, on May 30, the singer posted a teaser video of her new music video that kind of reminded me of an ASMR video. In the clip, Perry very tenderly did a voice-over in which she recited a poem about tranquility while birds chirped in the background. The video also showed scenes like a beautiful meadow of flowers and a group of people doing some synchronized swimming.

When the music video finally came out, it definitely had a theme of peace, love, and happiness. It started with Perry hopping into a hippy van to somewhere unknown filled with lots of heart symbols and group stretches. While on the surface, the song and music video seemed chill, the message is actually much deeper than that.

If you take a closer look, some of the heart symbols in the music video were either broken or being tugged back and forth by couples. Perry also tried to look for ways to mend her heart by trying out different kinds of therapy techniques like cupping or acupuncture. At one point, she even participated in a ritual where she took a sip of a mysterious drink. Come to think of it, the whole video seemed like a retreat to deal with the feelings that arise from an on-and-off-again relationship.

Watch the music video for yourself:

Just like Perry's 2010 single, I have a feeling "Never Really Over" will be a big hit for her. Welcome back to the music scene, Katy!