On Friday, February 10, Katy Perry dropped her new song “Chained to the Rhythm”. On the surface, the song sounds like a really great pop tune that would do great on radio. It’s like an ode to dancing or something. However, that’s not all it appears to be. In fact, if you listen closely to the lyrics, you notice a subversive political influence, and a possible endorsement for rioting. Maybe?

Of course, we weren’t expecting anything else from the pop star. It was a given that something political would be in her music. After all, her Twitter now states that she is an activist, and she actively campaigned for Hilary Clinton and attended the Women’s March in late January. She’s made it clear where she stands politically and she has the right to voice that opinion. But is Perry endorsing rioting in her new single? It’s definitely possible.

Along with the song, Perry also released a lyric video, which includes imagery that in fact, the song has political undertones and is resisting a Trump presidency.

For example, the hamster who is mindlessly eating whatever is put in front of him is watching another hamster on TV who is running on a hamster wheel. It seems as if this kind of imagery is begging to be compared to American’s falling into the trap of accepting a Trump presidency or even voting for him.. Perhaps, I’m wrong. But, I think the lyrics speaks for itself. Let’s break it down.

Are we crazy?

Living our lives through a lens

Trapped in our white-picket fence

Like ornaments

So comfortable, we live in a bubble; a bubble

So comfortable, we cannot see the trouble; the trouble

Aren’t you lonely?

Up there in utopia?

Where nothing will ever be enough

Happily numb

Well it’s obvious what this verse is talking about. Complacency. Which, it’s a thing that we all deal with. That’s fine. We do live in a world where many people just go with the motions. It starts off innocently enough, but once we get to the chorus, the direction changes.

Turn it up, it’s your favorite song.

Dance, dance, dance to the distortion

Come on, turn it up, keep it on repeat

Stumbling around like a wasted zombie

Yea, we think we’re free

Drink, this one is on me

We’re all chained to the rhythm.

Well, who doesn’t want to turn up their favorite song? Although we all love to turn up our favorite songs, I don’t think that’s what the chorus is really referring to. Could “Dance to the distortion” be referring to fake news or alternative facts? The song was written before ‘alternative facts’ was ever a thing, but you get the point. It coincides perfectly. It also appears that lyrics like “Stumbling around like a wasted zombie” and “We think we’re free” are referring back to complacency and believing we as Americans are free but Trump is stripping away our freedoms one by one.

Before the second verse begins, Perry sarcastically tells the listener to put on their rose-colored glasses and party on. Maybe I’m reading into all of this the wrong way, but doesn’t it appear to be much too relevant for it not to be political or referring to a Trump resistance?

It continues:

Are we tone deaf?

Keep sweeping it under the mat

Thought we could do better than that

I hope we can

Thought we could do better than what? A Trump presidency? If you aren’t sure or the lyrics are much to subtle for you think this is an anti-Trump song, read on. It’s when Skip Marley comes in – singing about liars, greed and the empire – there is no doubt that this song is anti-Trump and an endorsement to rioting and resistance.

It is my desire

Break down the walls to connect, inspire, ay

Up in your high place, liars

Time is ticking for the empire

The truth they feel is feeble

As so many times before

They greed over the people

They stumbling and fumbling

And we about to riot

They woke up, they woke up the lions

Marley does use stronger words than Perry, but don’t believe for a second that Perry doesn’t agree with him. If she didn’t, she wouldn’t have put that in the song. Marley and Perry are endorsing an act of violence. It’s one thing to protest but rioting is on another level. Perry isn’t intending Chained to the Rhythm to be an enjoyable dance song. No. This is political propaganda who endorses the riots that have been taking place since Trump has been elected president.

While, I am not saying that Perry doesn’t have a write to sing about things she believes, I do not think it’s okay for her to promote rioting or anything of the sort. But that’s not all this verse is endorsing. “Break down the walls to connect” could be another way of speaking out against closed borders or the wall Trump actively spoke about during his campaign. “Up in your high places, liars,” is clearly talking about those in Washington or the cabinet that Trump has put in place. Needless to say, there is no doubt that this song is a diss on Donald Trump, and the lyric “We about to riot” doesn’t make it any better. In fact, it makes the song worse.

For someone like Katy Perry who has millions of followers via Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, her endorsements, her words and everything else she does is influential. Perry is promoting violence, and while Perry’s fans might not organize a riot anytime soon, it’s still an endorsement that this kind of behavior is okay.

Perry’s attempt to ‘purposeful pop’ is just another way of saying, ‘let’s diss our leadership as much as possible,’ ‘let’s resist,’ let’s riot’. Again, it’s fine if Perry voicesher opinion. No one is stopping her from doing so, but this sort of endorsement and promotion is propaganda, dividing America all the more.

“Chained to the Rhythm” isn’t a fun, bubblegum pop dance song. It’s not intended to be pure entertainment. It’s intended to promote behavior that isn’t okay. The hidden message isn’t unifying. It’s dividing. If someone were to write a song dissing Obama, there would be an outrage. But since it’s dissing Trump, they say it’s okay. They say it’s a fabulous song and she’s starting a revolution. Think about these things, and remember, what Perry is inciting here is critical, and rioting is never okay, even if you disagree what’s happening in the country.

Go ahead Perry. Use you voice. Use your freedom of speech. But don’t use it to divide or incite violence. If you really believe that we’re stronger together – change your narrative.