[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9SeJIgWRPk]
Katy Perry released a new single, “Roar,” over the weekend. While the song was originally scheduled to premiere today, it leaked on the internet on Saturday morning. In response, Perry’s label moved quickly to offer the song for sale on iTunes — where it quickly became an immediate hit. According to Perry, the track was already topping the charts in many countries.
HEY! THANKS WE’RE #1 IN ABOUT 20 COUNTRIES ALREADY. (How many countries are there actually?)
— Katy Perry (@katyperry) August 12, 2013
(MORE: The 25 Best Songs of 2013 (So Far))
The song is the first single off of Prism, Perry’s fourth studio album, and her first since 2010’s Teenage Dream. While Prism isn’t due out until October 22nd, the singer has been teasing the album and single for weeks. To promote the album, Perry’s team has unleashed a series of promotional stunts including creating a gold-plated Prism semi-truck to roam the roads and throwing a funeral for Perry’s “Teenage Dream” persona after she set fire to her famous “California Gurls” wig. To reflect her new image, “Roar” is darker and more anthemic than most of Perry’s previous bubblegum pop work.
In more Perry news, it was also just announced that she would be performing at this year’s MTV Video Music Awards. The lineup already includes Kanye West and Lady Gaga, who will perform a new single from her forthcoming ARTPOP album. The VMAs take place on August 25 at 9 p.m. ET.