Katy Perry prays special Aussie guest helps make grand final show a winner

Pop superstar Katy Perry has teased that a special Aussie guest star will sing I Kissed a Girl with her at this weekend’s AFL grand final, though she stopped short of divulging their identity.

Perry revealed the news to a select group of media and fans at the MCG on Thursday morning, after being asked about her “amazing, extra raunchy” performance at the MTV Video Music Awards earlier this month and whether she would be “toning it down” on Saturday.

Praying for a positive reception: Katy Perry at the AFL grand final press conference on Thursday.Credit: Eddie Jim

“Which part of it was raunchy?” Perry asked the male journalist with a grin. “I will be singing I Kissed a Girl – with an Australian artist that you don’t know about.”

That artist, she said, would be announced only when coming on stage this weekend.

But speculation has been rife all week, partly because Perry has dropped clues, leading many to assume it is Melbourne’s own Tina Arena.

On Wednesday morning, Perry told Channel Seven’s Sunrise it was “a favourite Australian artist that I look up to”, and also a woman. “She is going to be singing a little bit with me, and I’ll be singing a little bit with her,” Perry said, before adding that she couldn’t say more. “I’ve been sworn to secrecy, locked up, chains”.

Chains is, of course, Arena’s biggest hit. She’s also recently re-released the song with electronic music duo Shouse to celebrate its 30th anniversary.

Katy Perry (centre) with fellow grand final entertainers Cody Simpson, Zipporah Corser-Anu, Christine Anu and Mike Brady.Credit: Eddie Jim

Perry also dropped the fact the singer is a Scorpio in a number of radio spots, ruling out other high-profile Aussies, including Kylie Minogue and Sia. That leaves Delta Goodrem still in the running, but it’s unlikely we’d get a repeat after she was Robbie Williams’ surprise Aussie guest star in 2022.

Christine Anu and her daughter Zipporah Corser-Anu will also perform on the day, as will Mike Brady, whose Up There Cazaly was first part of the grand final entertainment program in 1979 and has featured regularly over the past decade. Swimmer-turned-pop star-turned-swimmer Cody Simpson will sing the national anthem.

There has been plenty of excitement about Perry’s performance since it was announced in July. One of the best-selling musical artists in history, she is a real get for the AFL – a genuine superstar to cement the grand final’s growing reputation for presenting high-quality international musical guests.

But there has also been some trepidation, as Perry’s publicity has never been worse. Trading in the bubblegum pop of her heyday for electro-heavy dance-pop, her new album 143 has been savaged by critics (this masthead’s reviewer labelled it “a colossal misstep from which Perry’s career may never recover”). It has flopped on the charts, and its rollout has been marred by mockery and scandal.

The first single, Woman’s World, and its accompanying music video copped particularly pointed criticism, being labelled as confusing and out-of-step with modern pop and feminist politics.

Reports surfaced this week that the AFL had requested Perry perform only her earlier, more popular work. Footy journalist Tom Morris told SEN a compromise had been reached, and she would play just one song from the new album.

That wouldn’t be unusual, though. KISS performed just three old classics last year and Robbie Williams did one “obligatory new song”, joking with the crowd they would “get through it together”. Notably, Perry also performed only one song from 143 during her lengthy medley at the VMAs, and omitted lead single Woman’s World.

Not coincidentally, Perry’s upcoming Lifetimes tour was announced this week, with presales from Friday. It’s her first Australian tour in six years and will hit Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth next June. But even that is being sold on the strength of the classics.

“It’s a party and you’re all invited!” Perry said when announcing the tour. “Get ready for a high-energy singalong to all your faves.”

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