Singer Katy Perry inks deal with Myer for Australian tour 2018

SHE has an enduring bond with Australia and it’s now a creative love affair. Katy Perry is bringing her Witness tour — and a new shoe line — to Oz.

KATY Perry’s enduring bond with Australia is now a creative love affair.

As Perry announced she has linked a deal with Myer to present her Witness tour here in July next year, the Swish Swish superstar paid tribute to her Australian collaborators Sia and electronic artist Hayden James.

Sia hilariously ditched her wig for Groucho gag glasses at the all-star dinner party during Perry’s revealing and often hilarious 72 hour livestream to launch the Witness record.

She was one of the writers on the hit single Chained To The Rhythm and another track Hey Hey Hey while James worked on the song Bigger Than Me.

“(The Australian connection) is Hayden James who I love and adore and Sia, who is one of my best friends. I guess the Australians are inundating, finally,” she said.

“They’re all in Los Angeles but Hayden did fly from Australia several times. I really appreciate him. I think I flew him business, I try to make him earn (first class).”

Katy Perry with fans at Myer in Sydney store to launch her Witness tour. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Looking fit in a tight electric blue leather suit she called “80s Blade Runner”, Perry spent about half an hour taking dozens of photos and signing autographs for fans at the Myer event to launch the 2018 Australian leg of the Witness tour.

While telcos have often presented major pop stars on their concert runs here, this is a first for Myer who are also giving away 8000 tickets.

The tour will kick off at Perth Arena on July 24 and heads to Adelaide Entertainment Centre on July 30, Rod Laver Arena on August 2 and 3, Brisbane Entertainment Centre on August 8 and Qudos Bank Arena on August 13 and 14.

Myer will also host her shoe line in Australian stores from September. A couple of her designs feature Rubik’s cube heels.

Katy Perry is partnering with Myer. Picture: Justin Lloyd

“No, I’ve never tried to solve it,” she said of the cult puzzle.

“I have not read the directions but I’m really into science and maths, somewhat, and astrophysics so I might be good at it. But I have to apply myself. I have to do the homework and I’m not good at homework.”

While she underwent an intensely emotional counselling session during her groundbreaking Big Brother livestream, Perry jokingly ruled out live therapy on stage for the tour.

“Ha! I don’t think anyone needs to see that,” she said.

But she did promise “a lot of heart.”

“You know my shows, you’ve been to my shows and it’s always a lot of fun, it is a good time. Life is not so fun something so we make sure to have fun at a Katy Perry show,” she said.

Katy spent much of her first day in Australia hanging out with fans. Picture: Justin Lloyd

The Roar chart-topper who has the biggest social media presence of anyone on the planet has always embraced Australian vernacular and cuisine.

Already addicted to Tim Tams, she has made meat pies her challenge for this visit which will conclude with performance at The Voice grand final on Sunday.

“I am going to take it very seriously. They have miscellaneous meat? OK, cool. I’ll have to read the packaging,” she said.

“I’m not so interested in miscellaneous meat but I am a fan of hot dogs and I know it’s the same thing in America. I’m not necessarily afraid, it all comes out the same way anyway. How great is an invention is a meat pie?”

Perry spent more time with fans at her only public performance for the HIT network at the Overseas Passenger Terminal in Circular Quay.

She performed a handful of new songs including Chained To The Rhythm and Witness and closed with her monster hit Firework.

Katy Perry performing for HIT network at Overseas Passenger Terminal, Sydney. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Her latest single Swish Swish is now competing on the charts with Calvin Harris’s hot track Feels, which she features on with hitmakers Pharrell Williams and Big Sean.

“Whatever best song wins. So I am happy to be a part of that,” she said.

“When (Calvin) asked me to be a part of it I was really excited because I felt cool for the first time in a long time.

“Those kids are cool, like Pharrell and Big Sean are really cool, if you get invited to a party where they’re at, wow, you’re cool. I’m kind of a dork. Fake it until you make it.”

Tickets for the Witness tour go on sale from July 19.