“Is it the way I talk sweet? / The way my skin is soft? Or how I can be a bitch?” sings Katy Perry at the start of the acoustic performance video of her new song, “What Makes A Woman.” In the visual, released Aug. 20, the 35-year-old Katy wears a flowy, purple dotted dress. As she begins her song, she rests her hand across her massive baby bump, connecting with her and Orlando Bloom’s unborn daughter. “She’s always been a perfect mystery / Could spend your whole life, but you couldn’t / Describe what makes a woman / And that’s what makes a woman to me,” she sings.
Katy spoke about this song’s touching message on a July 28 appearance on SiriusXM’s virtual Celebrity Session. “It’s a song about how you are going to have a tough time measuring what truly makes a woman because women are so many things,” she said. “And I like to say not one thing, not just one thing. And such chameleons, and so adaptable, and so malleable and transformative. And can handle the weight of the world on their backs and do it all in heels. And make it look pretty effortless sometimes.”
“I’ve just experienced the feeling, just, I feel very empowered, creating a life and being a working woman while doing that,” she added. “It’s like, can you create limbs while promoting a record? Hello! So, ‘What Makes a Woman’ will be a song that will kind of secretly be dedicated to her.”
“What Makes A Woman” arrives about a week before Katy is set to release Smile, her sixth studio album. Out on Aug. 28 – pushed back two weeks from its initial release date of Aug. 14 – Smile will contain previously released singles “Never Really Over,” “Harleys In Hawaii,” “Daisies,” and the title track. Katy used the music video for “Never Worn White” (which will reportedly be available on the Fan Edition of Smile) to announce her pregnancy. Since then, Katy has tied her music releases with her pregnancy. She frolicked along with her baby bump in the video for “Daisies.” In the official video for “Smile,” she showcased her bump in a variety of clown-themed outfits.
Katy has been unafraid to show off her figure during her first pregnancy. She has showcased her bump in a range of outfits, from her purple mini dress at the ICC Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup Final in Australia to the strapless swimsuit she rocked while on a beach trip in July. This purple, polka-dotted number is just the latest in Katy’s maternity looks – but with her due date fast approaching, it might actually be her last.