Ever since Katy Perry’s “Swish, Swish” from her upcoming album Witness, dropped earlier this week, the burning question on everyone’s minds has been: Is this about Taylor Swift?
In the past, Perry has made her feelings about Swift clear: she’s not a fan for a number of reasons. The two women also share the same crooner ex-boyfriend, John Mayer.
On Friday night Perry sat down with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show. She spoke about her new song, the album, and partnering up with Boys & Girls Clubs. Though, she also addressed the question on everyone’s mind, thanks to the host.
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“‘Swish, Swish’ is that about anyone we know?” asked Fallon.
After a slightly dramatic pause, Perry responded, “I think it’s a great anthem for people whenever someone's trying to hold you down or bully you." That’s Perry’s story, and she’s sticking to it.
The Grammy-nominated pop star navigated the question like a pro: she didn’t answer it directly, and she also didn’t mention the name of which we do not speak. After the question Fallon didn’t press her, “There ya go,” he said to the audience. “I’ll leave it at that.”
Later, Perry went on to describe a few of the tracks from the new album. “It's just like, 360-degree liberation,” the 32-year-old said. “'Chained to the Rhythm’ was this political liberation. 'Bon Appétit' was this sexual liberation and now this, 'Swish Swish,' represents the liberation from all the negative that doesn't serve you.”
Before one even tunes into the lyrics of Perry’s new track featuring Nicki Minaj, simply seeing the word “Swish” is triggering. Glance at it quickly, and it’s hard not to see the name, Swift. Say it aloud, and it serves the same effect. Even the lyrics sounded like a response to Swift’s “Bad Blood.”
"So keep calm, honey, I'ma stick around / For more than a minute, get used to it/Funny my name keeps comin' outcho mouth / 'Cause I stay winning / Lay 'em up like/Swish, swish, bish/Another one in the basket / Can't touch this / Another one in the casket."
Perry also explained to Entertainment Weekly that "there is no one thing that's calling out any one person." Let the countdown begin; Witness drops on June 9.