Katy's Kissing Girls

Believe it or not, our Katy was once a Christian Contemporary recording artist. Needless to say, she’s spread her wings since then. First, she was making snarky observances on the sexual orientations of others, now she’s kissing girls and liking it! Talk about a slap in the face to traditional femininity. This girl’s got guts. We had Cyndi Lauper “She-Bop” her way into our hearts, Britney getting friendly with Madonna, and now Katy Perry spelling everything right out for us in case we missed something.

So now the question comes down to whether or not this fiery track is any good. Well, if it wasn’t so early in the year, I think I’d be ready to award “Pop-Rock Song of the Year.” This is the ultimate female-power summer anthem that is unique enough for even guys to get in on the action (not-so-subtle irony completely intended). “I Kissed a Girl” feels like a companion track to the always-excellent P!nk’s anthem of last year, “U & Ur Hand.” With an insanely catchy hook, the “I Kissed a Girl” seems to fuse pop to rock with a certain dance-sensibility. It’s enough to get anyone with a sense of rhythm bobbing their head… or pumping their fist… or hitting the dance floor with a partner. This is just one of those rare tracks that isn’t bound by genre.

Katy has also found the perfect level of in-your-face non-conformism without seeming insensitive or unaware of the current culture (“Ur So Gay”). With lyrics like “I kissed a girl just to try it, hope my boyfriend don’t mind it,” and “It felt so wrong, it felt so right. Don’t mean I’m in love tonight,” she screams for the spotlight… only the whole thing comes across as completely effortless, unlike Nelly Furtado’s little “Promiscuous” stunt. P!nk should definitely be watching her back.

If “I Kissed a Girl” is any indication of the summer sound, I’ve got much higher hopes than last year. This surprise smash artist is going places, and apparently doesn’t mind sharing the love with… everyone.