Katy Perry is under investigation by the Spanish government for her recent music video "Lifetimes." The probe aims to determine whether the video shoot caused environmental damage to the protected dunes on the islet of S'Espalmador in the Balearic Islands. According to a press release from the environment department of the Balearic regional government, the production company did not obtain the necessary permits for filming, the BBC reported.
The 39-year-old pop star shot the "Lifetimes" video earlier this year at various locations in Ibiza and Formentera. She was recently spotted filming another video in Barcelona, continuing the Spanish theme.
The "Lifetimes" video features Perry boarding a ferry to a Spanish island while wearing a T-shirt reading "Eurotrash." She dances on a beach in a leopard print bikini and visits a local club.
Perry and her team likely hope that "Lifetimes" will mark a successful comeback following the disappointing reception of her last single, "Woman's World," and its music video. The video, which depicted scantily clad women performing traditionally masculine jobs, was widely criticized for catering to the male gaze. Critics and viewers alike slammed the video, with one YouTube commenter likening it to a feminist video clip "made by a guy." Another described it as "feminism if AI wrote it."
The backlash was so intense that Perry was compelled to claim on social media that the video was intended as satire. The negative response to the video echoed the criticism directed at the single itself, which was mocked for its lyrics and received harsh reviews from publications like The Guardian and Dazed. Many fans also questioned Perry's decision to collaborate with Dr. Luke, a producer accused of sexually abusing pop star Kesha, on a song ostensibly about feminism.
