Katy Perry lashes out at the White House after discovering that “Firework”, one of her most famous hits, was used as the soundtrack to a video published on TikTok and dedicated to some US military operations. The pop star gave X a tough stance, explaining that she had not been consulted and that she considered the juxtaposition of the song to images of bombings to be completely contrary to the original meaning of the song.
“I am deeply shocked and angry to see 'Firework' used on the White House TikTok account as the soundtrack to footage of military strikes. I did not approve this, I was not asked to do so, and I absolutely will not tolerate this,” Perry wrote.
I am deeply appalled and angry to see “Firework” used on the @WhiteHouse TikTok account as a backing track for video footage of military strikes. I did not approve this, I was not asked, and I absolutely do not condone it.
I wrote this song to be an anthem of hope, healing, and…
— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) July 25, 2026
Published in 2010 on the album “Teenage Dream”, “Firework” has become over the years one of the American singer's symbolic songs, conceived as a hymn to self-confidence and the ability to react in moments of difficulty. Precisely for this reason Perry particularly strongly contested the context in which the song was used. “I wrote this song as an anthem of hope, healing and inner strength for people who are going through their darkest personal moments,” he explained. “To see a message of self-esteem and encouragement used as a weapon to soundtrack destruction and violence is a complete violation of everything my song stands for.”
The singer then summarized her position with an unequivocal phrase: “My music serves to unite people, not to celebrate war”.
According to American media reports, the footage released by the White House account showed several sequences relating to US military operations, including images of an attack against an unidentified target and subsequent explosions, without providing particular elements of context.
Perry thus joins the long list of musicians who in recent years have protested against the use of their songs in the political and institutional communication of the American administration. Artists who have objected to similar uses include Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, Kesha, Zara Larsson, MGMT, Blue Öyster Cult and Jack White. In some cases, the controversy involved videos linked to ICE and the Trump administration's immigration policies.
In the case of Katy Perry, however, the matter also presents an issue relating to the rights to her catalogue. In 2023, the singer sold her interests relating to the mastering and publishing of five albums published between 2008 and 2020 to Litmus Music, including “Teenage Dream” and therefore also “Firework”. The sale of the catalogue, however, does not automatically mean that any person can freely use “Firework” without authorization: the necessary licenses depend on the type of exploitation, the platform and the rights involved. If anything, the transfer makes the relationship between the artist's personal will and the legal and economic control over the use of his music more complex.
Daniel D`Amico for SANREMO.FM
