Katy Perry built Smile as a comeback record, a return to the bright, easy pop she made famous before her darker period. It is a twelve-track album that wants to feel like a victory lap, full of dance beats and sunny choruses meant to lift the spirits of anyone who hears it. The goal is simple: make listeners forget whatever trouble Perry went through by drowning it in sound that feels effortless. That effortlessness is both the record’s greatest strength and its biggest problem.
Opening With Never Really Over
The album starts with “Never Really Over,” a song about a breakup that refuses to die. The production is glossy, almost cartoonish, and the chorus is built for stadiums. It works as a mission statement for everything that follows: this is not an album about pain, this is an album about moving past it. The melody is sticky, and the confidence is total.
“Cry About It Later” follows and eases the pace slightly, turning inward for a moment before the next track picks things back up. “Teary Eyes” is where the album’s emotional honesty gets tested, and it is a fair test — the lyrics lean toward self-pity more than genuine reflection, but the hook is strong enough to carry it.
“Daisies” is the lightest moment on the record, a track about hope that never quite lands. It is pleasant but slight, a palate cleanser before the album’s second half begins to find its footing.
The Middle Stretch
“Resilient” is the album’s thesis statement in miniature: the title sums up its whole argument. The song is about bouncing back, and the music matches the message with a driving beat that never lets up. It is competent, though it does not add much beyond what came before it.
“Not the End of the World” is the album’s most direct attempt at reassurance, and the title is a direct quote from the song itself. The track leans on a flailing disco beat, and the lyrics promise that whatever trouble Perry faced is now behind her. It is sincere, but the sincerity comes across as performative rather than personal.
“Smile” is the shortest track on the record, and it is also the most direct. The title is the message, and the song delivers it without much fuss. It is functional, not essential.
“It’s not the end of the world!” she promises over a flailing disco beat.
Champagne Problems and the Back Half
“Champagne Problems” is the best song on the album, and it is easy to hear why. The track is about celebration, about champagne on ice and the idea that luxury can make you stronger. The lyrics are playful rather than heavy, and the production is loose and fun. It is the kind of song that rewards repeat listens.
“Tucked” and “Harleys in Hawaii” are the album’s quiet moments, and neither stays long enough to matter much. They are competent background music, pleasant but forgettable.
“Only Love” is a ballad that tries to slow things down, but the shift in tempo feels forced rather than natural. It is a decent song, but it does not hold the attention the way the record’s brighter tracks do.
“What Makes a Woman” closes the album on a note of self-assurance, though the lyrics feel more like a checklist of traits than a genuine insight. The song is brief, and that brevity works in its favor — it does not overstay its welcome.
The Verdict
Smile is a solid, if safe, return to form for Perry. The dance tracks are consistently enjoyable, and the album’s best moments — “Never Really Over,” “Cry About It Later,” and “Champagne Problems” — are strong enough to justify the purchase. But the lyrics often feel more like slogans than songs, and the album never fully commits to the emotional honesty it seems to want.
The comparison below shows how the album stacks up against itself:
| Track | Role | Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Never Really Over | Opening statement | Sticky hook, confident delivery |
| Cry About It Later | Early standout | Catchy, self-aware |
| Champagne Problems | High point | Loose, playful, memorable |
| Smile | Mid-album filler | Functional, brief |
| Tucked | Quiet moment | Pleasant but forgettable |
The album’s biggest weakness is its refusal to let its emotions land. Perry promises resilience and triumph, but the lyrics rarely dig deep enough to convince. The result is an album that sounds great but does not always mean it.
Smile is a return to form that mostly succeeds, but it never quite reaches the heights of Perry’s earlier work. It is a fun listen, but it is a fun listen that occasionally feels like a performance rather than a confession.
Score: 5.8 out of 10.
- Never Really Over3:43
- Cry About It Later3:10
- Teary Eyes3:03
- Daisies2:54
- Resilient3:08
- Not the End of the World2:59
- Smile2:47
- Champagne Problems3:16
- Tucked3:07
- Harleys in Hawaii3:05
- Only Love3:19
- What Makes a Woman2:11
