When was the last time you heard a Katy Perry song on the radio? Two years ago? It’s not recent news that her popularity has been declining with her new album “Witness”. Even though the lead single, “Chained to the Rhythm”, climbed up to the number four spot on the Hot 100, the general public has turned their backs on the once reigning Queen of Pop. A lot of questions may rise to the surface following her decline as an artist and public figure. Was it because she cut her hair? Is it because her music is more mature? Or is it because of her problematic behavior in the past? One or all of these questions could extinguish both her reputation and her career. On August 27, Katy Perry will host the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards. In the midst of all the controversy surrounding her, it is perfect timing to have her host one of the most controversial award shows of all time.

Katy Perry has been named the Einstein of Pop. With the most viewed Halftime Show, three diamond singles, and nine number one singles, the “Dark Horse” singer was on top of the world. Katy Perry dominated the charts with her first three records. Her debut album, “One of the Boys”(2008), has three top ten singles. Her sophomore album and most successful, “Teenage Dream”(2010), has seven top ten singles and two more with the re-release. “Teenage Dream” made her the only female ever to have five number one singles on one album. Her third album “PRISM”(2013) has two top ten singles. Katy Perry is also the only person to achieve three diamond certified singles. The diamond certified singles are Firework(2010), Roar(2013), and Dark Horse(2014). On February 1, 2015, Katy Perry headlined the most viewed Superbowl Halftime Show. Her colorful extravaganza hauled in 118.5 million viewers. She only performed number one singles and she still didn’t even get to all of them.

The last time Katy Perry entered the top ten of the Hot 100 was when she released “Chained to the Rhythm” as the lead single to promote her new album “Witness”. Her popularity and public image took a negative turn when she started promoting her new record. The public turned everything she did and said against her. Her silly dancing and racist past were the talk of Hollywood in 2017. Her sales and charts positions for her second single “Bon Appetit”(2017) were so tragic that they officially changed the second single to “Swish Swish”(2017). “Swish Swish” peaked at 46 on the Hot 100, not even cracking the top 40. Katy Perry has never had a single not crack the top 30. In fact, she once held a streak for 6 years in which she did not have a single peak lower than the Top 20. Some say that her decline was because of her new haircut and some say it’s because her music is simply not as good as her music in the past. It’s pretty clear Katy Perry’s music has had an attitude change. She went from bubblegum pop to mysterious electropop.

The VMAs have always been the center of controversy in the music industry. Some artists have some of their most defining moments at the VMAs. In 2010, Lady Gaga wore a dress made of raw meat. She wore the dress to highlight her distaste for the US Military’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy. It was named as the top fashion statement of 2010 by Time. One of the most recent VMAs controversies was in 2015 when Miley Cyrus hosted. Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda” was not nominated for Video of the Year and she was upset, because obviously “Anaconda” was the video of the year. The drama with Miley Cyrus ended with Nicki Minaj’s iconic phrase “Miley, what’s good?” Taylor Swift once used the ceremony to promote her new music video for “Bad Blood” in 2014. The video immediately went viral and broke the VEVO 24 hour record pulling in 20.1 million views. It also climbed to the top of the Hot 100. Katy Perry is hosting and performing at this year’s VMAs. I and many other Katy Perry fans are sure she will use this platform to show the public that she has evolved as an artist audibly and visually. She is also no stranger to the VMAs, as she’s performed at numerous ceremonies and even took home the Video of the Year award for “Firework” in 2011. There are also rumors Katy Perry and Taylor Swift will collaborate and end their drama with a performance together at this year’s ceremony. Will Katy Perry ever see the top of the charts again? I hope she will and maybe she’ll even be able to win the world back.