By Antonio Machado Staff Writer After spending seven seasons judging American Idol following the failure of her 2020 album, “Smile,” pop sensation Katy Perry marked her long-awaited return to the music industry with the release of her sixth studio album, “143.” Perry is often categorized as one of the biggest popstars of the 21st century due to her astounding record-breaking 2009 album “Teenage Dream,” but in reality, her career has been filled with nothing but misfires since her single bull’s-eye, and this album makes that so very apparent. Perry heard the cries on social media for a renaissance of the early-2000’s pop music sound and thought she was the perfect candidate to answer the call, but she failed to consider the ways in which music has evolved since her peak. “143” is hollow, lacking a real purpose or vulnerability. The album's opener and lead single, “WOMAN'S WORLD,” can be single-handedly attributed to a large portion of the record’s failure. Upon its release, it became an immediate internet laughing stock due to its description as a female empowerment anthem, yet lack of any real substance or pointed commentary that would make it apply in the contemporary world. “Sexy, confident / So intelligent / She is heaven-sent / So soft, so strong,” she sings in an attempt to be uplifting, and it could’ve worked 15 years ago, but this level of substance - or lack thereof - has long since been phased out of the pop world. The album is never at any point able to build any momentum. “IM HIS, HE’S MINE” featuring Doechii is almost able to accomplish something interesting with its utilization of a slowed-down sample of Crystal Waters’ “Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless),” but none of its success can be attributed to Perry, rather Doechii, who delivers the only charismatic performance on the record. Perry attempts to appeal to the more raunchy nature of modern music with the assistance of 21 Savage and Kim Petras but fails to utilize the full potential of these artists. “GIMME GIMME” feels like what a middle-schooler would think is inappropriate lyrical content laid over the most generic EDM beat. 21 Savage delivers an uninspired verse, which perfectly matches the tone of the album. With the assistance of Kim Petras, Perry makes “GORGEOUS” yet another generic EDM pop track aiming to drive in the theme of female empowerment with an undertone of promiscuity, an utter misuse of Petras’ signature vulgar hyperpop. Halfway through the album, Perry provides the most personal song on the album thus far, “LIFETIMES,” a proclamation of love to her daughter. Ironically, the first track with real purpose is the one that has the least to say, with Perry delivering variations of the phrase “I’ll love you for life” throughout the entire duration. The song is essentially a very long chorus over what is vaguely a house beat. Perhaps the decision to pair with Dr. Luke for 10 out of 11 of the album tracks wasn’t the smartest from Perry, and not just because of his negative optics. The album never leaves the EDM soundscape, every track sounding like it could’ve been released 10 years ago. However, it’s not just Luke’s missteps as a producer that failed this album. Perry herself sounds uninterested and unhappy in a majority of the tracks. Nearly everything about the record feels uninspired and phoned-in. “143” feels like a record made by a popstar trying to revitalize her dying career by trying to emulate the glory days, and perhaps it would have been successful had she delivered it with the ambition and joy that gave her music its charm. It seems that Perry has landed back where she started, a plastic bag drifting through the wind, wanting to start again. Rating: D- 182