Pop star Katy Perry’s recent participation in Blue Origin’s all-female spaceflight has sparked significant controversy, leading her to express specific regrets about the mission’s public reception. While she does not regret the experience of going to space itself, Perry reportedly regrets the “public spectacle” that ensued, feeling disheartened by the backlash and the unintended consequences of her actions. Financial TimesInternational Business Times UK+3The Independent+3GB News+3
On April 14, Perry joined five other women—journalist Gayle King, philanthropist Lauren Sánchez, former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics research scientist Amanda Nguyen, and film producer Kerianne Flynn—on Blue Origin’s New Shepard mission. The flight, which lasted approximately 11 minutes, was celebrated as a historic all-female mission. SoapCentral+8MEAWW News+8UNILAD+8UNILAD+3The Economic Times+3ABC News+3
However, the mission quickly drew criticism from various quarters. Public figures like Olivia Munn, Joe Rogan, Amy Schumer, and Emily Ratajkowski labeled the flight as elitist and out of touch, questioning its relevance amid global challenges. Additionally, Perry faced scrutiny for her actions during and after the flight, including promoting her tour in zero-gravity and kissing the ground upon landing. Page Six+8Financial Times+8The Daily Beast+8SoapCentral+4The Daily Beast+4New York Post+4
An insider revealed that Perry found the experience transformative but regretted the spectacle it became. She was particularly affected by the negative attention surrounding her decision to bring a daisy—a tribute to her daughter Daisy Dove Bloom—into space, as well as the public debut of her daughter during the launch event. The Daily Beast+1GB News+1International Business Times UK+1New York Post+1
Despite the criticism, Perry addressed the backlash during the opening night of her “Lifetimes” tour in Mexico City. Embracing a space-themed performance, she questioned the negativity surrounding ambitious dreams, asking the audience, “Has anyone ever called your dreams crazy?” New York Post+3The Daily Beast+3Page Six+3Page Six+1The Daily Beast+1
The incident has also highlighted broader issues of online misogyny. Commentators have noted that the backlash against Perry’s spaceflight reflects a wider trend of intensified scrutiny and harassment of women, especially in media and social platforms. The Economic Times+4news+4Yahoo+4
In summary, while Katy Perry remains proud of her participation in the historic all-female spaceflight, she regrets the public spectacle it became and the subsequent backlash. The experience has underscored the challenges faced by women in the public eye and the complexities of navigating high-profile endeavors in the age of social media
