Katy Perry has dropped a third track from her upcoming album Witness, and it sounds a bit like fighting words. Perry was recently asked by Entertainment Weekly if fans could expect a rebuttal to Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood,†widely considered to be a diss track targeting Perry, but the new ambassador of “purposeful pop†said, “There is no one thing that’s calling out any one person.†But Perry also starts her new song “Swish Swish†by saying “Don’t you come for me,†which is also something she said in her EW interview, cautioning all those who would put her in their crosshairs not to “mistake kindness for weakness.â€
Other lyrics include Perry telling the song’s hypothetical target, “You’re calculated, I got your number,†“your game is tired, you should retire, you’re ‘bout as cute as an old coupon. Expired. And karma’s not a liar, she keeps receipts.†Indeed, while there is no official video yet for “Swish Swishâ€, the YouTube clip does come with an animation of a hand, presumably Perry’s, holding receipts from a place called “Karma Coffee & Tea.†Nicki Minaj, who’s also had a dust-up with Swift in the past, is featured on the track, and sings at one point, “Don’t be trying to double back, I already despise you. All that fake love you showing couldn’t even disguise you.â€
One known Taylor associate has already weighed in on “Swish Swish.†While Swift’s name isn’t brought up, Ruby Rose, who loves to publicly defend her friend, posted some sass on Twitter today calling Perry’s new song “a mess.â€
So, three years after Taylor Swift released “Bad Blood,†the pop wars live on. Probably. Maybe Taylor will get around to firing back in 2020.