Katy Perry is under an environmental investigation over her “Lifetimes†music video, adding to the mess of her 143 rollout. But her team said they got permission to shoot on protected dunes.
Sexy, confident … ecological contaminant?
August 13: Safe to say Katy Perry’s 143 rollout hasn’t been quite the post-Idol comeback she was hoping for. Before she ever released a song, fans criticized her for returning to producer Dr. Luke, whom Kesha once accused of abuse. Her first single, “Woman’s World,†was an immediate flop, panned by critics and missing the Top 40 entirely. And oh, yeah — now she’s under an environmental investigation, too. The environmental department of the Balearic Islands in Spain said Perry did not get permission for one of the beach scenes in her new “Lifetimes†music video, per Billboard. (Yeah, the one that was supposed to make us forget the mess of “Woman’s World.â€) The scene in question was filmed in the dunes of S’Espalmador, a protected area of the islands that is roped off. The department said the video is not “a crime against the environment†because filming is allowed with permission but that Perry and her team infringed on the area. In other words, it may be a woman’s world, but that doesn’t mean you can shoot your music video just anywhere in it.
Cleaning up the narrative
August 15: Okay, maybe this isn’t so messy. Katy Perry’s team now said they got permission to shoot her “Lifetimes†video on protected dunes in Spain. “The local video production company assured us that all necessary permits for the video were secured,†a rep for Capitol Records told Rolling Stone. “We have since learned that one permit was in process, although we were given verbal authority to go ahead.†According to the rep, the crew applied for a permit to shoot on the Balearic Islands’ dunes of S’Espalmador on July 22 and got the verbal go-ahead on July 26 for a shoot on July 27. “We adhered to all regulations associated with filming in this area and have the utmost respect for this location and the officials tasked with protecting it,†the rep added. Doesn’t lessen the damage of the rest of the rollout, though.