'Unconditionally': Watch Katy Perry's gloriously nonsensical new music video
Now's your chance to see a flaming bed, an owl, and a flower-covered car all in one place


The music video for Katy Perry's "Roar" mostly relied on the complex metaphorical power of roaring animals. But for her new music video for "Unconditionally" — another cut from her latest album, Prism — Perry went a little more abstract. The video's diverse array of imagery ranges from a flaming bed to a crashed car covered in flowers to an owl, which takes off from a perch on Perry's arm.
In an interview with MTV News, Perry tried to explain the concept behind the "Unconditionally" video. It's "kind of inspired by a couple different movies, like Dangerous Liaisons and Anna Karenina," says Perry. "It doesn't have a complete narrative. I do that all the time: I usually have quite a big storyline, and you see the beginning and the ending. This time, I wanted to give a lot of gorgeous, beautiful looks — which I don't typically go for — and then some heavy metaphors. Like, the scene where I'm being hit by a car is kind of representational of when love hits you. You feel like you've been hit by a car."
Unfortunately, Perry did not explain the owl, so let's just assume it's about her love flying away from her, or whatever.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.
-
Trump uses tariffs to upend Brazil's domestic politics
IN THE SPOTLIGHT By slapping a 50% tariff on Brazil for its criminal investigation into Bolsonaro, the Trump administration is brazenly putting its fingers on the scales of a key foreign election
-
3 questions to ask when deciding whether to repair or replace your broken appliance
the explainer There may be merit to fixing what you already have, but sometimes buying new is even more cost-effective
-
'Trump's authoritarian manipulation of language'
Instant Opinion Vienna has become a 'convenient target for populists' | Opinion, comment and editorials of the day