Katy Perry talks about new album 'Smile'

A decade ago, Katy Perry could sing the alphabet and top the music charts. But as the saying goes, when one is on top, the only way to go is down. That was part of Perry's experience roughly three years ago when she released 'Witness', which had some success but did not dominate the charts like she is used to doing.

"For me in 2017 and 2018, I went through a reckoning of self and really re-prioritised what was important and my association with validation, or my relationship with validation. There was just a shift that happened in my life and my career," said Perry.

The singer continued, "I definitely had to go on a real emotional, psychological and spiritual journey during those years to find my smile, because I lost it. That is why the record is called 'Smile'."

'Smile', her fifth major-label album, will be released on August 29 and at a time that the 35-year-old, who is engaged to actor Orlando Bloom and close to giving birth to a baby girl, has been thinking about life differently.

"'Smile' is a record full of hopefulness and resilience and a little bit of joy and some fun. I think that it is always a good time to have a little hope injected, especially these days. This record is really talking about my own experience in walking through hell and finding the light and coming out of that. So if anyone else is having that same journey and can be inspired by the positivity and the hope inside of it, then I'm happy for it," said Katy.

The pop star added, "I mean, like, I am not invincible. I am not perfect. I have fallen flat on my face so many different times and learned from that growth and have been living in the public, in the spotlight for over 12 years and have had moments that were really intense. For me, I do not necessarily like to avoid or ignore. I just like to come to terms."