AFL GF entertainment: Fireworks as Katy Perry makes MCG roar ...

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US pop star Katy Perry has headlined the pre-game entertainment at the MCG before the 2024 AFL Grand Final in rather spectacular fashion, bringing out the hits.

The singer behind hits including ‘Roar’, ‘Teenage Dream’, ‘Firework’ and ‘Dark Horse’ returned to the ground after featuring at the final of the 2020 ICC T20 Women’s World Cup.

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The performance began with computer-generated helicopter graphics as Perry yelled seemingly in a British accent “where’s all my Swans at?!” and “where’s all my Lions at?!”

Standing on a chrome-plated computer mouse/vacuum/umpire’s whistle and wearing Tron glasses, she began with Roar - oh no, such bias towards Brisbane!

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Then came Dark Horse - though she didn’t give a surprise Norm Smith Medal tip along with it, disappointingly.

It was followed by one of the new songs nobody likes. It’s apparently called Gorgeous - which isn’t even the single, great sign there. Good thing Andrew Dillon ensured she was only allowed to do one before going back to the old gear.

Safe to say there was a bit more of a reaction to California Gurls though it must be noted ‘West Coast represent’ was a very inaccurate lyric given their poor season.

Teenage Dream followed from the 39-year-old. Hey, at least she’s doing the ones we know.

As predicted, Tina Arena joined Perry on stage, seemingly wrapped in aluminium foil.

The pair then did a bit of a dance remix of Chains - which came out 30 years ago, by the way. That’ll make you feel old.

But wait, then came a second new song! Andrew Dillon was misled! It was Lifetimes which is actually kinda not bad.

Nick Daicos would’ve been thrilled as his old friend the plastic bag got a run in Firework to cap off the set.

And hey, it was exactly what we expected - a professional 20 minutes from a total pop pro, with plenty of hits that casual fans would know. Can’t complain too much.

Gerard Whateley, apparently a massive fan of 2010s bubblegum pop, proclaimed on SEN: “That is a spectacle like the day has never seen before. It get bigger and bigger every year.”

Though if even Mr Grump Jeff Kennett enjoyed it, it must’ve been good.

WHY WAS THERE CONTROVERSY ABOUT KATY PERRY AT THE GRAND FINAL?

The AFL and Katy Perry were at odds over which songs she would perform.

Perry reportedly wanted to sing two tracks from her controversial new album 143.

There was a brief non-controversy over whether Perry would perform Roar given the Brisbane Lions are playing in the game.

Katy Perry is being paid an estimated $5 million to perform at the Grand Final.

She was supported by Aussie artists including singer/swimmer Cody Simpson (national anthem), mother-daughter pair, Christine Anu and Zipporah Corser-Anu, and of course Mike Brady who performed during the AFL retiring players motorcade ceremony.

Katy Perry has been criticised for working with producer Dr Luke on her new album 143.

The eight-time Grammy-nominated songwriter, born Łukasz Sebastian Gottwald, was involved in a lengthy legal battle with the artist Kesha.

He denied the allegations of sexual, physical and verbal abuse during their decade working together and countersued. The two parties settled in 2023.

The album 143 also underperformed on music charts, with the single Woman’s World peaking at No.63 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and debuting at No.17 on the Australian AirCheck chart.

It received mostly mixed and negative reviews from music critics with some confused about the song’s feminist messaging given the involvement of Dr Luke.