Katy Perry’s Lifetimes Tour: A Futuristic Flop Fueled By AI Gimmicks

Katy Perry’s Lifetimes tour, which kicked off in Mexico City on April 23, 2025, set out to push the boundaries of modern concert production. Unfortunately, what should have been an evolution of her pop spectacle feels more like a failed attempt to stay relevant in a world dominated by artificial intelligence. Instead of delivering a bold leap into futuristic creativity, the show unfolds as a hollow, tech-heavy disaster that fails to deliver on both the emotional and artistic fronts.

A Hollow Technological Gimmick

The most striking feature of the Lifetimes tour is the overwhelming use of artificial intelligence and digital technology, but here’s the problem: technology alone does not make for a good show—and there were signs that Perry’s tour would struggle before the half-vacant arenas lit up in dazzling techno colors. 

Perry’s latest album, 143, was already criticized for having Dr. Luke as its producer (the man who was accused of sexual assault by Kesha. He has since denied the claims). If that wasn’t a big enough warning, then the struggle to sell tickets ahead of the tour should have given Perry and her team at least some kind of inkling as to her current social standing.

An insider shared, "There were already concerns about poor ticket sales even before Blue Origin. They were pretty dismal. Katy truly believed her tour would take off like Taylor [Swift's 'Eras' tour]."

For proof, just google the remaining shows and check out the high availability of remaining tickets.

Perry, who once long ago dazzled with her quirky creativity and colorful performances, now seems content to hide behind a robotic mask and let CGI take the reins…and it feels lazy. The visuals, while certainly impressive in their own right, feel more like a distraction than an enhancement. Perry’s cybernetic, half-human, half-machine, and highly-sexualized character might have been a clever concept on paper, but in execution, it’s little more than a flashy gimmick to distract from the glaring lack of substance.

In a world where technology is evolving faster than ever, Perry’s attempt to jump on the AI bandwagon feels forced, shallow, and frankly, desperate. The constant reliance on high-tech projections and holograms feels like a crutch, one that Perry leans on to mask the lack of depth in both her performance and her choreography.

The Choreography: A Low-Point in Pop Performance

Speaking of choreography, it’s hard to ignore how weak the dance routines are in comparison to the extravagant visuals. Despite all the futuristic technology at her disposal, Perry’s movements feel stiff, unoriginal, and uninspired. Take for example the viral TikTok of her doing jumping jacks and then flashing her rear to the audience. The once-upbeat and fun performer now seems content to rely on the glitz and glam of digital effects rather than put in the effort to create a truly engaging performance.

One viewer commented, "How does she sell tickets. Anyone can do aerobics exercises on stage.”

We wish it ended there, but far from it. Another viral TikTok circulated where in the middle of singing “Thinking Of You,” Perry sang live before cutting herself off with criticism over the sound of her own voice.

Many in the audience were left wondering why, with all the resources at her disposal, Perry opted for what can only be described as middle-school musical-level choreography. The robotic dance moves seemed almost like a parody of the kind of energetic, boundary-pushing performances that made Perry a household name in the first place. Rather than elevating the show, the choreography made it feel cheap and awkward, as if the production was trying too hard to be something it wasn’t.

Her response? Oddly, “I’m on a human journey playing the game of life with an audience of many.”

Artificial Intelligence and a Lack of Soul

One of the most striking elements of the Lifetimes tour is how artificial intelligence is woven into the storyline, with Perry battling an AI villain. While the concept may have seemed cutting-edge in theory, it ends up feeling like an over-hyped metaphor for what’s happening on stage: a performer relying too heavily on technology to fill the emotional void in her performance.

The audience can’t help but feel like they’re watching a high-tech video game rather than a live concert, and that’s a problem. The entire experience is a stark contrast to Perry’s earlier work, which was known for its joy, playfulness, and emotional connection to her fans. Here, the music seems secondary to the flashing lights and 3D projections. Instead of an immersive experience (if that’s what they were even going for), it’s a jarring and disconcerting mess. 

Perry herself seems less like a performer and more like a vessel for the technological wizardry happening around her. In the end, the whole experience feels devoid of warmth or authenticity—a hollow spectacle for the sake of spectacle.

I’ll say it for the sake of everyone else suddenly feeling old: this isn’t music. It’s noise.

A Space Flight PR Stunt

To add fuel to the fire, Perry’s participation in the all-female Blue Origin space flight on April 14, 2025, only added to the growing sense that her career has become increasingly centered on gimmicks and self-promotion. The flight may have been marketed as "historic" in terms of women in space, but it's clear from the swift social media backlash that followed that it wasn't the groundbreaking moment they set out to create. Instead, it was clear to fans that it was no more than a shallow PR stunt tied into promoting her tour.

The timing of the flight, just days before the tour’s launch, couldn’t have been more calculated. Perry, who has spent years aligning herself with over-the-top marketing stunts, now appears to be using every opportunity—including a trip to space in the name of feminism—to boost her visibility, turning what should have been a monumental event into just another publicity tool. It’s hard to take seriously the notion that Perry’s involvement in the mission is anything more than a way to leverage her celebrity for a few extra headlines.

A Missed Opportunity

Ultimately, Lifetimes is a tour that proves bigger and flashier isn’t always better. Perry’s reliance on technology and AI has stripped away the very elements that made her popular in the first place—her charm, her personality, and her ability to connect with an audience. The show may be a visual feast, but it’s a soulless one. Instead of relying on her creative instincts and strong performance skills, she’s leaned too heavily on artificial elements to fill in the gaps.

In the end, the Lifetimes tour is a reminder that no amount of technology can replace the heart and soul of a live performance.