Katy Perry continues to rule the Billboard Hot 100 with “Dark Horse,” so it kind of makes sense that in the brand-new video for the song, she’s taking on the role of Katy-Patra, blinged-out queen of “Memphis, Egypt.”
In fact, that role — just the latest on Katy’s ever-expanding CV — is about the only thing that makes sense in the “Dark Horse” clip, a delightfully delirious thing that makes its less-than-serious intentions clear from the opening title card (which states that this story takes place “a crazy long time ago”) and doesn’t let up from there.
Queen Katy is being courted by an array of suitors — a beefy guy attempts to win her heart with an oversized diamond, another comes bearing the gift of Hot Cheetos — each of whom she summarily turns into glittery dust thanks to her special pyramid powers (or something). Then, her super-cute dog pal Jiff the Pomeranian shows up to prance down the carpet. Juicy J drops his verse from a sarcophagus. Katy breaks into all sorts of Egyptian-inspired dance routines, and at the end of the clip, she transforms into a winged scarab (or maybe the Journey logo) while standing atop a gold-plated pyramid.
Like her recent performance of the song at the BRITs, the “Dark Horse” video will no doubt give Egyptologists fits. But, unlike, say, the , it’s not like Katy was going for accuracy here … instead, working with director Matthew Cullen (who helmed her clip), she’s created another candy-colored pop spectacle, one that’s over-the-top in all the right ways, sublimely silly and never serious.
In short, it’s exactly the kind of video Katy was born to make (she’s clearly having a #covermoment). Leave the art-school dramatics — and literary references — to the likes of Lorde; Katy’s content to rule over this pop parcel. She may not be a just Queen (the Hot Cheetos guy deserved better) but she’s a damn good one … pay homage, or pay the price. This Jewel of the Nile is worth it.
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