All Fairytales Must Come to an End

### Producer

Katy Perry (also exec) • Max Martin • Shellback • Cirkut • Pharrell Williams • Sandy Vee • Dr. Luke • Glen Ballard • Greg Kurstin • Stargate • Greg Wells • Calvin Harris • Diane Warren • Scott Storch • Adam Levine • Alan Menken

## Singles from All Fairytales Must Come to an End

1. "So Hot!"
Released: November 12, 2021

***All Fairytales Must Come to an End*** is the second compilation album released by American singer and legacy artist Katy Perry. It was released on November 12, 2021, as Perry's final album. Announced on November 8, 2021, *Fairytales* would feature all 30 of Perry's past single releases, and six new songs including the lead single for the album "So Hot!". Fairytales would top the Billboard Top Albums Chart on November 14, 2021, becoming her 10th number-one album.

## Background

In the Summer of 2021, Katy Perry was lamenting her career, unsure what to do next. She had considered multiple options - including diversifying her soundtracks using non-Disney music or releasing another Christmas album with songs from musicals to celebrate the holidays. A pop album never crossed Perry's mind, and it would be fair to say that her interest in releasing pop music had now declined. Realising that the flair was long gone, Perry decided that she would retire from music altogether, but not before one last hurrah.

## Writing and Recording

The writing process for the album would take place in July 2021. Five new songs were conceived for the record; the lead single "So Hot!" (featuring Lady Gaga, Marina and Troye Sivan), "Sparkling", "Nothing Comes Close", "On the Stereo" and "Don't Ever Look Back". In addition, a cover of "Space Between" from the second *Descendants* soundtrack would make the cut, as a duet with best friend Perrie Edwards.

The compilation would also feature all thirty of Perry's past singles, released with lead credit. Perry would invite every single producer from these tracks back to produce or co-produce one of the six new songs. Producer Dr. Luke and singer Adam Levine were excluded from this invitation, as Perry stated she would not work with either of these men again. The original singles were left untouched.

## Musical Style and Themes

As Perry is known for her unashamedly pop albums throughout her career, Fairytales *celebrates* this as an exclusively pop record. Some tracks on the record take inspiration and influence from dance and rock music.

### Songs

* Candy Love
* Ew.
* Angel
* Poison
* Dark Vixen
* Purrfection
* Lion's Den
* White Flower
* Waterfall
* Wildflower
* Kiss Me (More)
* Firework
* Defying Gravity
* Wrapped Up
* Red and Green
* Brokenhearted
* Rebelle Femme
* All Night Long
* Black Magic
* Twilight
* Wasted
* If They Only Knew
* Home
* You Can't Sit With Us
* Bad For Us
* VH1
* Love Comes
* A Whole New World
* Can You Feel the Love Tonight
* Part of Your World
1/30
Fairytales consists of six new songs, in addition to the previous thirty singles released by Perry throughout her career. The lead single "So Hot!", featuring Lady Gaga, Marina and Troye Sivan, is a grandstanding and boisterous track about being popular, bragging that the original legends will always be more relevant and revered than any who come after. "Sparkling", a midtempo pop song, is a charming song about a love so pure that it sparkles and shines - making the listener feel as if they're relaxing with a glass of sparkling wine. The third new song "Nothing Comes Close" closes out the first disc as a slow and sombre song track channeling the hurt and feelings of being haunted by a former lover, and how no new relationship will ever fill that void.

The second disc begins with "On the Stereo" - an upbeat and energetic number about listening to your favorite songs over the stereo and how nothing else can bring you down. "Space Between", a cover from the *Descendants 2* soundtrack and a duet with Perrie Edwards, is a mid-tempo piano ballad about always being there for your best friend regardless of any form of physical distance. The final new song on the record is "Don't Ever Look Back" - a rock-influenced track and a nod to Perry's career beginnings about never looking back in regret.

*The True Ending* would be released on November 19, 2021 featuring re-recorded versions of all 36 songs from the original records. These versions would be re-recorded as solo songs, produced by Alan Menken. Each of these songs would be remastered into more of a showtune style of music, as if they were from a dazzling Disney movie.

## Title and Artwork

The album title for *Fairytales* is a direct reference to the 14th century proverb "all good things must come to an end". This title was chosen to reflect the end of Perry's musical career, which she sees as a fairytale - tying in with her many fairytale soundtracks. The album artwork showcases Perry fading away, while clenching onto a popular fairytale *The Ugly Duckling*.

## Release and Promotion

*Fairytales* was released on November 12, 2021, through Capitol Records. On November 8, 2021, Perry announced the record on her Tootland account, revealing the title, cover and release date in multiple consecutive toots. She would then reveal the tracklisting for the album song-by-song in subsequent toots later in the afternoon. The album would be simultaneously available for digital download, streaming and physical purchases.

On November 15, 2021, Perry would announce *The True Ending* as a re-issue of *Fairytales*, to be released on November 19, 2021. This version of the record would retain the 36 songs from the original and the double disc format, but would consist of a showtune style of music, with each song being re-recorded as a solo version produced by Alan Menken.

### Singles

The album was announced after the announcement of lead single "So Hot!". "So Hot!", a collaboration with Lady Gaga, Marina and Troye Sivan, would be released alongside the album to further promote the record, as Perry's final single.

## Critical Reception

Upon release of the album, *Fairytales* was met with praise from the general public and critics alike. As *Fairytales* was a compilation album, it would be unable to be rated by Metacritic.

## Commercial Performance

*Fairytales* debuted at number-one on the November 14, 2021 issue of the Billboard Top Albums Chart, becoming Perry's 10th number-one album. It would receive both a silver and gold certification the following week, on November 21, 2021. On December 5, 2021, *Fairytales* would be certified platinum. *Fairytales* was the 22nd best-performing album of 2021.

## Track Listing

***All Fairytales Must Come to an End*** - Standard Edition (Disc One)

***All Fairytales Must Come to an End*** - Standard Edition (Disc Two)

***All Fairytales Must Come to an End: The True Ending*** (Disc One)

***All Fairytales Must Come to an End: The True Ending*** (Disc Two)