Katy Perry has criticized the White House after her song “Firework” was used in a TikTok video showing US military strikes on Iran, according to NME. The post, shared through the official White House account, included the caption: “Iran has been warned.”
In a statement on X on July 25, Perry said she was never asked for permission and did not approve the use of her music. She said she was “deeply appalled and angry” to see the song used as a backing track for footage of military strikes.
Perry said she wrote “Firework” as an anthem of hope, healing and inner strength for people facing hard personal moments. She added that turning a song about self-worth and uplift into a soundtrack for destruction and violence was a “complete violation” of what it stands for.
The singer also said her music is meant to bring people together, not celebrate warfare. NME notes that “Firework” was originally released on her album “Teenage Dream” and became one of her biggest hits, reaching No. 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100.
Perry is the latest artist to object to the Trump administration using music in government social media posts. NME says other musicians, including Ariana Grande, Kesha, Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo, have also criticized similar uses of their songs.
