New Katy Perry single "Electric" has been released in collaboration with Pokémon for its 25th anniversary, and the song's music video stars both the pop icon and franchise mascot Pikachu. The quarter-century celebration of Pokémon isn't even quite half-over, but The Pokémon Company is already pulling out all the stops.
Since the series' launch in February 1996, Pokémon has become one of the most recognizable franchises in the world. It's become near-ubiquitous, with products far beyond the popular games and anime making it a lucrative license that's widely sought after. It's phenomenal status continues to extend to pop culture, as Pikachu has been in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade since 2001 and the Detective Pikachu film adaptation made almost half-a-billion dollars in 2019. As for the music industry, several Pokémon albums have been released over the years, typically soundtracks for the games and movies. Earlier in 2021, Post Malone hosted a virtual Pokémon Day concert to debut "Only Wanna Be With You," one of several musical collaborations planned and released so far for Pokémon's 25th birthday.
The music video for "Electric" released on Katy Perry's YouTube channel, featuring the popstar, Pikachu, and Pichu. During the video, Pikachu and Perry spy on a younger version of herself and Pichu (Pikachu's adorable devolution), subtly encouraging them to pursue music. The video was shot in Hawaii and was directed by Carlos Lopez Estrada. The song is already proving to be a success, racking up over a million views in a little over 10 hours. At publication time, it sits at #8 on YouTube's trending page.
Limited-edition merchandise was also released to coincide with the single. The merchandise includes a unique design featuring Pikachu and Katy Perry's name. The design is available on a t-shirt, hoodie, and tote bag. The song will be released on Pokémon 25: The Album, set to come out this fall. Additional music, similar to Post Malone's track, will be unveiled throughout the year. Those who want a physical copy of "Electric" now can purchase it from the site.
Collaborations such as this one prove just how influential and popular the Pokémon franchise remains over two decades on. Few other games have had such high-profile artists record and release music specifically tied to the franchise. The next known collaboration is with reggaetón singer J Balvin. Pokémon superfans are no doubt excited to see what other announcements and collaborations are on the horizon, as the possibilities may seem endless following the Pokémon Day announcement of Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl.
Source: Katy Perry