Will Katy Perry’s “Wide Awake” Be 2012’s Song Of The Summer?

Robbie Daw | June 27, 2012 10:04 am

When most artists reach the eighth (!!!) and final single from a crazy-successful album cycle, you’d think they’d be at home, fanning themselves with $100 bills while lounging in a hammock and having their assistant pour copious glasses of spiked lemonade into a golden goblet. But not Katy Perry. Just last night, the purple-haired chart dominatrix was working it on stage in the middle of Hollywood Blvd. for Jimmy Kimmel Live, performing her latest and last Teenage Dream (er, make that Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection) offering, “Wide Awake”.

That pavement-hitting ethic has paid off handsomely for Perry: of her seven previous singles, six of them have topped the Hot 100. And “Wide Awake”, currently sitting pretty at #4 on the chart, and at #2 on iTunes, is on its way up as well. Will the synthy, uplifting ballad also manage to clinch becoming the Song Of The Summer this year? Katy faces some tough competition from the likes of Carly Rae Jepsen and Justin Bieber. Let’s take a closer look at “Wide Awake” below!

As evidenced by the song’s music video (watch it above),  Katy Perry’s life hasn’t exactly been a fairy tale over the past two years. She’s noted that her upcoming 3D documentary Part Of Me will reflect both her highs and lows, and, lyrically, “Wide Awake” seems to tie into that notion by conveying her emotions regarding her failed marriage to British comedian Russell Brand.

Perry noted the following on The Ellen DeGeneres Show last month:

“I think sometimes people think [celebrities are] perfect. And we know we’re not perfect at all. I think it’s important to start breaking down the idea that to achieve your dream you have to always be perfect or flawless or live in some kind of fantasy world. So that’s why I decided to put everything in the film, in the most tasteful way.”

Katy is certainly no stranger to nailing a Song Of The Summer smash. In 2008, she achieved that feat with her Sapphic debut single “I Kissed A Girl”, then did it all over again in 2010 with West Coast-themed party fave “California Gurls”.

“Wide Awake”, like the two above-mentioned pop gems, was co-written by Perry, Dr. Luke and Max Martin, along with Henry Walter and Bonnie McKee — the singer’s dream team, if you will. (Luke co-produced the track along with Cirkut.) It was one of three new songs (including previous #1 hit “Part Of Me”) to be tacked onto the Complete Confection re-release of Teenage Dream in March.

True, “Wide Awake” does fall into the ballad category, and Songs Of The Summer tend to be light-hearted, upbeat jams. (Think the Black Eyed Peas‘ “I Gotta Feeling” or Maroon 5‘s “Moves Like Jagger”.) But we feel that the tune, with its universally-relatable lyrics like “not losing any sleep, I picked up every piece and landed on my feet,” makes for a compelling contender.

Do you think Katy’s “Wide Awake” will rise and shine its way to 2012′s Song of the Summer? Tell us in the comments below, or on Facebook and Twitter.