Katy Perry condemns use of her song in military video
What's the story
Katy Perry has slammed the White House for using her 2010 hit song "Firework" in a TikTok video showing military strikes. The singer said she neither approved nor condoned the use of her music in this context. The official White House TikTok account had shared a video with footage of military strikes, syncing the song's lyrics "boom, boom, boom" with bomb explosions and captioning it "Iran has been warned."
Artist's response
Perry was 'deeply appalled and angry'
Perry took to X to condemn the use of her song in the video. She said it didn't reflect the meaning or values she intended for "Firework."
"I am deeply appalled and angry to see 'Firework' used on the @WhiteHouse TikTok account as a backing track for video footage of military strikes," she wrote.
"I did not approve this, I was not asked, and I absolutely do not condone it."
Clarification
'My music is for bringing people together'
Perry further clarified that she wrote "Firework" as an anthem of hope, healing, and inner strength for people going through their darkest personal moments.
She was dismayed to see a message of self-worth and upliftment being weaponized to soundtrack destruction and violence.
"My music is for bringing people together, not celebrating warfare," she concluded in her statement on X.
Ongoing issue
Tension between White House and musicians over song usage
The incident comes as part of a wider trend of tension between the White House and musicians over the use of popular songs in official social media content.
The latest video has drawn particular attention due to its stark contrast with the meaning associated with "Firework."
Other high-profile musicians, including Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter, have also criticized the White House for using their music in social media posts.
Twitter Post
'I did not approve this'
I am deeply appalled and angry to see “Firework” used on the @WhiteHouse TikTok account as a backing track for video footage of military strikes. I did not approve this, I was not asked, and I absolutely do not condone it.
— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) July 25, 2026
I wrote this song to be an anthem of hope, healing, and…