Wide Awake Deconstructed

It’s a rare occurrence when a song comes along that is equally strong on all fronts. Katy Perry’s Wide Awake is one of those rare songs.

Crafted by an all-star team of hitmakers including Bonnie McKee, Dr. Luke, Cirkut, Max Martin and of course Katy Perry, Wide Awake combines ultra-infectious, memorable melodies, emotionally charged/imagery laden lyrics and an outstanding vocal performance to provide Perry’s audience with an evocative listening experience that connects on a deep level.

Just a few of the many factors that made Wide Awake a global #1 hit include:

Abundant Emotion
The core factor that makes Wide Awake so effective is the abundant use of emotion in all aspects of the song. It defines every section via the lyrics, progressions, nature of the instrumentation and most of all in Perry’s vocal delivery.

Strong, Engaging Lyrics
The mark of a great lyricist is to use few words to convey many, all the while utilizing copious amounts of imagery, action and emotion to engage the listener with the goal of holding their attention from one section to the next. Combine that with an effective title that occurs in numerous sections throughout the song (EXCEPT in the chorus –which is an anomaly in hit Pop songwriting) and you’ve got Wide Awake.

There’s No “Filler”
Each section of the song is equally infectious, engaging and memorable as the next, accentuated by ample use of repetition coupled with the K.I.S.S. principal.