What Makes a Woman by Katy Perry Lyrics Meaning – Decoding the Anthem of Femininity

Lyrics

Is it the way I talk sweet?
The way my skin is soft?
Or how I can be a bitch?
Make you keep your fingers crossed?
Is it the way that I praise you?
The way that I please you?
Or how fast I change my mind
And get scared that I might leave you?

Could spend your whole life, but you couldn’t
Describe what makes a woman
She’s always been a perfect mystery
Could spend your whole life, but you couldn’t
Describe what makes a woman
And that’s what makes a woman to me

Is it the way I cut my hair
And put no makeup on?
I feel most beautiful
Doing what the fuck I want
Is it that my intuition
Is never really off?
I need tissues for my issues
And Band-Aids for my heart

Could spend your whole life, but you couldn’t
Describe what makes a woman
She’s always been a perfect mystery
Could spend your whole life, but you couldn’t
Describe what makes a woman
And that’s what makes a woman to me

That’s what makes a woman to me
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah

Is it the way we keep
The whole world turning
In a pair of heels?
Yeah, that’s what makes a woman

There it is, Katheryn

Katy Perry has been a torchbearer for anthemic pop songs that often hide a deeper meaning beneath their catchy melodies. Her song ‘What Makes a Woman,’ from the album ‘Smile,’ provides a canvas where she paints the complexity, beauty, and indescribable essence of womanhood. Through a blend of candid lyrics and introspective questions, Perry elicits a conversation around the female identity that defies a one-size-fits-all answer.

The song arrives at a time when discussions around gender roles and expectations are at the forefront of cultural conversation, making it particularly resonant. In unravelling the enigma that ‘What Makes a Woman’ represents, listeners are invited to appreciate the multidimensional nature of women, something often glossed over in popular media. Let’s delve into the layers of Perry’s message and uncover the gems hidden within her lyrics.

The Enigma Wrapped in a Melody: Deciphering the Mystique of Womanhood

Perry begins ‘What Makes a Woman’ with questions steeped in gender norms, subtly challenging the listener to reconsider their perceptions of femininity. As she entwines characteristics that are often used to define women, ranging from softness to assertiveness, the songstress underscores the contradictory expectations society imposes. Every lyric serves as a reminder that these qualities cannot encapsulate the breadth of the female experience.

It’s this complexity that Perry deems a ‘perfect mystery,’ a phrase that reverberates throughout the chorus as a celebration of the indefinable nature of women. The acknowledgment that spending a lifetime trying to define ‘what makes a woman’ would be futile, is a powerful statement of acceptance that every woman’s essence is to be felt, not explained.

Defiant Beauty: The Empowerment in Unapologetic Self-Expression

In sweeping away the facade that often surrounds discussions of beauty, Perry addresses how societal standards can cloud personal empowerment. Lyrics that reflect on cutting hair or shunning makeup are not simply personal choices, they’re declarations of liberation from the gaze that tries to conform the female image.

The song embraces feeling beautiful doing ‘what the fuck I want,’ a bold proclamation of autonomy that resonates with anyone who has ever felt the pressure to adhere to a certain aesthetic to be valued. This rebellion against the expected is a reclaiming of control, demolishing the concept that a woman’s appearance is an open forum for critique.

Intuition as Power: Celebrating the Internal Compass

Beyond the skin-deep, ‘What Makes a Woman’ traverses into the psychic realm where intuition resides. Perry sings of an intuition that is ‘never really off,’ positioning this inner voice as a strength inherent to the feminine experience. It’s a subtle nod to the instinctual force often revered and feared throughout history.

There is also vulnerability here—a recognition of the ’tissues for my issues’—which speaks to the emotional literacy and resilience women cultivate. It’s a connection between emotion and intuition, framing both as sources of power rather than weakness.

The Heart’s Band-Aid: The Resilience and Healing of Womanhood

Katy Perry doesn’t shy away from the scars that come with the terrain of emotions. Talking about ‘Band-Aids for my heart’ might read as a throwaway pop line, but it encapsulates the often-overlooked strength that comes from healing and moving forward, a strength frequently exercised by women while navigating life’s trials.

This lyric, in particular, works as a metaphor for the larger theme of the song: the concealed toughness that forms the subtext of the ‘woman’ concept. It’s a reminder that part of what makes a woman is her silent fortitude, her unwitnessed mending of wounds, both literal and figurative.

Heels Turning the World: The Hidden Meaning Behind Everyday Power

Perhaps one of the most striking images in the song is the juxtaposition of the mundane (‘a pair of heels’) with the profound (‘the whole world turning’). In Perry’s view, womanhood is not confined to grandiose acts but is equally present in the quiet endurance and perseverance found in daily life. It’s a testament to the unheralded role women play in sustaining the rhythms of existence.

These lines can also be seen as a nod to the duality of strength and vulnerability, comfort and pain that often comes with the feminine experience. By choosing a symbol as omnipresent as heels, Perry encapsulates the idea that the contribution of women is as fundamental as it is unnoticed.