Katy Perry made a political statement with her performance at the 59th Grammy Awards, wearing a pantsuit and ending standing in front of the U.S. Constitution.
Perry appeared on stage dressed in a white pants suit, losing her gold-and-fur dress from her appearance on the red carpet. She also wore a silver arm band with the word “Persist” printed on it.
The arm band itself was a nod to the nationwide reaction to Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s statement about Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s last week during the Senate confirmation hearings of Attorney General Jeff Sessions. McConnell led a vote to censure Warren as she was reading a letter written by Coretta Scott King in 1986, objecting to Sessions’ nomination to become a federal judge.
“She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted,” McConnell wrote.
The statement, and specifically the phrase “Nevertheless, she persisted,” became a rallying cry for feminists resisting Donald Trump’s agenda.
Perry also has a long history as a Hillary Clinton supporter. Ahead of the election, Perry headlined a free concert supporting Clinton’s bid for the presidency. On stage, she wore a blue cape that read, “I am with Madame President.”
Clinton, in turn, surprised Perry at UNICEF’s 12th annual Snowflake Ball, where Perry was being honored.
The performance was of her new track “Chained to the Rhythm” featuring Skip Marley, who was also on stage alongside Perry, ended with the pair standing in front of a huge screen. The opening words of the U.S. Constitution were projected behind them. As the song ended, Perry shouted the words “No hate” as her final statement.
With Trump’s recent executive action banning travelers from seven majority Muslim Middle Eastern countries losing a court battle in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, it was obvious the performance was meant to make a statement in opposition to Trump’s recent actions.