Walking on Air (Katy Perry song)
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"Walking on Air" is a song recorded by American singer Katy Perry for her fourth studio album, ''
Prism Prism usually refers to: * Prism (optics), a transparent optical component with flat surfaces that refract light * Prism (geometry), a kind of polyhedron Prism may also refer to: Science and mathematics * Prism (geology), a type of sedimentary ...
'' (2013), included as its fourth track. It was released to digital retailers on September 30, 2013, by Capitol Records, as the record's second
promotional single A promotional recording, or promo, or plug copy, is an audio or video recording distributed free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available. Promos are normally sent directly to broadcasters, such as ...
, following the release of " Dark Horse". The song was part of a poll promoted by
Pepsi Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by PepsiCo. Originally created and developed in 1893 by Caleb Bradham and introduced as Brad's Drink, it was renamed as Pepsi-Cola in 1898, and then shortened to Pepsi in 1961. History Pepsi wa ...
, along with "Dark Horse", where fans could vote for which song they wanted to become the first promotional single from ''Prism''. Inspired by
CeCe Peniston Cecilia Veronica "CeCe" Peniston (; born September 6, 1969) is an American singer and former beauty queen. In the early 1990s, she scored five number one hits on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Dance Music/Club Play. Her signature song " Finally" re ...
and Crystal Waters, "Walking on Air" is a deep house and disco song influenced by 1990s Eurodance. Music critics felt "Walking on Air" was a catchy track, but were ambivalent towards its musical composition. The track entered multiple charts, reaching the top 20 in Canada, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, and Spain as well as the top 30 in Belgium and France. Perry promoted "Walking on Air" with several live performances, including at the 2013 iTunes Festival and ''
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''.


Production and release

"Walking on Air" was produced and programmed by Swedish record producers
Klas Åhlund Klas Frans Åhlund (born 11 April 1972) is a Swedish songwriter, record producer, and guitarist. He is the founding member of the Swedish rock band Teddybears. As a songwriter and producer, he has worked with artists such as Robyn, Sugababes, J ...
and
Max Martin Karl Martin Sandberg (; born 26 February 1971),Max Martin
allmusic.com
known profess ...
. It was recorded and engineered at Apmamman and
MXM Studios Maratone is a music production company, and started by two music producers and songwriters, Max Martin and Tom Talomaa. Based in Stockholm, Sweden, it was started in January 2001 after the closing of Cheiron Studios. Maratone moved in at Cosmos S ...
, located in Stockholm, Sweden, and Conway Recording Studios in Hollywood. It was engineered by Michael Illbert, Peter Carlsson, and Sam Holland, and assisted by Cory Bice. Serban Ghenea later mixed the song at MixStar Studios, in
Virginia Beach, Virginia Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city ...
. Background vocals were provided by Sabina Ddumba and the Tensta Gospel Choir. In a press release on August 20, 2013, PepsiCo announced a partnership with Perry to promote her fourth studio album ''
Prism Prism usually refers to: * Prism (optics), a transparent optical component with flat surfaces that refract light * Prism (geometry), a kind of polyhedron Prism may also refer to: Science and mathematics * Prism (geology), a type of sedimentary ...
'': the company announced a social " tweet-to-unlock" voting program, where fans could unlock song titles and their respective lyrics, by tweeting the hashtag #KATYNOW. The chosen tracks for the campaign were "Walking on Air" and " Dark Horse". Once tweets voting for each song reached a certain number, their respective samples were unlocked and fans could start to vote for which one they wanted to have an early release on digital retailers. The winner was "Dark Horse", which was released on September 17, 2013 on the
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. However, after the release of the aforementioned song, the iTunes release of "Walking on Air" was announced, slated for September 30.


Music and lyrics

Composed in the key of
F♯ minor F-sharp minor is a minor scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has three sharps. Its relative major is A major and its parallel major is F-sharp major (or enharmonically G-flat major). T ...
, "Walking on Air" is a deep house and disco song set in a 4/4
time signature The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note va ...
at a moderately fast
tempo In musical terminology, tempo ( Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (ofte ...
of 128
beats per minute Beat, beats or beating may refer to: Common uses * Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area ** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols ** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men * Battery ...
. The melody spans the tonal range of E3 to E5, while the music follows the
chord progression In a musical composition, a chord progression or harmonic progression (informally chord changes, used as a plural) is a succession of chords. Chord progressions are the foundation of harmony in Western musical tradition from the common practice ...
of F♯m–E–C♯m–D. Throughout the song, various elements of 90s Eurodance and disco music can be heard. The track opens with Perry singing in her lower register over staccato synths until the song's "propulsive" beat begins. The singer has cited
CeCe Peniston Cecilia Veronica "CeCe" Peniston (; born September 6, 1969) is an American singer and former beauty queen. In the early 1990s, she scored five number one hits on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot Dance Music/Club Play. Her signature song " Finally" re ...
's "
Finally Finally may refer to: Albums * ''Finally'' (Namie Amuro album) (2017) * ''Finally'' (Blackstreet album) or its title song * ''Finally'' (Sean Ensign album) or its title song "It's My Life (Finally)" * ''Finally'' (Layzie Bone & A.K. album) ...
" and Crystal Waters' "
100% Pure Love "100% Pure Love" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Crystal Waters from her second studio album, '' Storyteller'' (1994). It was released on April 11, 1994, as the album's lead single. The song was a hit in many countries, reac ...
" as inspirations for the sound she was aiming for with this song. Perry's vocals near the end of "Walking on Air" were also compared to those of
Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera (; ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Known for her four-octave vocal range and ability to sustain high notes, she has been referred to as the " Voice of ...
. Written by Perry,
Klas Åhlund Klas Frans Åhlund (born 11 April 1972) is a Swedish songwriter, record producer, and guitarist. He is the founding member of the Swedish rock band Teddybears. As a songwriter and producer, he has worked with artists such as Robyn, Sugababes, J ...
,
Max Martin Karl Martin Sandberg (; born 26 February 1971),Max Martin
allmusic.com
known profess ...
, Adam Baptiste, and Caméla Leierth, "Walking on Air" discusses a love "so strong that even heaven is jealous". Gil Kaufman from MTV commented on the song's composition: "Between her wailing diva vocals, a gospel choir that kicks in during the final minute and the driving beat, Perry has captured a unique sound that both recalls the classic 1970s disco era as well as the EDM thump of today's clubs."
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writer Melinda Newman opined that the song was "redolent of '90s dance thumpers and is light as cotton candy and just as enjoyable", adding that it would "make you long for
C+C Music Factory C, or c, is the third letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''cee'' (pronounced ), plural ''cees''. History "C" ...
". The song was also described as evoking the music of Swedish singer
Robyn Robin Miriam Carlsson (born 12 June 1979), known as Robyn (), is a Swedish pop singer, songwriter, record producer, and DJ. She arrived on the music scene with her 1995 debut album, ''Robyn Is Here'', which produced two ''Billboard'' Hot 100 t ...
, an artist of whom Perry is a fan.


Critical reception

Sal Cinquemani from '' Slant Magazine'' was very positive of the song: he described it as "surprisingly soulful, throwback" to 1990s deep house, although he noted that Åhlund decided to give Perry a different sound from the Euro electro-pop he had produced for '' Body Talk'' (2010).
Greg Kot Greg Kot (born March 3, 1957) is an American music journalist and author. From 1990 until 2020, Kot was the rock music critic at the ''Chicago Tribune'', where he covered popular music and reported on music-related social, political and busines ...
from ''
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'' deemed the single a "catchy pop tune", while Randall Roberts from the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...
'' wrote that the song's "euphoria" was "infectious", and Rob Harvilla from '' Spin'' classified it as "delicious". Also, Elysa Gardner from ''
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'' recommended readers to download "Walking on Air". Other reviews were mixed. Writing for ''
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'', Alexis Petridis criticized ''Prism'' for not having anything "sonically adventurous", noting that the album mainly had 1990s pop-house in its songs, giving the example of the "jangling piano riff" present on "Walking on Air", but still found those melodies to be stronger than the ones found on Jessie J's second studio album ''
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'' (2013). In a mixed to positive review of the song, Will Hermes from ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' described the song as "frothy". Marah Eakin from ''
The A.V. Club ''The A.V. Club'' is an American online newspaper and entertainment website featuring reviews, interviews, and other articles that examine films, music, television, books, games, and other elements of pop-culture media. ''The A.V. Club'' was cre ...
'' commented that "when Perry does stretch ....she tends to falter", and mentioned "Walking on Air" and " Dark Horse" as examples.
Consequence of Sound ''Consequence'' (previously ''Consequence of Sound'') is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. In addition, the website also features the Festival Outlook ...
's Chris Bosman described the song as a "vanilla re-interpretation of
Hercules and Love Affair Hercules and Love Affair is a dance music project created by American DJ, singer, composer, musician and producer Andy Butler in 2004. Consisting of a rotating cast of performers and musicians, the band work within the genres of house music, dis ...
". Helen Brown from ''
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'' classified "Walking on Air" as a "forgettable bit of Nineties rave nostalgia", while James Reed from ''
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'' deemed it "buoyant", and
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music writer Mesfin Fekadu called it "irresistible". Kyle Anderson from ''
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'' described the track as a "
David Guetta Pierre David Guetta ( , ; born 7 November 1967) is a French DJ and music producer. He has over 10 million album and 65 million single sales globally, with more than 10 billion streams. In 2011, 2020 and 2021, Guetta was voted the number one D ...
-esque blast of dancefloor adrenaline". Sam Lansky from website
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wrote that the song was "pleasurable", while Trent Wolbe from ''
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'' said it was a "triumphant ode" to various artists from the 1990s.


Commercial performance

On the week ending October 7, 2013, "Walking on Air" debuted at number 12 on the
New Zealand Singles Chart The Official New Zealand Music Chart ( mi, Te Papa Tātai Waiata Matua o Aotearoa) is the weekly New Zealand top 40 singles and albums charts, issued weekly by Recorded Music NZ (formerly Recording Industry Association of New Zealand). The Music ...
. In Australia, the song charted on the
ARIA Digital Track Chart The ARIA Digital Track Chart ranks the highest selling legally downloaded music tracks within Australia and is provided by the Australian Recording Industry Association. History The Digital Track Chart was established in 2006 and first published ...
at number 18. On the week ending October 19, 2013, "Walking on Air" debuted at number 34 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and debuted at number eight on ''Billboard''
Hot Digital Songs The Digital Songs or Digital Song Sales chart (previously named Hot Digital Songs) ranks the best-selling digital songs in the United States, as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published by ''Billboard'' magazine. Although it originally starte ...
with 113,000 downloads. As of November 2013, the song has sold a total of 150,000 copies in the United States. In Italy, the single debuted at 20.


Live performances

On September 30, 2013, Perry performed "Walking on Air" during her headlining set of the 2013 iTunes Festival at the Roundhouse. On October 12, 2013, the singer performed the song again on ''
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'', where she was the musical guest of the episode. She wore a "'90s schoolgirl outfit" composed of a plaid skirt, knee socks and a white crop top. Kelci Shipley from MTV wrote that Perry "caught a case of retro fever for her performance of 'Walking on Air'". On her 29th birthday, October 25, 2013, Perry performed the song at Lakewood High School in
Lakewood, Colorado The City of Lakewood is the home rule municipality that is the most populous municipality in Jefferson County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 155,984 at the 2020 U.S. Census making Lakewood the fifth most populous city in Col ...
. On May 25, 2014, she performed it in
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at
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. "Walking on Air" was added to the setlist of Perry's first
concert residency A concert residency (also known as musical residency or simply residency) is a series of concerts, similar to a concert tour, but only performed at one location. ''Pollstar'' Awards defined residency as a run of 10 or more shows at a single ven ...
''
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'' (2021–2022) in a medley with her 2021 collaboration with Alesso " When I'm Gone".


Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from ''Prism'' liner notes. Recording locations *Recorded at Apmamman and MXM Studios ( Stockholm, Sweden); Conway Recording Studios ( Hollywood,
California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...
)
*Mixed at MixStar Studios (
Virginia Beach, Virginia Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city ...
)
Personnel *
Songwriting A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music gen ...
 – Katy Perry,
Klas Åhlund Klas Frans Åhlund (born 11 April 1972) is a Swedish songwriter, record producer, and guitarist. He is the founding member of the Swedish rock band Teddybears. As a songwriter and producer, he has worked with artists such as Robyn, Sugababes, J ...
,
Max Martin Karl Martin Sandberg (; born 26 February 1971),Max Martin
allmusic.com
known profess ...
, Adam Baptiste, Caméla Leierth *
Production Production may refer to: Economics and business * Production (economics) * Production, the act of manufacturing goods * Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services) * Production as a stati ...
 – Klas Åhlund, Max Martin *Engineering – Michael Illbert, Peter Carlsson, Sam Holland *Engineering assistant – Cory Bice * Mixing – Serban Ghenea *Mixing engineer – John Hanes * Lead vocals – Katy Perry *Background vocals –
Sabina Ddumba Sabina Ddumba (born 23 February 1994) is a Swedish singer. Her music has soul, gospel, and R&B influences. Ddumba was a backing vocalist on Katy Perry's song " Walking on Air" in 2013 and has collaborated with artists such as the hip hop band L ...
, Tensta Gospel Choir *Programming – Klas Åhlund, Max Martin


Charts


Release history


References

{{Good article 2013 songs American house music songs Deep house songs Eurodance songs Katy Perry songs Song recordings produced by Max Martin Songs written by Adam Baptiste Songs written by Katy Perry Songs written by Klas Åhlund Songs written by Max Martin