How Russell Brand Helped Katy Perry's New Album, 'Prism'

For many people, a divorce can be a terrible experience, hounded by despair and loneliness, and it appears that even Katy Perry went through the same emotions but she managed to channel them into chart-climbingly catchy music à la Taylor Swift on her latest album, Prism.

Divorce Took A Heavy Emotional Toll On Katy.

With lead track 'Roar' unleashed last month to give us a sniff of her new, starker direction, it was evident that Prism wasn't exactly going to be a record of doom metal, rather the same power pop fluff we've become accustomed to from Ms. Perry. However, there was no question about whether Katy's new stance advocated standing up for herself, feeling empowered, and moving on to better things; a strength reportedly resulting from her divorce from British comedian, Russell Brand.

Katy & Russell During Friendlier Times.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly about Prism's emotional overtones, Perry explained, "Well, imagine what you go through. Imagine what happens when you go through a break up. We all go through break ups and we all get very depressed and desperate. The lyrics are very exact and autobiographical. That's how I write. But the one thing about those lyrics is you can hear me finding my strength throughout the song. It starts off really low and then I kind of stand up for myself and say, 'No!'"

Katy Has Ditched The Wigs & Cast Out (Some) Of The Sugar.

Just how personal the album really is could come under scrutiny when one scans over the writing credits for each song. Though Perry co-wrote every one of her new songs, several tracks have up to five different songwriters credited, such as lead single 'Roar' which boasted the assistance of Perry favourite Bonny McKee, as well as Lukasz Gottwald, Max Martin and Henry Walker. Not to mention the sizeable list of largely Nordic producers hired to inject her songs with that chart-gripping magic.

Hey, It's Katy Perry!

Perry and Brand met in 2009 when she made an appearance in his movie, Get Him To The Greek and were married in India in 2010. However, Brand filed for divorce a year later, with disagreements over starting a family rumored as a cause. Brand's treatment of Perry during their marriage came under question when she revealed that he told her he was divorcing her via text, and told Vogue that he didn't like her being in control. During the promotions for her latest album, she also told Billboard that she felt suicidal during and after their rather public divorce.

Perry Has 'Roared' To The Top Of The Charts.

"Sometimes you look in the mirror when you're crying and if you look in the mirror it will make you cry more because you're feeling sorry for yourself. And then sometimes you look in the mirror and you cry and I've been like: 'Snap out of it! It's time to - come on - grow up! No!' There's almost like this inner warfare that comes out, this inner battle between the good angel and the bad devil," she told EW.

She's Ruler Of Pop Once More.

However, Brand apparently wasn't the only stimulus that persuaded Perry to make such an emotional album; Katy's current boyfriend John Mayer is said to have inspired 'Unconditionally' whilst 'By The Grace of God' is a pure Russell track. She said "All the other songs are stories from different times in my life. It's kind of hard because I am so vulnerable and I am [such an] open book, but I don't feel like I want to hand over a specific [...] I don't feel like I want every song to come with a little package, a little tabloid-al package."

"They're biographical but all you're going to get in the songs is just that," she added. Prism is on release now.