American Idol judge Katy Perry joined the voice cast for a new animated musical called Melody. Perry is also a producer on the project, alongside The Greatest Showman director Michael Gracey. Jeremy Zag created, produced, and directed the new movie. CAA Media Finance will present the film at the Cannes Market to potential distributors next week, reports Deadline.
Melody tells the story of Melody, an insecure singer who has to stand up to the evil Rose Stellar, a jealous pop star who wants to destroy Melody. It is set in New York City, where Melody goes on a musical quest with seven musical notes to help her. Perry wrote new songs for the film. Its themes include self-discovery and believing in yourself.
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Zag’s Zagtoons is behind Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir, a French animated series that is now available on Disney+ in the U.S. He has been developing Melody for years, but it wasn’t until Perry came aboard that the project got moving, he told Deadline. “Melody is someone who has to believe in herself, and in order to do that, she has to learn to love herself before considering how people look at her,” Zag said. “Big pop stars live in golden castles, they’re famous with paparazzi all around, but for a little girl, there is passion and fear. And I’ve never seen anyone as creative as Katy, who so personifies this character.”
Perry also found similarities between herself and Melody, noting that she still struggles with being insecure despite her status as a pop star. She is also a “big fan” of the animated world and has been “more immersed” in it than ever before thanks to her two-year-old daughter Daisy. “What resonated for me with Melody and her character is the overall storyline that has to do with self-confidence,” Perry told Deadline. “I’ve realized in laying the foundation for my own child to be fearless, confident, and brave, that you cannot have enough films with such strong themes of empowerment.”
The “Firework” singer also hopes that the story can inspire young audiences to find the bravery within themselves and overcome their fears to accomplish their dreams. “I’m a big believer in trying everything once, and not to be on the sidelines,” Perry said. “I am encouraging my daughter to be fearless because she has a mother and a father who are fearless. You don’t want to live 10% of what life has to offer. Why not 100%?”
Cross Creek’s Tyler Thompson is producing with Perry, Zag, and Gracey. Perry previously voiced Smurfette in The Smurfs (2011) and The Smurfs 2 (2013). She has been a judge on American Idol with Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan since the ABC revival launched in 2018. She earned an Emmy nomination in 2015 for her Super Bowl XLIX halftime show.
