Katy Perry is back with her third 2019 single, “Harleys in Hawaii,” and the song’s title suggests its inspiration. In a recent interview with Zach Sang, Perry revealed that she was inspired to write the track following a trip to Oahu with her fiancé Orlando Bloom.
“To be on the back of a motorcycle in Hawaii with the air blowing on your face, it’s so beautiful,” she said. “I can remember specifically where I was; the street corner I was on in Oahu, whispering to Orlando and saying ‘I’m going to write a song called ‘Harleys in Hawaii’.’ And I did.”
She further referenced the trip on Twitter. “What do you get when you rent a motorcycle for a weekend with your boyfriend in Hawaii?” she wrote. “A love song of course.”
On the track, she sings about the confluence of love and motorcycles:
Boy, tell me can you take my breath away
Cruising down a heart shaped highway
Got you swerving lane to lane
Don’t hit the brakes
‘Cause I’m feeling so safe
The chorus finds Perry reminiscing on their romantic adventure:
You and I, I
Riding Harleys in Hawaii
I’m on the back I’m holding tight
Want you to take me for a ride, ride
“Harleys in Hawaii” is produced by Johan Carlsson and Charlie Puth, and follows the release of “Never Really Over” and “Small Talk” earlier this year. The pop star has yet to announce official plans for a new album, which would be her first since the tepidly received Witness in 2017.
Watch the video for the song above and read all the lyrics to Katy Perry’s “Harleys in Hawaii” on Genius now.
