Katy Perry meant no harm when she sported a geisha-inspired look at Sunday’s American Music Awards and her style team is explaining their choice.
The singer, who drew criticism from the media and lit up Twitter with posts calling out the costume choice, wore a kimono-style gown while singing “Unconditionally.”
“Katy and I both love Japan,” Katy’s stylist, Johnny Wujek, told E!.
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“The people are so kind, there’s so much there visually,” she continued. “Just walking around [in Japan], you feel something. We wanted to try and encompass that in the performance somehow, almost a tribute.”
Numerous fans on Twitter dinged the singer for glorifying a dark period in Japan’s history, but Lady Gaga attempted to explain Katy’s costume choice.
“Maybe it’s because ‘Unconditionally’ means you’re supposed to love no matter what and geishas are paid?” Gaga said during radio interview on Los Angeles’ AMP 97.1. “I think people are generally too sensitive and they should just leave her be—but you know, I’m not really the person to ask.”
— Jesse Spero
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