Image Credit: Jemal Countess/Getty ImagesCue the cloud of cotton candy! Summer siren Katy Perry showed up in Rockefeller Plaza this morning to razzle and dazzle Today show audiences with her candy-coated songs “California Gurls” and “Teenage Dream”—and yes, she was indeed unveiled lying upon on a puff of cotton candy, of course. (No cream-spewing breasts, though!) She quickly hopped off while belting her summer anthem “California Gurls,” which was strong and rather perfect for this nearing-the-end-of-summer Friday. Next up was a stellar rendition of “Teenage Dream”—a song that I just can’t seem to play enough, so it was a welcome one, too. (Seriously, does this song not make you wistful for days gone by? I’m a sap, it’s true.) She capped her show with a slowed-down redux of her original hit “I Kissed A Girl.” And I have to say: Well played, Katy. For all the chatter about her singing chops, she certainly held her own on stage. (Much stronger than Ke$ha on the Today stage a couple weeks back.) But you be the judge about how she did, and check out the videos from today’s Today show performance of “California Gurls” here:

Whaddaya say, Music Mixers? Did you watch? Love or loathe Katy’s Today show performances?
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That was THE best vocal performances I’ve ever heard from her, seriously. Loved it!
He voice will be shot sooner rather than later unless she quits smoking.
true!
Uhhh- she wasn’t great- for sure. Listen to when she says “popsicle”- she wasn’t good on that part and what was with the yellow nebraska “herbie” type bear?
those are convicted pervs doing community service
she rocked! as always….the look on the little girls faces in the crowd was great!
She’s no Barbra Streisand–but she never claimed to be. This was just great.
Nice to watch her perform with the volumn muted.
yea, she’s watchable for the “stoopid hot” factor alone
My popsicle? Melted.
Perhaps some Viagra can help you out.
Never heard the song before so I thought I would take a peek to see what the deal was because she is kind of hot. Didn’t hate it.
I liked the grandmom in the crowd getting down to Katy.
I saw that too! You couldn’t miss that grandmom moving to California Gurls! That just transcends the song’s summer success beyond young listeners, that even the grandmom loves the song too! Fun moment! Was wondering if someone spotted that camera shot.
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tone deaf. worse vocals than kesha because at least kesha KNOWS she’s awful.
Maybe Kesha’s not used to a bigger live stage setting beyond the studio gloss of her records. And she sounds okay on record and radio but on TV shows she’s mediocre at best–her singing needs work on that platform. She needs to hear herself more when she sings live.
She sings?
Katy Perry was good. Her live band sounded great on California Girls and Teenage Dream. And her background singers sounded good.
I liked the fill-in news reporter (sitting in for Ann), when they panned to him and he was wearing the hot pink wig and sang along with the “popsicle” line. It made me chuckle.
she sounded awful. as usual.
man, just makes you think about how much is done in production for these songs. the only really solid part was the piped in backing tracks.
Holy crap that was awful… did anyone else even notice that she can’t sing at all?!
In Katy’s defense I have heard her sing other songs (like her cover of MGMT’s Electric Feel) and sound much much better then this. I think its the song, it’s not a very good song to showcase your vocals to, though I have heard people do this song pretty well…
The song made her shriek and sing off key?