Pokémon will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year with some help from Katy Perry, who will be a part of the year-long P25 Music collaboration with Universal Music Group that will also feature musical assists from a number of other major, as-yet-unannounced acts.
“Pokémon has been a constant in my life from playing the original video games on my Game Boy, to trading Pokémon TCG cards at lunch, to the adventures of catching Pokémon on the street with Pokémon GO,” Perry said in a statement.
The singer added that she’s visited the Pokémon Café in Japan during tour. “It is an honor to be chosen to help celebrate a franchise that has given me so much joy in the last 25 years, and to be able to watch it evolve in the ways it’s provided that kind of electric joy for the kids in my life and around the world,” Perry said.
At press time, details of the PerryMon mash-up had not been revealed, but the release promised a “star-studded program created in partnership with Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment, accompanies fan-focused activations celebrating 25 years of Pokémon across the franchise’s portfolio of video games, mobile apps, animation, merchandise and more.
“We are honored to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Pokémon and the significant cultural impact this beloved franchise continues to have around the world. Working together, we have developed dynamic year-round programming involving artists from across UMG’s labels — because what better way to create a global celebration than through the power of music,” said LJ Gutierrez, general manager, UMGB in announcing the deal, which promises to name more artists and surprises about the P25 Music program throughout 2021.
The announcement was accompanied by nearly two-minute animated trailer featuring some of the most beloved characters from the Poke world going on a series of adventures ending with a neon sign featuring Perry’s name. Near the end, Pikachu skateboards into disco ball, setting off a record player that beams out the sound of Katy singing the world “electric!”
Watch the video below.
