"Roar" Tops the Charts! Thank You, Katy Perry

Both my daughter and I love music, and at the moment, there's one song we both adore: "Roar" by Katy Perry. We can be caught belting it out while driving up and down I80 from Salt Lake City to Park City. Released in August as the first single off of Prism, Perry's latest studio album, "Roar" has been on constant rotation in my house, and not just because it's infectious and catchy, although that's a plus. What we love so much are the word!

"You held me down, but I got up
Already brushing off the dust
You hear my voice, you hear that sound
Like thunder gonna shake the ground
You held me down, but I got up
Get ready cause I’ve had enough
I see it all, I see it now

I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire
Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than a lion
Cause I am a champion and you’re gonna hear me roar"

What a wonderful empowering message for our young girls, and I have to tell you, as a mother to a teenage girl, I couldn't be happier that one of the biggest female pop stars in the world has released a song that is not only appropriate to be singing along to with my kids, but is also just so freaking awesome. When asked about the inspiration for the track, Perry says that the lyrics come from the fact that sometimes we can all be our own worst enemy, and that by finding the strength within us to stand up for what we believe in, we can accomplish anything. You go Girl!

One of my personal favourite lines in the song comes when Perry sings, "I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything", and I couldn't agree more. When you lose your convictions in life and forget what you stand for it is easy to lose your way, but as Perry later sings, "I went from zero to my own hero"; no matter how lost you become, it is always possible to pick yourself up and keep going. I wish this song was required listening for every young girl out there who may be doubting themselves for whatever reason, because I truly believe, and I'm trying to instil in my own children, that anything is possible once you put your mind to it.

So as a mother and as a fan, I want to offer my congratulations to Katy Perry for all the success "Roar" is currently enjoying, as well as my heartfelt thanks for releasing such an inspirational empowerment anthem. The full album, Prism, was released last week, and yesterday it was announced that it had debuted at number one on the Billboard charts. I know I for one will be picking up a copy, because with all of the less than desirable female role models for young girls out there, I want to make sure that I put my money behind someone like Katy Perry; someone who uses her clout not to shock, but to inspire. Her movie was pretty good too!

Jacki Zehner with Laura Moore

Photo: Paul Trantow/Disney ABC Television Group via Getty Images