Katy Perry Opens 2017 iHeartRadio Music Awards With a Bunch of Kids and a Dancing Hamster

Pop star brought the entire audience to their feet

By Mike Vulpo, McKenna Aiello Mar 06, 2017 1:12 AMTags

And that's how to properly kick off an award show. 

Katy Perry was the first celeb to take the stage at the 2017 iHeartRadio Music Awards on Sunday evening in Los Angeles, where she performed the lead single from her upcoming fifth studio album, "Chained to the Rhythm." Fresh off  multiple award show appearances, Katy's latest performance is a clear continuation of what she's dubbed an era of "purposeful pop."

During the performance, Perry was joined onstage by a large group of kids dancing in newsboy hats and overalls, an aspect of the performance she previously teased on Instagram. Katy rocked a flashy fringed jacket as she rocked the stage next to a massive dancing hamster in a factory-like setting.

photos
iHeartRadio Music Awards 2017: Red Carpet Arrivals
Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartMedia

Katy opening the 4th Annual iHeartRadio Music Awards marked the pop singer's first public appearance since splitting from Orlando Bloom. Shortly after the couple announced their nearly year-long romance had fizzled out, Perry unveiled a platinum blonde pixie cut

The style was on full display while she walked the red carpet and talked to iHeartRadio host Elvis Duran.

"Well yeah, if you're going this extreme it should, hello! I'm trying to get more attention, obviously," she teased. "You can just grow it back. Honestly, I tried to take my full head of hair platinum and I had a lot of breakage. I've always wanted to look like Miley Cyrus. I've always wanted to have that pixie haircut, so I said, ‘Let's just go for it.'"

Meanwhile, the British actor had also returned to business as usual over the weekend by stepping out to attend  Chris Martin's Willy Wonka-themed birthday bash. And speaking of the Coldplay lead singer, we'll also see him take the stage alongside The Chainsmokers to perform "Something Just Like This" live for the first time. 

Other iHeartRadio performers set to follow in Katy's footsteps this evening include Noah CyrusEd SheeranThomas RhettShawn Mendes and Big Sean

Let's put it this way. The night has only just begun and we can't wait to see what happens next!