Katy Perry has reportedly been asked not to sing one of her biggest hits when she performs at this year’s AFL Grand Final.
The pop star, 39, will be performing a set at the Brisbane Lions vs Sydney Swans game at the MCG on Saturday.
But there are fears that if she sings her 2013 hit, Roar, it will give the Brisbane Lions an unfair advantage.
During an appearance on The Fox’s Fifi, Fev, and Nick, Katy seemed to give credence to the rumours after co-host Brendan Fevola mentioned he used to play for the Brisbane Lions.
‘Oh the Lions! I have to cut my song Roar out of the set because it’s not fair. That’s what everybody says,’ she explained.
‘No, you have to play it!’ said Fevola. ‘Because you were booked in way before Brisbane made it.’
Katy agreed that she should play it but said there is yet to be a confirmed setlist for the half time show.
The speculation was also discussed on Channel Nine’s Today Show on Wednesday, with co-host Sarah Abo suggesting the song might give the Lions a morale boost to tip the scales in their favour.
Katy Perry has reportedly been asked not to sing one of her biggest hits when she performs at this year’s AFL Grand Final. Pictured: Katy Perry in the video for ‘Roar’
However, her colleague Karl Stefanovic wasn’t having any of it, adding: ‘Surely the Swans can’t be that sensitive.’
‘You know this whole thing it really giving me the irks – let’s just explode about how how upset we are at it,’ he said, in a cheeky nod to one of Perry’s other hits, Firework.
Sarah laughed at her co-host’s reaction, and repeated Karl’s comment humorously, ‘Let’s just explode about how upset we are about it.’
‘You should tell the AFL, I hope they’re listening – Karl’s got some advice for you,’ she quipped.
There are fears that singing her 2013 hit song Roar will give the Brisbane Lions an unfair advantage. Pictured: the Brisbane Lions AFL team
It comes amid rumours Katy has butted heads with the AFL over the songs she would sing at the upcoming Grand Final in Melbourne.
Appearing on SEN Breakfast on Monday, veteran AFL journalist said Tom Morris claimed that Katy’s team had pushed back against an AFL request that the Teenage Dream hitmaker perform just one new song.
‘She’s playing about five songs and the AFL was very keen for her to play five classic tunes, she wanted to play two new ones,’ he said.
Tom added that both camps had reached a compromise with Katy reportedly agreeing to just one new track.
‘In the end they met halfway and she’s playing one new song and four classics,’ he said.
Co-host and AFL great Kane Cornes, admitting he was a Katy Perry fan, added that the AFL should have a say in the planning of the blockbuster stadium show.
During an appearance on The Fox’s Fifi, Fev, and Nick, Katy seemed to give credence to the rumours after co-host Brendan Fevola mentioned he used to play for the Brisbane Lions
‘The AFL are saying: “We only want your hits. We only want your bangers. We only want your best stuff”‘ he said.
‘We want Roar, e want Teenage Dream, we want Firework. They want all the songs we know and love. And she’s pushed back and said, “No, no I want to play two of my new songs.”
He added: ‘You know when you go to a concert and maybe they’re old and all you want is their good stuff. You just want their greatest hits.
‘That’s what the AFL have requested with Katy Perry. And she’s gone: “clearly, I want to promote some of my new music.”’
Daily Mail Australia has reached out to the AFL for comment.
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