Katy Perry Previews 'Teenage Dream' at Beach-Themed Party

By Emily Tan Posted Jun 15th 2010 01:58PM

While Katy Perry's 'Teenage Dream' won't be out until August, the 'California Gurls' singer wanted to celebrate her No.1 hit and the single's new video by giving people a taste of the new record at a special listening party in New York City on Monday night.

To make sure everyone felt like they were on the West Coast, Midtown Manhattan's Espace was transformed into a California beach party complete with sand, surfboards and a fair share of lifeguards and beach bunnies in daisy dukes and bikini tops. While noshing on sliders, mac and cheese, cotton candy and mini cupcakes and enjoying the fully stocked bar, partygoers could also pose for their very own beach side photos that could double as a "Wish you were here" postcard.

Dressed in super high heels and a strapless cheetah dress, Perry made her way through the "beach" to get the album preview started. "I don't like sand in my stilettos," Perry said referring to a lyric from 'California Girls.' "It sucks. Whoever wrote that line is mean."

Kicking it off with the title track, Perry revealed that she originally wanted to name her record 'Teeanage Wet Dream,' but the idea was unfortunately nixed. Despite the rejected album name, her new material remains fun, flirty and clearly tongue-in-cheek.

She shows the sass on 'Peacock,' a track that would be perfect in any upcoming cheerleader flick and is obviously not about the elegant bird. "It's fun taking a word like 'ball' and giving it two meanings -- a good one and a bad one," she said when she introduced the song. "That's what this song is like."

Unlike 2008's 'One of the Boys,' 'Teenage Dream' is filled with more upbeat songs and less heart-wrenching ballads like 'Thinking of You.' However, the pop singer does get emotional on 'Pearl' and 'Not Like the Movies,' which was the first song she wrote for the album. Overall, Perry felt that 'Firework' is the song that conveys who she really is. "If there's a song that says 'me,' then it's this song," Perry said. "It's my f---ing opus."

Although "there's a lot of substance on the record," Perry claimed 'Last Friday Night' is be the song that every sorority in the country will choose as their theme song. "[The song] is like when you first heard Black Eyed Peas' 'I Got a Feeling,'" Perry said. "It's like what the f--- is that? Then you're screaming 'Mazel Tov' the next week."

Perry's 'Teenage Dream' drops on Aug. 3.

Tags: Katy Perry