Katy Perry returns with message of unity

Pop superstar Katy Perry re-emerged Friday after a quiet spell with a song of unity as part of the television coverage of the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The singer -- one of the most successful artists of her generation -- offered her first new music since her blockbuster 2013 album "Prism" with the song "Rise."

A midtempo electronic track, "Rise" takes on a triumphant tone befitting sports competitions, a change from the giddier pop feel of Perry's biggest hits.

"When you think the final nail is in / Think again / Don't be surprised / I will still rise," Perry sings on the song.

The song will feature in the coverage of the Olympics opening ceremony on August 5 on NBC television, which has the lucrative contract to broadcast the Summer Games in the United States.

A video for "Rise" produced with NBC will also appear before movies in more than 20,000 cinemas across the United States, her label said. 

Perry said the song had been "brewing" inside her for years but that she saw it as timely in light of troubles around the world.

"I was inspired to finish it now, rather than save it for my next album, because now more than ever, there is a need for our world to unite," she said in a statement.

"I know that together we can rise above the fear -- in our country, and around the world. 

"I can't think of a better example than the Olympic athletes, as they gather in Rio with their strength and fearlessness, to remind us how we ALL can come together, with the resolve to be the best we can be."

Perry released the song Friday as an exclusive on Apple's iTunes and the tech giant's streaming service Apple Music.

At age 31, Perry has already achieved phenomenal success and is the most followed person on Twitter, with more than 90 million followers.

She has released a string of viral singles including "Roar," "Teenage Dream," "Firework" and "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)."

But Perry has had a comparatively quiet 2016 as she works on a new album.

She finished a 151-date global tour in October last year in Costa Rica, although she has since then performed to support Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.