Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau have been spotted holding hands, which could mean the days of “soft launches” aren’t over yet.
The former “American Idol” judge and former Canadian prime minister attended a cabaret show together in Paris on Saturday, Oct. 25, for Perry’s 41st birthday, according to a video from TMZ and photos published by Backgrid. Perry and Trudeau, 53, left the theater hand in hand and got into a car, surrounded by photographers.
To be clear, neither Mr. Perry nor Mr. Trudeau have publicly commented on the rumors of their relationship (USA TODAY has reached out to Mr. Perry’s representatives for comment). But despite this, many online continue to speculate that the two are actually a couple. After all, in the age of “soft launches,” sometimes the only way to know if someone is in a relationship is by reading nonverbal cues.
For those unfamiliar with the dizzying jargon of modern dating, a “soft launch” is when you share subtle signs of whether or not you’re dating someone. In some cases, a soft launch looks like posting a photo of yourself holding hands with someone on social media, keeping that person’s identity private. There are varying degrees of “soft launch” and should not be confused with “hard launch” (where you overtly announce that you are in a relationship).
Sarah Kubrick, a mental health expert known online as The Millennial Therapist, detailed the details of a healthy (and unhealthy) soft launch in a previous column for USA TODAY. What would be her main point? Make sure you soft launch for the right reasons and with respect for your partners in mind.
“Before thinking about soft-launching a relationship, it’s essential to consider your motives,” Kubrick wrote. “In some cases, a soft launch doesn’t help us or honor our partners.”
Soft launch or not?
According to Kubrick, there are several good reasons to soft launch a relationship.
- privacy. “Some may wish to acknowledge their relationship while maintaining privacy,” Kubrick wrote. “Privacy can be a way to protect yourself and those you love.”
- Uncertainty. “Suppose you are feeling anxious about the future of this person or the relationship,” Kubrick writes. “In that case, a soft launch allows you to test the waters without any public repercussions if things don’t work out. It’s a non-committal way to declare that you have someone in your life.”
- compromise. “Perhaps your partner is upset that you don’t post about them, but you have strict social media boundaries,” Kubrick wrote. “You decided to soft launch the relationship as a way to meet somewhere in the middle.”
What we know about Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau
Perry and her longtime partner Orlando Bloom (with whom she shares 5-year-old daughter Daisy Dove) announced their split in July. At the time, a representative for the Grammy-nominated singer and the “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor, who had been engaged for six years, said the two “have been transitioning their relationship in recent months to focus on co-parenting.”
“They will continue to be seen as a family, as raising their daughter with love, stability and mutual respect is and will continue to be their shared priority,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Trudeau, who resigned as Canada’s prime minister earlier this year amid difficult election forecasts, will divorce his wife Sophie Grégoire in 2023. The former couple married in 2005 and had three children.
In announcing their separation, Trudeau and Gregoire said they “remain a close family with deep love and respect for each other and all that we have built and continue to build.”
Contributor: Brendan Morrow
