“Hey, man,” he said. It was Katy Perry’s manager, Bradford Cobb. “What’s up? Talk to me.” They discussed the idea of getting Drake, the Canadian superstar whose pop-rap sound has an easy-like-Sunday-morning appeal, to write a rap for the bridge on one of Perry’s upcoming singles. Neither was sure he would do it, but they wanted to have the track ready so that if Drake were to come into the studio he could listen to it, and record something on the spot.
Hanging up, Gottwald instructed Cirkut how to prepare the track. Then, saying, “I will make sure this is what Katy wants,” he left the library to call Perry in private, closing the wood-panelled door softly behind him.