The singer's music video for "LIFETIMES" is being investigated over alleged unauthorized filming took place on protected sand dunes.
Officials in Spain are investigating pop-star Katy Perry after she filmed a music video on the Spanish islands of Ibiza and Formentera. In the music video for her new song, “LIFETIMES,” Perry can be seen dancing against the backdrop of the Balearic Islands beaches and partying in nightclubs.
However, some of the scenes were allegedly filmed in areas where the singer and her production company did not have authorization to film, according to a press release published by local government authorities on Tuesday. TIME has reached out to representatives of Katy Perry and the production company responsible for the video, WeOwnTheCity, for further comment.
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]A significant portion of Perry’s video takes place in S’Espalmador, an uninhabited island that contains sand dunes that the Spanish government has referred to as having “great ecological value,” the BBC reported.
Spanish local authorities have nevertheless emphasized that Perry is not under investigation for committing a “crime against the environment,” since filming and taking photographs in the area is permitted with proper authorization. TIME has reached out to the local authorities of the island for further details.
The investigation is the latest setback in the launch of Perry’s seventh new studio album, 143. The music video for her first single off the album, “Woman’s World,” was not received well by critics upon its release last month. The lyrics, which appeared to be feminist on the surface, were combined with a video that many believe catered to the male gaze.
“It’s fun, sure, but we are not subverting the male gaze here, Katy! I need you to understand this!!!” wrote Lauren Tousignant in a review of the music video for Jezebel.
Perry explained her vision for the music video in a behind-the-scenes clip shared on Instagram. Speaking from the set, she said: “We’re kind of just having fun and being a bit sarcastic with it. It’s very slapstick and very on the nose.”