Katy Perry has a passion for the Olympics, and she's found the perfect way to express it. The pop star has penned a song that will serve as the soundtrack to NBC's coverage of the Rio Games.
She debuted a video for the inspiring anthem, "Rise," on TODAY Friday.
And a version of that clip will be shown in 20,000 movie theaters, where "Rise" will inspire Olympic fans ahead of the Opening Ceremony on Aug. 5.
During a spot on TODAY, Perry explained that the song had "finally come to the surface" after brewing inside her for years.
RELATED: 106-year-old torchbearer lights Olympic cauldron in Brazil, breaks record
"I was inspired to finish it now rather than save it for (my upcoming) album because of the overall mood of the world today," she said. "Now more than ever, there is a need for our world to unite. I know that together we can rise above the fear — in our country, and around the world."
And so she channeled that sense of unity, as well as a message of personal strength, into "Rise," because that's what the games are all about.
RELATED: 'Magnificent Seven' US gymnastics team revisits 1996 Olympic triumph
"I can't think of a better example coming up than the Olympic athletes, as they gather together 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," she said. "Let's be inspired. Let's heal. Let's unite and rise."
Follow Ree Hines on Twitter.