As someone who likes Katy as a person and appreciates her music for what it is... I genuinely don't know where she goes from here.
Lyrically at least, I feel like she's given us everything she's... capable of giving.
She HAS to tone down the goofy and camp this time around (for real; enough already). She went way too far with both Witness & Prism and unfortunately it's turned a lot of people off.
If she wants to continue doing silly songs/videos, fine, but don't make them the main singles. Release them later in the era or just do a promotional single/video to get it out of her system.
Also, the single choices these past two eras have been awful with her and her team missing the mark so many times. Witness should have launched the album with Chained to the Rhythm following it. It would have had a better reception. Releasing This Is How We Do & Birthday over Legendary Lovers & Walking on Air was ridiculous.
Teenage Dream & One of the Boys struck the perfect balance of both serious and silly/light-hearted (in my opinion) where you'd get Last Friday Night & California Gurls but then get Teenage Dream, Firework & The One That Got Away.
In the current landscape, Rap & Hip-Hop are DOMINATING the charts and people just aren't here for dance-pop or goofy/campyness right now. Only way I could see it working for her is if she did more "Dark Horse" type songs or something more chill & breezy.
I still think she has it in her to make a comeback in the charts and get more #1 smash hits. Hope this new era will bring her back on top where she belongs. Plus she has to break the double digit #1's (she currently has 9)
** Also, bring back the black hair (even if it's short, doesn't matter).