Hot N Cold was released in 2008 as a single from Katy Perry's album One of the Boys, following the success of I Kissed a Girl. Written about an indecisive partner, the song became an international pop hit and one of Perry's signature early tracks. Its contrasting hot and cold lines were widely quoted, parodied and used in television, adverts and online videos. The phrasing entered everyday language for describing inconsistent behaviour, so short clips of the chorus still work online as a recognisable shorthand for indecision and romantic mixed signals.