Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau have been been spotted holding hands − and it may mean the era of the "soft launch" is far from over.
The former "American Idol" judge and the former Canadian prime minister stepped out together to attend a cabaret show in Paris for Perry's 41st birthday on Saturday, Oct. 25, according to video from TMZ and photos published by Backgrid. Perry and Trudeau, 53, held hands as they exited the theater and stepped into a car, surrounded by photographers.
To be clear, neither Perry nor Trudeau have publicly commented on their rumored relationship (and USA TODAY has reached out to a representative for Perry for comment). But that hasn't stopped many online from continuing to speculate the two are indeed in couple. After all, in the era of "soft-launching," sometimes the only way to know if someone is in a relationship is by reading into nonverbal cues.
For those uninitiated to the dizzying lingo of modern dating, a "soft launch" is when you share subtle signs you may or may not be dating someone. Sometimes, soft-launching looks like posting a photo on social media of yourself holding hands with someone, while keeping the identity of that person private. There are varying degrees of a "soft launch," and they're not to be confused with a "hard launch" − which is when you outright announce you're in a relationship.
