Katy Perry
Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson was born on the 25th of October 1984, in Santa Barbara, California. Her parents were Pentecostal pastors who had turned to religion after a wild youth of their own. The family moved frequently across the country as they set up churches before finally settling back in Santa Barbara. Perry attended religious schools like Paradise Valley Christian School and Santa Barbara Christian School during her elementary years. Financial struggles were common for the household, which sometimes relied on food stamps and food banks that also fed the congregation at her parents' church. The family forbade eating Lucky Charms cereal because the word luck reminded their mother of Lucifer. They required children to call deviled eggs angeld eggs instead. Secular music was generally discouraged in the home until Perry discovered popular songs through CDs smuggled from friends. A friend played Alanis Morissette's You Oughta Know, which influenced her songwriting and singing style. She began singing by practicing with her sister Angela's cassette tapes. At age nine, she started taking vocal lessons and joined her parents' ministry, singing in church from ages nine to seventeen. She received her first guitar for her thirteenth birthday and publicly performed original songs. Perry completed her General Educational Development requirements early at age fifteen and left high school to pursue a music career.
At sixteen, Perry released a gospel album titled Katy Hudson under Red Hill Records. The record came out on the 6th of March 2001. Critics gave mixed reviews to the project, but it failed commercially. Sales reached an estimated two hundred copies before the label ceased operations in December. Following this failure, she moved to Los Angeles at seventeen to try secular music. She adopted the stage name Katy Perry using her mother's maiden name to avoid confusion with actress Kate Hudson. In 2003, she briefly performed as Katheryn Perry before settling on her new identity. She worked with producer Glen Ballard due to his past work with Alanis Morissette. By November 2006, she had finished writing and recording material for a Columbia debut titled Fingerprints. Some of that material appeared later on One of the Boys. Other tracks like I Do Not Hook Up went to Kelly Clarkson while Rock God went to Selena Gomez & the Scene. After Columbia dropped her in 2006, she worked at an independent A&R company called Taxi Music. Her minor success prior to breakthrough included background vocals on Mick Jagger's Old Habits Die Hard from the 2004 film Alfie.
Capitol Records signed Perry in April 2007 after Virgin chairman Jason Flom saw potential in her demos. The label arranged for her to work with Dr. Luke to add undeniable smash hits to existing material. They co-wrote I Kissed a Girl and Hot n Cold for her second album One of the Boys. The first station to pick up I Kissed a Girl was WRVW in Nashville, which received enthusiastic calls during its first three days of play. The track topped the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 on the 5th of July 2008, remaining number one for seven consecutive weeks. One of the Boys released on the 17th of June 2008, reached number nine on the Billboard 200 but eventually sold seven million copies worldwide. Teenage Dream arrived on the 24th of August 2010, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200. It has since sold over twelve million copies globally. California Gurls featuring Snoop Dogg became the lead single on the 7th of May 2010, reaching number one in June. Teenage Dream itself hit number one in September. Firework followed as the third single, topping the chart on the 8th of December 2010. E.T. featuring Kanye West became the fourth single on the 16th of February 2011, spending five non-consecutive weeks at number one. Last Friday Night T.G.I.F. made Perry the first female artist with five number-one singles from one album when it topped the chart on the 17th of August 2011. She set a new record by spending sixty-nine consecutive weeks in the top ten of the Hot 100 starting September 7.
Perry began venturing into business by endorsing the fragrance Purr in November 2010. Her second perfume Meow! released in December 2011 through Nordstrom department stores. Electronic Arts recruited her to promote The Sims 3: Showtime expansion pack before releasing a separate stuff pack titled The Sims 3: Katy Perry's Sweet Treats in June 2012. She became spokesperson and ambassador for Popchips while making an investment in the company. Billboard named her Woman of the Year for 2012. In March 2014, she launched Killer Queen as her third fragrance through Coty. Another fragrance Mad Potion followed in July 2015. On the 8th of June 2017, she launched a shoe line called Katy Perry Collections available on its website and at retailers like Dillard's and Walmart. A mobile app titled Katy Perry Pop released in December 2015 through Glu Mobile let players become famous musicians. In January 2022, she and Morgan McLachlan established De Soi, producing non-alcoholic apéritifs. That same month, she created music for Jeremy Zag's animated film Melody and voiced its title character. She became the new face for Just Eat's SkipTheDishes Lieferando's and Menulog's advertisements creating a remix of their jingle.
Perry made her film debut in the 3D family motion picture The Smurfs as Smurfette on the 29th of July 2011. The film was financially successful worldwide despite mostly negative critical reviews. She reprised the role in The Smurfs 2 which opened in theaters on the 31st of July 2013. Her autobiographical documentary Katy Perry: Part of Me released to theaters on the 5th of July 2012, grossing $32.7 million worldwide. She hosted Saturday Night Live on the 10th of December 2011 with Robyn as the musical guest. Perry appeared as herself in Zoolander 2 released in February 2016. On the 24th of March 2018, she began serving as a judge on American Idol's sixteenth season earning a twenty-five-million-dollar salary. She continued judging through the twenty-second season concluding in May 2024. In September 2015, she appeared in documentaries including Making of the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show and Jeremy Scott: The People's Designer. A concert film titled Katy Perry: The Prismatic World Tour released during her tour of the same name. She also starred in a holiday advertisement for Gap Inc featuring All You Need Is Love by the Beatles.
Perry joined UNICEF in April 2013 to assist children in Madagascar with education and nutrition. On the 3rd of December 2013, she was officially named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador focusing on engaging young people to improve lives of vulnerable children. Portions of ticket money from her Prismatic World Tour went to UNICEF. In September 2010, she helped build and design the Boys Hope/Girls Hope foundation shelter for youth in Baltimore alongside Raven-Symoné Shaquille O'Neal and Extreme Makeover Home Edition cast members. All profits from sales of The Gay Nineties Old Tyme Music album donated to Little Kids Rock supporting musical education in underprivileged elementary schools. In June 2014, she teamed up with Staples Inc for Make Roar Happen donating one million dollars to DonorsChoose funding classroom resources. During her California Dreams Tour she raised over $175,000 for Tickets-For-Charity divided among Children's Health Fund Generosity Water and The Humane Society of the United States. She performed at One Love Manchester benefit concert broadcast live on the 4th of June 2017 for victims of the Manchester Arena bombing.
In 2018 while serving as judge on American Idol Perry gave an unwanted kiss to nineteen-year-old contestant Benjamin Glaze. When Glaze admitted he had never kissed a girl she gestured for him to come closer then kissed him on the lips. Her behavior met backlash though Glaze later said it made him uncomfortable but rejected claims of sexual harassment. In August 2019 Josh Kloss accused Perry of sexual misconduct during a party at a skating rink alleging she pulled down his sweatpants exposing his penis to male friends. Johnny Wujek defended Perry saying she would never do such things and accused Kloss of obsession. After initially refraining from responding believing it detracted from MeToo movement Perry denied Kloss' claims. In 2015 Perry attempted to purchase a former convent in Los Angeles sparking years-long legal battle involving Archdiocese of Los Angeles and nuns Sister Rita Callanan and Sister Catherine Rose Holzman. Initially offering $14.5 million cash to buy eight-acre property two elderly nuns opposed sale attempting to sell instead to Dana Hollister at $15.5 million. The archdiocese sued asserting nuns lacked authority to sell.
On the 14th of April 2025, Perry flew into space aboard Blue Origin NS-31 along with Amanda Nguyen Aisha Bowe Kerianne Flynn Gayle King and Lauren Sánchez. It was first all-female space flight since 1963 receiving significant media coverage though widely criticized as potential PR stunt for Amazon. That same month she embarked on fifth concert tour Lifetimes Tour ending in December grossing over $134 million from ninety-one shows. On the 20th of September 2024, she released album 143 described as super high energy summer joy love light record panned by critics. Two other singles preceded record release: Lifetimes and I'm His He's Mine featuring Doechii. She performed during 2024 Rock in Rio festival day of 143s release. Eight days later she headlined pre-game entertainment at Australia's 2024 AFL Grand Final. In July 2025 she confirmed ending relationship with Orlando Bloom the previous month. Later that year she began dating former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau confirming relationship on Instagram December 6. They attended World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos Switzerland January 2026. On the 6th of November 2025, she released new song Bandaids.
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When was Katy Perry born and where did she grow up?
Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson was born on the 25th of October 1984, in Santa Barbara, California. Her family moved frequently across the country before settling back in Santa Barbara.
What happened to Katy Perry's first gospel album released under her real name?
The record titled Katy Hudson came out on the 6th of March 2001 but failed commercially with sales reaching an estimated two hundred copies. The label ceased operations in December after critics gave mixed reviews to the project.
How many number-one singles from One album did Katy Perry achieve with Teenage Dream?
Last Friday Night T.G.I.F. made Perry the first female artist with five number-one singles from one album when it topped the chart on the 17th of August 2011. She set a new record by spending sixty-nine consecutive weeks in the top ten of the Hot 100 starting September 7.
Why did Katy Perry change her stage name from Katheryn Hudson to Katy Perry?
She adopted the stage name Katy Perry using her mother's maiden name to avoid confusion with actress Kate Hudson. In 2003 she briefly performed as Katheryn Perry before settling on her new identity.
When did Katy Perry join UNICEF and what was her role there?
Perry joined UNICEF in April 2013 to assist children in Madagascar with education and nutrition. On the 3rd of December 2013, she was officially named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador focusing on engaging young people to improve lives of vulnerable children.