Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, popularly known as “Katy Perry” is a highly talented female pop and rock artist. She made history as the first female act to have five consecutive singles reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 from an album. She is also the second musician after Michael Jackson to achieve this feat.
Katy is an American singer, songwriter, and television judge, who first gained prominence with the release of her second album, One of the Boys in 2008. She then shot to international stardom with her third album, Teenage dream, in 2010, in which five of her singles became chart-toppers. While she had started as a gospel singer, she later transformed into a pop diva, known for her eclectic style of music, which is a mixture of rock, disco, and pop genre. Currently, the singer is one of the world’s best-selling music artists. Katy Perry has sold over 18 million albums and 125 million singles globally.
Katy Perry profile summary
- Full name: Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson
- Date of birth: October 25, 1984
- Age: 35 years old
- Zodiac sign: Scorpio
- Place of birth: Santa Barbara, California, U.S.
- Nationality: American
- Height: 5 feet 7 inches
- Occupation: Singer, songwriter, actress, television judge, and businesswoman
Where is Katy Perry from?
The American singer was born Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson in Santa Barbara, California, US, to a committed Christian family. Her family is of Irish, English, German, and Portuguese descent. Her parents, Mary Christine (mother) and Maurice Keith Hudson (father) were both Pentecostal pastors. Katy also has an elder sister named Angela, and a younger brother, David. Through her mother, the talented singer is a niece of well-renowned film director, Frank Perry.
Katy Perry Childhood Days
Between the ages of 3 to 11, the young Katheryn moved across the country alongside her parents, who preached the gospel. Finally, the family went back to Santa Barbara and settled there. Perry’s parents were deeply religious, so much so that her mother did not even permit her to read any books other than the bible! For her elementary education, Katy attended Christian schools and camps, including Paradise Valley Christian School in Arizona and Santa Barbara Christian School in California.
Katy primarily listened to gospel songs while growing up, since secular music was not permitted in her conservative household. Under the evangelical influence, she grew up loving gospel songs, and started singing in the church. But secretly, unknown to her parents, she listened to other kinds of music with her friends. Through CDs she sneaked from her friends, she got acquainted with secular music. She then started learning the guitar at the age of 13, and also began writing songs. At 15 years old, she started to pursue her music career in earnest and joined the ‘Music Academy of the West’ to learn Italian Opera.
Her Professional Career
Katy Perry Early Career
Katheryn Hudson began her professional career in music by signing with Red Hill Records. She then released her debut album, a gospel record entitled Katy Hudson, on March 6, 2001. Although the album generally received favorable reviews from critics, it was a commercial flop, as the album sold just about 200 copies. The singer then transitioned from a gospel singer to secular music. She relocated to Los Angeles at age seventeen, later adopted Katy Perry as a stage name, and started writing songs with music producer Glen Ballard.
Subsequently, Katy Perry got signed to Glen Ballard’s record label, Java, in 2004. The label was then affiliated with Island Def Jam Music Group. While at Java, Perry worked on a solo record, but the song was shelved as her label Java was dropped by Def Jam records. Fortunately for the singer, Ballard introduced her to Tim Devine, an A&R executive at Columbia records. Impressed by her immense musical talent, Tim got her signed as a solo artist for Columbia records.
After that, she started preparing for her debut album with the label and got the opportunity to work with seasoned songwriters including Kara, Dr. Luke, Max Martin, Desmond Child, Greg Wells, Butch Walker, Scott Cutler, Anne Preven, and The Matrix. Perry worked hard on her album for two years, but unfortunately, Columbia records dropped her just before she completed her record. Despite this setback, she strived on in the music industry, and even became a backup vocalist for a period of time.
Her Lucky Break “I Kissed a Girl”
But luck would smile on Katy Perry when an executive at Columbia Records, named Angelica Cob-Baehler, gave her demos to the chairman of Virgin Records, Jason Flom. Flom was convinced she could become the next big thing in music. Hence she was signed to Capitol records in 2007. On April 28, 2008, Perry released her debut single with Capitol, “I Kissed a Girl,”. However, both the religious and the LGBT community slammed the song for its controversial lyrics.
Despite its controversy, “I Kissed a Girl,” still became a hit, and it peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. She then released her second album, One of the Boys, on June 17, 2008. The album got mixed critical reviews but still managed to reach number nine spot on US Billboard 200 chart. One of the Boys sold over 7 million copies within and outside the US. Other successful singles from the album include “Hot n Cold,” “Thinking of You,” and “Waking Up in Vegas.’
Having a Teenage Dream After “I Kissed a Girl”
Perry’s newfound success in the music industry inspired her to record a live album titled MTV Unplugged, on July 22, 2009. This album featured a five songs from her second album, One of the Boys, as well as two new songs.
On May 7, 2010, Perry released “California Gurls” featuring Snoop Dogg. The song was the first single from her third album, Teenage Dream. “California Gurls” rapidly reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. She released her second single “Teenage Dream” released in July that same year. It also reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Subsequently, on August 24, 2010, she released the album, Teenage Dream, which bears the same name as her second single. The album was an international hit, entering the Billboard 200 chart at number one. It was a critical and commercial success. Teenage Dream has since sold over 6 million copies worldwide.
Moreover, the album contained five consecutive chart-topping singles like “Teenage Dream”, “Firework”, “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)”, “California Gurls” and “E.T.” featuring Kanye West. With Teenage Dream, Katy Perry became the second artist and the first female artist to produce five number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart’s history. The first artist to have achieved this feat was none other than Michael Jackson. On January 5, 2012, Perry became the sixth best-selling digital artist in the United States, with sales of 37.6 million units.
Following the Success of Teenage Dream
After her meteoric rise to stardom, Katy Perry continued to bask in the limelight as the media’s new darling. In 2011, she became the voice of Smurfette in the movie The Smurfs. And in 2012, Perry expanded her album to Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection, which included another number-one single, “Part of Me”. She also filmed an auto-biographical documentary entitled Katy Perry: Part of Me, which was released in the theatres in July 2012. Billboard also named her the “Woman of the Year” in the same year.
Perry released her fourth studio album, Prism on October 18, 2013. Singles like “Roar” and “Dark Horse” went on to become number singles on Billboard Hot 100. The album not only sold over 4 million copies but also received positive reviews from critics. Additionally, Prism debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. In the same year, she reprised the role of Smurfette in the film The Smurf 2.
On June 9, 2017, Perry released her fifth album, entitled Witness. Although it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, it received mixed reviews. In 2018, Katy Perry joined The American Idol as a judge along with Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. And 2020, the singer revealed she would be dropping her sixth studio album on August 1, 2020. Little wonder fans can’t wait for Katy Perry’s new songs on the album.
Katy Perry as An Activist and Philantropist
Katy Perry is not only ardent about music, her passion extends to the humanitarian aspects of life. She is an active advocate for LGBT rights and has been involved in projects like The Trevor Project. The Trevor Project even presented a Hero Award to laud her efforts in helping the LGBT youth. She also donates to organizations like The Children’s Health Fund and UNICEF, and was officially named ‘UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador‘ in December 2013.
Katy Perry Net Worth
This talented singer is one of the wealthiest female entertainers in the world today. In fact, Forbes had listed her twice in its list of ‘Top-Earning Women In Music’. She made the bulk of her fortunes from record sales, tours, and endorsement deals. According to Forbes magazine, she earned $57.5million in 2019. It is widely reported that Katy Perry’s net worth is roughly around $330 million.
Katy Perry Marriage Planning
Katy Perry’s boyfriend is movie star Orlando Bloom, and the pair got engaged on Valentine’s day, 2019. Although they have not yet revealed their wedding date to the public, Bloom had proposed to Perry with an expensive engagement ring that is estimated to be worth about $5 million. Meanwhile, Perry was once married to Russell Brand in 2010. They divorced in 2012, citing irreconcilable differences.
Baby Due Date
In early 2020, Katy Perry confirmed she was pregnant during an Instagram live stream. The star said she and hubby, Orlando Bloom are expecting their first child together. According to sources online, it has been confirmed Katy Perry’s baby is due in the summer of 2020.
Katy Perry has been able to establish herself as one of the most outstanding female artists of this age. Despite coming from a humble and even repressed background, she rose and achieved greatness through talent, hard work, and dedication.
