Katy Perry | Biography, Songs, & Facts

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Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.allmusic.com/artist/katy-perry-mn0000859589/" target="_blank" rel="noopener ">AllMusic - Katy Perry</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.katyperry.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Official Site of Katy Perry</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-title">Britannica Websites</div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-subtitle">Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.</div> <ul class="list-unstyled bps-topic-web-sites lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Katy-Perry/571604" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Katy Perry - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 js-header-ai-ask-button d-none btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="caption alternate-titles">Also known as: Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson</div> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/John-M-Cunningham/3520691" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">John M. Cunningham</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">John M. Cunningham graduated from Kalamazoo College in 2000 with a B.A. in English. He worked at Britannica from 2004 to 2018. A student of pop culture and the arts, he wrote about popular (and semipopular)...</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> John M. Cunningham</span></div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2024-11-23T00:00:00CST" >Nov 23, 2024</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Katy-Perry/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="qf-title font-weight-bold font-14 mb-10 text-center"> Quick Facts</div> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Original name: </dt> <dd>Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Born: </dt> <dd>October 25, 1984, <a href="/place/Santa-Barbara-California">Santa Barbara</a>, <a href="/place/California-state">California</a>, U.S. (age 40)</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Also Known As: </dt> <dd>Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson</dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Notable Works: </dt> <dd><a href="/topic/I-Kissed-a-Girl">“I Kissed a Girl”</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/One-of-the-Boys-album-by-Perry">“One of the Boys”</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Prism-album-by-Perry">“Prism”</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Smile-album-by-Katy-Perry">“Smile”</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Teenage-Dream">“Teenage Dream”</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/Witness-Katy-Perry-album">“Witness”</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/Katy-Perry"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.newsweek.com/entertainment/celebrity-news/luke-bryan-katy-perry-daughter-daisy-dove-nickname-uncle-luke-1989807" rel="nofollow">Luke Bryan shares the adorable nickname Katy Perry's daughter calls him</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 22, 2024, 4:53 AM ET (Newsweek) <button class="btn btn-link d-inline p-0 font-12 js-toggle-recent-news"> <span class="text-gray-500">...</span><span>(Show more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-11-22/katy-perry-wins-appeal-trademark-battle-sydney-label-katie-perry/104633950" rel="nofollow">Pop star Katy Perry wins appeal in trademark battle against Sydney fashion label Katie Perry</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 21, 2024, 4:42 PM ET (ABC News (Australia)) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="https://www.newsweek.com/katy-perry-demi-moore-substance-1984207" rel="nofollow">Katy Perry Makes Bold Claim About Demi Moore's 'The Substance'</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 12, 2024, 9:02 PM ET (Newsweek) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/1748381/5baa17fca251b138056203276386ce9b" rel="nofollow">The Latest: All eyes on Pennsylvania as candidates spend final day campaigning there</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 5, 2024, 1:03 AM ET (AP) </span> </div> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref1121602"></span>Katy Perry</strong> (born October 25, 1984, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Santa-Barbara-California" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Santa Barbara</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/California-state" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">California</a>, U.S.) is an American pop singer who gained fame for a string of anthemic and often sexually suggestive hit songs, as well as for a playfully cartoonish sense of style.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Katy Hudson was raised in southern California, the middle child of two itinerant born-again Christian ministers. Nonreligious <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/music" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">music</a> was forbidden in the Hudson household, and she grew up <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/singing" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">singing</a> church <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/hymn" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">hymns</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/gospel-music" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">gospel</a> tunes. As a teenager, she learned to play the guitar and sought a musical career in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Nashville-Tennessee" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Nashville</a> with a Christian record label, but her debut album, the gospel-influenced <em>Katy Hudson</em> (2001), sold poorly. By then, however, Hudson had found new musical models in such <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/rock-and-roll-early-style-of-rock-music" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">rock</a> artists as <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Freddie-Mercury" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Freddie Mercury</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alanis-Morissette" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Alanis Morissette</a>, whom she had discovered through friends. She soon moved to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Los-Angeles-California" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Los Angeles</a> to pursue success in the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="secular" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/secular" data-type="MW">secular</a> music realm, adopting her mother’s maiden name, Perry, to avoid confusion with the actress Kate Hudson.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Perry’s initial efforts at mainstream stardom were fruitless, with two separate record labels signing and subsequently dropping her before any material was released. In 2007, however, Capitol Records put out Perry’s EP <em>Ur So Gay</em>, which attracted modest attention for its cheerfully <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="flippant" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flippant" data-type="MW">flippant</a> title track. She made a greater splash several months later with the single “<span id="ref1122382"></span>I Kissed a Girl,” an <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="assertive" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/assertive" data-type="MW">assertive</a> ode to sexual curiosity backed by a hard-edged electro-pop beat. The song quickly stirred controversy, as some critics derided it for promoting same-sex relations and others charged that the racy scenario it depicted catered to male fantasies of female sexuality. Nevertheless, the combination of titillation and polished melodicism helped “I Kissed a Girl” become a number one hit in multiple countries, powering sales for her album <em><span id="ref1122383"></span>One of the Boys</em> (2008). With its bouncy, sharp-tongued second single, “Hot N Cold,” also proving popular, the album—much of which Perry wrote herself—eventually registered sales of more than three million copies in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">United States</a>.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/2010s-music-quiz" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/02/235602-131-C2F09EDC/Daddy-Yankee-and-Luis-Fonsi-Billboard-Latin-Music-Awards-2017.jpg" alt="(Left) Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee (Ramon Luis Ayala Rodriguez) perform during the 2017 Billboard Latin Music Awards and Show at the Bank United Center, University of Miami, Miami, Florida on April 27, 2017. (music)" class="rounded-sm mr-15" width="70" /> <div class="line-clamp clamp-5"> <div class="module-title bg-green">Britannica Quiz</div> <div class="font-weight-semi-bold mt-5">2010s Music Quiz</div> </div> </a><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">By late 2009 Perry had become frequent tabloid fodder, largely because of her quirky, vividly coloured fashions—which borrowed variously from 1940s pinup models, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/burlesque-show" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">burlesque</a> performers, and the <em>kawaii</em> (“cute”) cultural <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="aesthetic" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aesthetic" data-type="MW">aesthetic</a> of Japan—as well as her high-profile relationship with English comedian <span id="ref1290615"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Russell-Brand" class="md-crosslink ">Russell Brand</a>, to whom she was briefly married (2010–12). After recording the stripped-down live album <em>MTV Unplugged</em> (2009), Perry returned to the studio. The resulting release, <em><span id="ref1122384"></span>Teenage Dream</em> (2010), which provided a broader showcase for her full-throated voice, was even more commercially successful than <em>One of the Boys</em>, spawning such hits as the warm-weather frivolity “California Gurls” (featuring rapper <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Snoop-Dogg" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Snoop Dogg</a>) and the inspirational “Firework.” When “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” reached the top of the <em>Billboard</em> Hot 100 chart in mid-2011, Perry tied <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Michael-Jackson" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Michael Jackson</a>’s record of five number one songs from a single album. She maintained her grip on the mainstream with her next release, <em><span id="ref1255332"></span>Prism</em> (2013), which produced, among other hits, the anthemic “Roar.” Her 2016 single “Rise” was featured in television coverage of that year’s <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Rio-de-Janeiro-2016-Olympic-Games" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro</a>. Perry’s fourth studio album, <em><span id="ref1255333"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Witness-Katy-Perry-album" class="md-crosslink ">Witness</a></em> (2017), more introspective than her earlier work, was less well received. She returned to mainstream pop with the empowerment-oriented <em><span id="ref1304698"></span>Smile</em> (2020).</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">While critics often <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="disparaged" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disparaged" data-type="MW">disparaged</a> Perry’s songs as vapid, the music industry was generally kinder, rewarding her with several <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/Grammy-Award" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Grammy Award</a> nominations, including album of the year for <em>Teenage Dream</em>. In 2011 she made her big-screen acting debut, providing the voice of Smurfette in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/motion-picture" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">film</a> <em>The Smurfs</em>, and she <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="reprised" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reprised" data-type="MW">reprised</a> the role for a 2013 sequel. She was also the subject of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/3-D" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">3-D</a> concert-tour documentary <em>Katy Perry: Part of Me</em> (2012). In 2018 Perry became one of the judges on the new incarnation of the singing competition TV show <em><span id="ref1255331"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/American-Idol" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">American Idol</a></em>.</p><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="md-signature"><a href="/contributor/John-M-Cunningham/3520691">John M. 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Katy Perry | Biography, Songs, & Facts | Britannica