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Katheryn Elizabeth "Katy" Hudson (born October 25, 1984), better known by her stage name Katy Perry, is an American singer-songwriter,actress and Musician. She had limited exposure to secular music during her childhood and pursued a career in gospel music as a teenager. Perry signed with Red Hill Records, and released her debut studio album, Katy Hudson, in 2001.Then she changed her name from Katy Hudson to Katy Perry as another actress named already Kate Hudson. She moved to Los Angeles, the following year to venture into secular music. After being dropped by The Island Def Jam Music Group and Columbia Records, she signed a deal with Capitol Records in April 2001. Katy Perry is also known for her fashion, which is often bright in color and humorous. Besides she works with UNICEF to help the Madagascar children with education and nutrition. She is the second artist with the feat to have 5 number 1 singles on the U.S Billboard Hot 100 (first was Michael Jackson)
Perry rose to fame in 2008 with the release of the singles "I Kissed a Girl" and "Hot n Cold" from her second album, a pop rock record titled One of the Boys. Her third album, Teenage Dream (2010), ventured into disco, and contained the U.S. Billboard Hot 100chart-topping singles "California Gurls", "Teenage Dream", "Firework", "E.T.", and "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" as well as the number-three single "The One That Got Away". The album became the first by a female artist to produce five number-one Billboard Hot 100 songs, and the second overall after Michael Jackson's album Bad (1987). In March 2012, she reissued the album asTeenage Dream: The Complete Confection, which produced the chart-topping singles "Part of Me" and "Wide Awake". Her fourth album, Prism, was released in 2013, and is influenced by pop and dance. It has spawned the number-one singles "Roar" and "Dark Horse".
Perry has received many awards and nominations, including three Guinness World Records, and been included in the Forbes list of "Top-Earning Women In Music" for 2011, 2012, and 2013. Throughout her career, she has sold 11 million albums and 81 million singles worldwide, making her one of the best-selling artists of all time. Perry has also made celebrity endorsements and released perfumes Purr, Meow!, and Killer Queen. In July 2011, she made her film debut voicing Smurfette in The Smurfs. The following July, she released a documentary film, Katy Perry: Part of Me, which concentrated on her life as a touring artist and the dissolution of her brief marriage to English actor and comedian Russell Brand in the early 2010s.
Life and career[]
1984–98: Early life[]
Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson was born near Santa Barbara in California, to Pentecostal pastors Maurice Keith Hudson (born 1947) and Mary Christine Perry (born 1947).[2][3] Her parents are born again Christians, each having turned to God after a "wild youth".[4] Perry has Portuguese, German, Irish, and English ancestry.[5] Through her mother, she is a niece of film director and producer Frank Perry (1930–1995).[6] She has a younger brother named David (born 1988), who is a singer,[7] and an older sister, Angela (born 1982).[8] From ages 3 to 11, Perry often moved across the country as her parents set up churches before settling again in Santa Barbara. Growing up, she attended religious schools and camps, including Paradise Valley Christian School and Santa Barbara Christian School during her elementary years.[3][9] Her family struggled financially,[10]sometimes using food stamps and eating from the food bank intended to feed the congregation at her parents' church.[11]
Growing up, Perry and her siblings were not allowed to eat Lucky Charms as the term "luck" reminded their mother of Lucifer, and had to call deviled eggs "angeled eggs".[12]Perry primarily listened to gospel music,[13] as secular music was generally discouraged in the family's home. She discovered popular music through CDs she snuck from her friends.[14] While not strictly identifying as religious, Perry has stated, "I pray all the time – for self-control, for humility."[15] Following her sister Angela, Perry began singing by practicing with her sister's cassette tapes. She performed the tracks in front of their parents, who suggested she take vocal lessons. She began training at age 9,[16] and was incorporated into her parents' ministry,[4] singing in church from ages 9 to 17.[17] At 13, Perry was given her first guitar for her birthday,[4][18] and publicly performed songs she wrote.[10] She tried to "be a bit like the typical Californian girl" while growing up, and started rollerskating, skateboarding, and surfing as a teenager. David described her as atomboy during her adolescence.[19] She took dancing lessons and learned how to swing, Lindy Hop, and jitterbug.[20]
1999–2006: Career beginnings[]
During her freshman year of high school,[21] Perry completed her General Educational Development (GED) requirements at age 15, and left Dos Pueblos High School to pursue a musical career. She briefly studied Italian opera at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara.Firstly she used to sing in the churches.Her singing caught the attention of rock artists Steve Thomas and Jennifer Knapp from Nashville, Tennessee, who brought her there to improve her writing skills.[22][23] In Nashville, she started recording demos and learned how to write songs and play guitar.[13] After signing with Red Hill Records, Perry recorded her debut album, a gospel record titled Katy Hudson. The album was released on March 6, 2001,[24] and she joined The Strangely Normal Tour to support it.[25] The album was commercially unsuccessful, selling an estimated 200 copies[26] before the label ceased operations in December.[27]
Transitioning from gospel music to secular music, Perry started writing songs with producer Glen Ballard,[28] and moved to Los Angeles at age 17.[29] In 2003, she briefly performed as Katheryn Perry to avoid confusion with actress Kate Hudson. She later adopted the stage name Katy Perry, using her mother's maiden name.[30] After signing a record deal with The Island Def Jam Music Group, she became the female vocalist of the Matrix, a record production team that was working on an album. However, Island Def Jam cancelled the album before it was completed. She was later dropped by the label, and a solo album she had been working on with Ballard was shelved. Perry later signed toColumbia Records, though was soon dropped. During that time, she worked in an independent A&R company called Taxi Music.[31]
Perry had minor success prior to her breakthrough. One of the songs she had recorded for her album with Ballard, "Simple", was featured on the soundtrack to the 2005 film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.[32] She provided backing vocals on Mick Jagger's song "Old Habits Die Hard",[33] which won the 2005 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.[34] In September 2004, Blender named Perry "The Next Big Thing".[32] She recorded background vocals on P.O.D.'s 2005 single "Goodbye for Now" and was featured at the end of its music video in 2006. That year, Perry also appeared in the music video for "Learn to Fly" by Carbon Leaf, and played the love interest of her then-boyfriend, Gym Class Heroes lead singer Travie McCoy, in the band's music video for "Cupid's Chokehold".[35]
2007–09: Breakthrough with One of the Boys[]
Perry was part of the 2008 Warped Tour lineup
After Columbia dropped Perry, she was recommended by the company's publicity executive Angelica Cob-Baehler to Virgin Records chairmanJason Flom. Flom was convinced that she could be a breakthrough star and she was signed to the newly created Capitol Music Group, a merger between Virgin and Capitol Records, in April 2007. The label arranged for her to meet with producer Dr. Luke, in order to add an "undeniable smash" to her existing material.[36][37] Perry and Dr. Luke co-wrote the songs "I Kissed a Girl" and "Hot n Cold" for her second album One of the Boys. A campaign was started with the November 2007 release of the video to "Ur So Gay", aimed at introducing her to the music market.[38] A digital EP led by "Ur So Gay" was later released to create interest.[4][39] Madonna helped publicize the song by praising the track on the JohnJay & Rich radio show in April 2008,[40] stating it was her "favorite song".[41] In March 2008, Perry made a cameo appearance as a club singer in theWildfire episode "Life's Too Short",[42] and appeared as herself during a photo shoot in June on The Young and the Restless for the show's magazine Restless Style.[43]
Perry released her first single with Capitol, "I Kissed a Girl", on April 28, 2008,[44] as the lead single from One of the Boys. The first station to pick up the song was WRVW in Nashville, who were inundated with enthusiastic calls the first three days they played it.[39] The track reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.[45] One of the Boys, released on June 17, garnered mixed critical reviews and reached number nine on the U.S. Billboard 200.[46][47] "Hot n Cold" was released in September[48] and became the album's second successful single, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100,[49] while topping charts in Germany,[50] Canada,[51] the Netherlands,[52] and Austria.[53] Later singles "Thinking of You" and "Waking Up in Vegas" were released in 2009[54][55] and reached the top 30 of the Hot 100.[49]
After finishing the Warped Tour 2008,[56] Perry embarked on her first headlining world tour, the Hello Katy Tour, from January 23, 2009,[57] to November 2009.[58] On August 4, 2009, she performed as opening act for one date of the band No Doubt's Summer Tour 2009.[59] The Matrix's self-titled debut album, which Perry had recorded with the band in 2004, was released as a result of her solo success. She requested holding off the release until the fourth single of One of the Boys had been commissioned, but The Matrix was released onto iTunes on January 27, 2009, prior to the release of fourth single "Waking Up in Vegas".[60] On July 22, 2009, Perry recorded a live album titled MTV Unplugged, which featured acoustic performances of five tracks from One of the Boys, as well as two new songs.[61] It was released on November 17, 2009.[62] Perry also appeared on two singles with other artists; she was featured on a remix of Colorado-based band 3OH!3's song "Starstrukk" in September 2009,[63] and on a duet with Timbaland entitled "If We Ever Meet Again", from his album Shock Value II, in January 2010.[64][65] Guinness World Records recognized her in its 2010 edition as the "Best Start on the U.S. Digital Chart by a Female Artist", for digital single sales of over two million copies.[66]
In response to speculation that her parents opposed her music and career, Perry told MTV that they had no problems with her success.[67] After her relationship with McCoy ended in December 2008,[68] Perry met her future husband Russell Brand in the summer of 2009 while filming a cameo appearance for his film Get Him to the Greek. Her scene, in which the two kiss, does not appear in the film.[69] She began dating Brand after meeting him again that September at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.[70] The couple became engaged on December 31, 2009, while vacationing in Rajasthan, India.[71]
2010–12: Teenage Dream and marriage[]
After serving as a guest judge on American Idol,[72] Perry released "California Gurls" featuring rapper Snoop Dogg on May 7, 2010.[73] The song was the lead single from her third studio album, Teenage Dream, and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in June.[74][75] She also served as a guest judge on The X Factor UK later that month[76] before releasing the album's second single, "Teenage Dream", in July.[77] "Teenage Dream" reached number one on Billboard in September.[78] Released on August 24, 2010,[79] the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.[80] It received mixed reviews from music critics,[81] and has since sold 5.7 million copies globally.[82] In October, "Firework" was released as the album's third single.[83] It became the album's third consecutive number one on the Hot 100 on December 8, 2010.[84] The song has since been certified 9× Platinum in the United States.[85]
A remixed version of "E.T." featuring rapper Kanye West was released as the fourth single from Teenage Dream on February 16, 2011.[86] It topped the Hot 100 chart for five non-consecutive weeks, making Teenage Dream the ninth album in history to produce four number one singles on the Hot 100.[87] "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" followed as the fifth single in June,[88] and Perry became the first female artist to achieve five number-one Hot 100 songs from one album when the single topped that chart on August 17, and the second artist after Michael Jackson with his 1987 album Bad.[89][90] On September 7, she set a new record by becoming the first artist to spend 69 consecutive weeks in the top ten of the Hot 100.[91] In October, "The One That Got Away" was released as the album's sixth single.[92] The song peaked at number three on the Hot 100[93] and number two in Canada.[51] On February 13, 2012, Capitol released the lead single from Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection, "Part of Me", which debuted at number one on the Hot 100 and became Perry's seventh single overall to top the chart.[49][94] Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection was released on March 23.[95] "Wide Awake" was released on May 22 as the re-release's second single,[96] peaking at number two on the Hot 100[93] and number one in Canada[51] and New Zealand.[97] On January 5, she was named the sixth best-selling digital artist in the United States, with sales of 37.6 million units according to Nielsen SoundScan.[98] That month, she became the first artist to have five songs sell over 5 million digital units.[99]
Perry's California Dreams Tour grossed over $59 million
From February 20, 2011,[100] to January 22, 2012,[101] Perry embarked on the California Dreams Tour in support of Teenage Dream, grossing over $59 million globally.[102] On September 23, 2011, she performed on the opening day of the 2011 Rock in Rio festival along with Elton John,Claudia Leitte, and Rihanna.[103] In September 2010, Perry was scheduled to appear on the 41st-season premiere of Sesame Street. After her scene was uploaded to YouTube, viewers criticized Perry's exposed cleavage. Four days before the scheduled airing, Sesame Workshopannounced that the segment would not air on television, but would still be available to watch online.[104] Perry mocked the controversy shortly afterwards on Saturday Night Live, where she was a musical guest and wore an Elmo-themed shirt showing large amounts of cleavage during one skit.[105]
In December 2010, Perry played Moe Szyslak's girlfriend in the live-action segment from a Christmas episode of The Simpsons titled "The Fight Before Christmas".[106][107] In February 2011, she made a guest appearance on the How I Met Your Mother episode "Oh Honey", playing a woman known as Honey.[108] The role won her the People's Choice Award for Favorite TV Guest Star in January 2012.[109] She made her film debut in the 3D family motion picture The Smurfs as Smurfette on July 29, 2011. The film was a financial success worldwide,[110] while critics gave mostly negative reviews.[111] She hosted Saturday Night Live on December 10, 2011, with Robyn as the episode's musical guest. Perry's work on the episode received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised her performance in the episode's digital short featuring her and Andy Samberg.[112] In March 2012, she guest starred as a prison security guard named Rikki on the Raising Hope episode "Single White Female Role Model".[113] On July 5, 2012, Perry's autobiographical documentary Katy Perry: Part of Me was released to theaters through Paramount Pictures.[114] The film received positive reviews[115] and grossed $32.7 million worldwide at the box office.[116]
Perry began to venture into business when she endorsed her first fragrance, Purr, in November 2010. Her second fragrance, Meow!, was released in December 2011. Both perfumes were released through Nordstrom department stores.[117][118] Electronic Arts recruited her to promote their new expansion pack for The Sims 3: Showtime,[119] before releasing a separate stuff pack featuring Perry-inspired furniture, outfits, and hairstyles, titled The Sims 3: Katy Perry's Sweet Treats, in June 2012.[120] The following month, she became the spokesperson and ambassador for Popchips and made an investment in the company.[121] She was ranked third on the 2011 Forbes list of "Top-Earning Women In Music" with earnings of $44 million,[122] and fifth on their 2012 list with $45 million.[123] Billboard dubbed her as their "Woman of the Year" for 2012.[124]
She married Russell Brand on October 23, 2010, in a traditional Hindu ceremony near the Ranthambhore tiger sanctuary in Rajasthan.[125] Brand announced on December 30, 2011, that they were divorcing after 14 months of marriage.[126] Perry later stated that conflicting career schedules and his desire to have children before she was ready led to the end of their marriage,[127] and that he never spoke to her again after sending a text message that he was divorcing her.[128] She was initially distraught over their divorce, and said that she contemplated suicide.[129][130] After the marriage ended in 2012,[131] Perry began a relationship with singer John Mayer that August.[132]
2013–present: Prism[]
In November 2012, Perry began work on her fourth album, Prism. She told Billboard, "I know exactly the record I want to make next. I know the artwork, the coloring and the tone" and "I even know what type of tour I'm doing next. I'll be very pleased if the vision I have in my head becomes a reality."[133] Although she told L'Uomo Vogue in June 2012 that she planned to have "darker elements" in Prism following the end of her marriage,[134] Perry revealed to MTV during the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards that she changed the album's direction after periods of self-reflection. She commented "I felt very prismatic", which inspired the album's name.[135] "Roar" was released as the lead single from Prismon August 10, 2013.[136] It was promoted at the MTV Video Music Awards and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100.[137][138] "Unconditionally" was released as the second single from Prism on October 16, 2013,[139] and peaked at number 14 in the United States.[140]
Perry performing during The Prismatic World Tour in July 2014
Prism was released on October 18, 2013,[141] and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart.[142] Four days later, Perry performed the songs from the album at the iHeartRadio Theater in Los Angeles.[143] "Dark Horse" was released as the album's third single on December 17, 2013, and became her ninth number-one single on January 29, 2014.[144][145] In 2014, "Birthday"[146][147] and "This Is How We Do"[148] followed as the album's fourth and fifth singles, and reached the top 25 on the Hot 100.[49] Additionally, she recorded and co-wrote a duet with Mayer titled "Who You Love" for his album Paradise Valley. The song was released on August 12, 2013.[149][150] Perry began her third headlining tour, The Prismatic World Tour, on May 7, 2014. It started in Europe, and will continue through North America and Oceania.[151] before concluding in Europe on March 22, 2015.[152] On November 23, 2014, NFL announced that Perry will perform at the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show on February 1, 2015.[153]
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry named her fifth on the list of Top Global Recording Artists of 2013.[154] On June 26, 2014, she was declared the Top Certified Digital Artist Ever by the Recording Industry Association of America for certified sales of 72 million digital singles in the United States.[85][155] In May 2014, a portrait of Perry by painter Mark Ryden was featured in his exhibition "The Gay 90s", and shown at the Kohn Gallery in Los Angeles. Along with several other artists, she also recorded a cover version of the song "Daisy Bell (Bicycle Built for Two)" on a limited-edition concept album to accompany the exhibition.[156] That month, a portrait of Perry by artist Will Cotton was included in the United States National Portrait Gallery.[157]
Aside from her music career, Perry reprised her role as Smurfette in The Smurfs 2, which was released in theaters on July 31, 2013.[158] Like its predecessor, The Smurfs 2 was a financial success[159] and panned by critics.[160] In March 2014, she made a guest appearance playing herself in the season finale of the Kroll Show.[161] Killer Queen was released as her third fragrance in August 2013 through Coty, Inc.[162] In January 2014, she became a guest curator of Madonna's Art for Freedom initiative.[163] On June 17, 2014, Perry announced that she had founded her own record label under Capitol Records, titled Metamorphosis Music. Ferras was the first artist to sign to her label, and Perry served as an executive producer on his self-titled EP. She also recorded a duet titled "Legends Never Die" with Ferras on the EP.[164] She ranked seventh on the 2013 Forbes list for "Top-Earning Women In Music" with $39 million.[165] and fifth on their 2014 list with $40 million.[166] In February 2014, her relationship with Mayer ended.[167][168]
Artistry[]
Influences[]
Alanis Morissette (left) and Freddie Mercury (right) both significantly influenced Perry and her music
During the early stages of her career, Perry's musical style gravitated towards gospel and she aspired to be as successful asAmy Grant.[169] At the age of 15, she heard Queen's "Killer Queen" and has described it as being the song that inspired her to pursue a career in music.[170] She cites the band's frontman, Freddie Mercury, as her biggest influence and expressed how the "combination of his sarcastic approach to writing lyrics and his 'I don't give a fuck' attitude" inspired her music.[171] She paid homage to the band by naming her third fragrance Killer Queen.[162] Perry described The Beach Boys and their album Pet Sounds as having a considerable influence on her music: "[It] is one of my favorite records and it influenced pretty much all of my songwriting. All of the melody choices that I make are because of [it]."[172] The singer also holds the Beatles' album The Beatles in high esteem, and described these two albums as "the only things I listened to for probably two years straight."[173]
Perry cites Alanis Morissette and her 1995 album Jagged Little Pill as a significant musical inspiration, and opted to work with Morissette's frequent collaborator Ballard as a result. Perry stated, "Jagged Little Pill was the most perfect female record ever made. There's a song for anyone on that record; I relate to all those songs. They're still so timeless." Additionally, Perry borrows influence from Flaming Red by Patty Griffin and 10 Cent Wings by Jonatha Brooke.[174] Perry intends to become "more of a Joni Mitchell", releasing folk and acoustic music.[175] Perry's autobiographical documentary Katy Perry: Part of Mewas largely influenced by Madonna: Truth or Dare. She admires Madonna's ability to reinvent herself, saying "I want to evolve like Madonna."[176]
Perry has listed multiple artists as having inspired her work. She names Gwen Stefani and Björk as influences, particularly admiring Björk's "willingness to always be taking chances".[174] "Firework" was inspired by a passage in the book On the Road by Jack Kerouac in which the author compares people who are full of life to fireworks that shoot across the sky and make people watch in awe.[177] Her second concert tour, the California Dreams Tour, was reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz.[178] She also credits the 1996 movie The Craft for being the influence behind her song "Dark Horse",[179] and Eckhart Tolle's book The Power of Now for influencing Prism.[129]
Musical style and themes[]
"When I am in between records, sometimes I doubt myself. I'll be like: Did I just get lucky, or did I mass-manipulate the world into thinking that seven songs were worth a number-one position? And then I go back into the studio and I start writing, and the true essential oil of who I am comes bubbling back up and reminds me that it's always been inside of me, that nobody can take this away no matter what comment anyone makes."
—Perry on her confidence as a songwriter[180]
While Perry's music incorporates pop, rock, and disco, Katy Hudson contains gospel. Her subsequent releases,One of the Boys and Teenage Dream, involve themes of sex and love. One of the Boys is a pop rock record, whileTeenage Dream features disco influences.[181][182] Perry's fourth album, Prism, is significantly influenced by dance and pop music. Lyrically, the album addresses relationships, self-reflection, and everyday life.[183] Many of her songs, particularly on Teenage Dream, reflect on love between teenagers; W described the album's sexual innuendos as "irresistible hook-laden melodies".[29] Self-empowerment is a common theme in Perry's music.[184]
Perry identifies as a "singer-songwriter masquerading as a pop star"[185] and maintains that honest songwriting is very important to her. She told Marie Claire: "I feel like my secret magic trick that separates me from a lot of my peers is the bravery to be vulnerable and truthful and honest. I think you become more relatable when you're vulnerable."[15] Kristen Wiig commented that "as easy, breezy, and infectious as Perry's songs can be, beneath the surface lurks a sea of mixed emotions, jumbled motives, and contradictory impulses complicated enough to fill a Carole King record."[173] According to Greg Kot of Chicago Tribune, "being taken seriously may be Perry's greatest challenge yet."[186] The New York Times labeled her "the most potent pop star of the day – her hits are relatable with just a hint of experimentation".[187] Randall Roberts of Los Angeles Times criticized her use of idioms and metaphors in her lyrics and for frequent "clichés".[188] Throughout her career, Perry has co-written songs recorded by other artists, including Selena Gomez & the Scene,[189][190] Jessie James,[191] Kelly Clarkson,[192] Lesley Roy,[193] Britney Spears,[194] and Iggy Azalea.[195]
Perry has a contralto vocal range.[196][197] Her singing has received both praise and criticism, Betty Clarke of The Guardian commented that her "powerful voice is hard-edged"[198] while Rob Sheffield from Rolling Stone described Perry's vocals on Teenage Dream as "processed staccato blips".[182] Darren Harvey of musicOMH compared Perry's vocals on One of the Boys to Alanis Morissette's, both possessing a "perky voice shifting octaves mid-syllable".[199] Alex Miller from NME felt that "Perry's problem is often her voice" on One of the Boys, stating that "somewhere along the line someone convinced her she was like, well, a ballsy rock chick".[200] Conversely, Bernadette McNulty from The Daily Telegraph praised her "rock chick voice" in a review of a concert promoting Prism.[201]
Public image[]
Perry's trademark spinning peppermint swirl dress
Perry is considered a sex symbol; GQ labelled her a "full-on male fantasy",[10] while Elle described her body "as though sketched by a teenage boy".[21] Vice described her as a "'serious' popstar/woman/sex symbol".[202] She was placed at number one on the Maxim Hot 100 in 2010 as the "most beautiful woman in the world", with editor Joe Levy describing her as a "triple – no quadruple – kind of hot".[203] Men's Health readers voted her the "sexiest woman of 2013".[204] In November 2010, Perry told Harper's Bazaar that she was proud of and satisfied with her figure.[205]
Perry's fashion often incorporates humor, bright colors, and food-related themes[206] such as her trademark spinning peppermint swirl dress.[207]Vogue described her as "never exactly one to shy away from the outrageous or the extreme in any realm",[208] while Glamour named her the "queen of quirk".[209] In February 2009, Perry told Seventeen that her fashion style was "a bit of a concoction of different things" and stated she enjoyed humor in her clothing.[210] She has also described herself as having "multipersonality disorder" for fashion.[205] Perry lists Gwen Stefani,Shirley Manson, Chloë Sevigny, Daphne Guinness, Natalie Portman, and the fictional character Lolita as her style icons.[29][211]
On social media, Perry surpassed Justin Bieber as the most followed person on Twitter in November 2013.[212] In January 2014, she became the first person to gain 50 million followers on the site,[213] and won the 2015 Guinness World Record for most Twitter followers.[214] Forbes writer Dorothy Pomerantz commended Perry on her social media usage, saying "Perry makes excellent use of Twitter, talking to her fans and sharing funny photos and videos in a way that makes them all feel like Perry is their best buddy."[215] Keith Caulfield of Billboard stated that she is "the rare celebrity who seems to have enormous popularity but genuine ground-level interaction with her adoring KatyCats."[216]
Other ventures[]
Philanthropy[]
Perry became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in December 2013
Perry has supported various charitable organizations and causes during her career. She has contributed to organizations aimed at improving the lives and welfare of children in particular. In April 2013, she joined UNICEF to assist children in Madagascar with education and nutrition.[217] On December 3, 2013, she was officially named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, "with a special focus on engaging young people in the agency's work to improve the lives of the world's most vulnerable children and adolescents."[218] She arranged for a portion of the money generated from tickets to her Prismatic World Tour to go to UNICEF.[219] In September 2010, she helped build and design the Boys Hope/Girls Hope foundation shelter for youth in Baltimore, Maryland along with Raven-Symoné, Shaquille O'Neal, and the cast of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.[220] She has also supported children's education; in May 2014, Perry and a selection of other artists recorded a cover version of the song "Daisy Bell (Bicycle Built for Two)" for a concept album to accompany painter Mark Ryden's art exhibition, titled "The Gay 90s". All profits from sales of the album were donated to the charity Little Kids Rock, which supports musical education in underprivileged elementary schools.[156] In June 2014, she teamed up with Staples Inc. for a project entitled "Make Roar Happen" which donated $1 million to DonorsChoose, an organization that supports teachers and funds classroom resources in public schools.[221]
Perry has supported organizations aimed at aiding people suffering with diseases including cancer and HIV/AIDS. During the 2008 Warped Tour, she had a cast made of her breasts to raise money for the Keep A Breast Foundation.[222] She hosted and performed at the We Can Survive concert along with Bonnie McKee, Kacey Musgraves, Sara Bareilles, Ellie Goulding, and duo Tegan and Sara at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California, on October 23, 2013. The concert's profits were donated to Young Survival Coalition, an organization aiding breast cancer in young women.[223] In June 2009, she designed an item of clothing for H&M's "Fashion Against AIDS" campaign, which raises money for HIV/AIDS awareness projects.[224]
The proceeds from Perry's single "Part of Me" were donated to the charity MusiCares, which helps musicians in times of need.[225] During her California Dreams Tour, she raised over $175,000 for the Tickets-For-Charity fundraiser. The money was divided between three charities: the Children's Health Fund (CHF), Generosity Water, and The Humane Society of the United States.[226] On her 27th birthday, Perry set up a donations page for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Auckland,[227] and set up a similar page benefiting the David Lynch Foundation for her 28th birthday.[228] On March 29, 2014, she helped raise $2.4 million for the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles along with other celebrities such as Ryan Seacrest, Pharrell Williams, Tim Allen, Lisa Edelstein, and Riley Keough.[229]
Politics[]
Perry is a gay rights activist. She supported Stonewall during their "It gets better..... today" campaign to prevent homophobic bullying,[230] and dedicated the music video to her song "Firework" to the It Gets Better Project.[231] Perry told Do Something in November 2008 she was proud to be a gay activist, saying "I've always been a very open-minded person, but I definitely believe in equality." She confirmed that she voted against Proposition 8, an amendment (ultimately ruled unconstitutional) that legally defined marriage as a union solely between a man and a woman in California.[232] In June 2012, Perry expressed her hopes for LGBT equality, commenting "hopefully, we will look back at this moment and think like we do now concerning [other] civil rights issues. We'll just shake our heads in disbelief, saying, 'Thank God we've evolved.' That would be my prayer for the future."[233] In December 2012, Perry was awarded the Trevor Hero Award by The Trevor Project for her work and activism on behalf of LGBT youth.[234] She identifies as afeminist,[235] and appeared in April 2013 in a video clip for the "Chime For Change" campaign that aims to spread female empowerment.[236] She has also said that America's lack of free health care drove her "absolutely crazy".[237]
Through Twitter and by performing at his rallies, Perry supported President Barack Obama in his run for re-election and praised his support for same-sex marriage[238] and equality.[239] She performed at three rallies for Obama, in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Wisconsin, singing a rendition of "Let's Stay Together" as well as a number of her songs. During her Las Vegas performance she wore a dress made to replicate a voting ballot, with Obama's box filled in.[240] On Twitter, she encouraged her followers to vote for Obama.[241] In August 2013, Perry voiced criticism of Tony Abbott, then a candidate for Prime Minister of Australia, due to his opposition to gay marriage and told Abbott, "I love you as a human being but I can't give you my vote."[242] In April 2014, she publicly supported Marianne Williamson in her campaign for California's 33rd congressional district by attending a political press event.[243]
Achievements[]
See also: List of awards and nominations received by Katy Perry
Throughout her career, Perry has won five American Music Awards,[244] five MTV Video Music Awards,[245] fourteen People's Choice Awards,[246] and three Guinness World Records.[66][90][214] In September 2012, Billboard dubbed her the "Woman of the Year".[124] From May 2010 to September 2011, she spent a record-breaking total of 69 consecutive weeks in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100.[91][247] Teenage Dream became the first album by a female artist to produce five number-one Billboard singles, and the second album overall after Michael Jackson's Bad (1987).[89] Perry was declared the Top Global Female Recording Artist of 2013 by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).[154] She has accumulated a total of nine number-one singles on the Hot 100, her most recent being "Dark Horse".[145]
According to Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Perry is the best-selling digital singles artist in the United States, with certified sales of 72 million digital singles including on-demand streaming.[248] Her songs "Firework", "E.T.", "California Gurls", "Hot n Cold", "Roar", and "Dark Horse" have each sold over 5 million digital copies.[249] As of November 2013, Perry has sold 11 million albums and 81 million singles worldwide.[250]
Discography[]
Main article: Katy Perry discography
- Katy Hudson (2001)
- One of the Boys (2008)
- Teenage Dream (2010)
- Prism (2013)
Filmography[]
See also: Katy Perry videography
- The Smurfs (2011)
- Katy Perry: Part of Me (2012)
- The Smurfs 2 (2013)
Tours[]
Headlining
- Hello Katy Tour (2009)
- California Dreams Tour (2011–12)
- The Prismatic World Tour (2014–15)
Co-headlining
- The Strangely Normal Tour (2001)
- Warped Tour (2008)