Katy Perry Biography - Teen Idols 4 You

Date of Birth

25 December 1984, Santa Barbara, California, USA

Birth Name

Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson

Nickname

Katy

Height

5' 8" (1.73 m)

Mini Biography

Katy Perry was born Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson on October 25, 1984 in Santa Barbara, California to Mary Christine Hudson (nÃ©e Perry) & Maurice Keith Hudson. She has a big sister named Angela & a little brother named David, and has English, Portuguese, German, Irish, and Scottish ancestry. Her mother's half-brother was director Frank Perry.

Raised in a deeply religious family, Perry's first experience of performing was singing in church. A passion for music grew and at the age of 15, Perry began visiting Nashville, gaining experience of song writing and recording demos.

She signed to a Christian record label, Red Hill, and recorded an album, under her birth name of Katy Hudson. The album was not a success. At age 17 she moved to Los Angeles and collaborated with producer Glen Ballard, but was not able to secure a lasting record deal. Perry did sign to Columbia Records in 2004, but again this did not prove a success, and she was dropped.

An executive at Columbia recommended Perry to the chairman of Virgin Records, Jason Flom, which resulted in her signing for Capitol Music Group. She recorded her second album, "One of the Boys" and in the Spring of 2008 released the lead single, the controversial "I Kissed a Girl". The song proved a smash, hitting the number one slot in several countries. Other hit singles followed and the album was a commercial success.

Perry was now established as a pop superstar and cemented her position with the release of her next album "Teenage Dreams", which spawned more huge hits including "California Gurls" and "Firework". Many awards and music industry records followed. In 2012 Perry made the move into movies, releasing the documentary feature film Katy Perry: Part of Me (2012).

Katy has started her own record label called "Metamorphosis Music" and has signed her very first artist Ferras, who was signed to Capitol Records back in 2007 with Katy Perry. He had released an EP the same day that the record label news was released to the public. There is also a duet with Katy on his new EP; they are expected to be on tour together in North America June 22 in Raleigh, North Carolina-October 11 in Houston, Texas.

Trivia

Perry is her mother's maiden name.
Former Christian folk singer turned pop singer.
Released an album in 2001 as "Katy Hudson".
Parents Keith Hudson and wife Mary Hudson (neÃ© Perry) are both pastors. She's their middle child and has one older sister (Angela Hudson) and one younger brother (David Daniel Hudson).
Got engaged to Russell Brand during the Christmas holidays in 2009. They were dating since September 2009.
Her hit song "I Kissed a Girl" was partially inspired by actress Scarlett Johansson.
Is close friends with Rihanna.
Is friends with Perez Hilton, Adam Lambert, Ellen DeGeneres, and Christina Milian.
Niece of director Frank Perry.
Ranked #1 on Maxim magazine's Hot 100 Women of 2010 list.
Married Russell Brand in India.
Was voted #8 in the 2011 Askmen top 99 "most desirable women" list.
When growing up she wasn't allowed to watch MTV.
Has a cat named Kitty Purry. Cat has its own blog.
She can play acoustic guitar and electric guitar.
Her husband, Russell Brand, filed for divorce from her after a year of their marriage [December 30, 2011].
Voted #16 on Ask men's top 99 'most desirable' celebrity women of 2012 list.
Best friends with actress Shannon Woodward.
Wrote and sold songs to Kelly Clarkson and Jessie James Decker.
Has a younger brother, David Daniel Hudson (aka Danny), and an older sister, Angela Hudson.
When her single "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" from her hit album "Teenage Dream" went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 2011, the album became only the second album after Michael Jackson's "Bad" to generate five #1 singles. Perry became the first female artist to achieve this feat.
Was reportedly offered $20,000,000 to join American Idol (2002)'s 12th season in 2013 as a judge, but declined.
On her 28th birthday, she had lunch with First Lady Michelle Obama.
Frequent collaborator with Bonnie McKee.
Katy's ancestry is three sixteenths Portuguese (Katy's mother is of three eighths Portuguese descent). Katy's other roots include English, German, Irish, and smaller amounts (to varying degrees) of Irish, Scottish, Scots-Irish (Northern Irish), Welsh, French, and remote Manx (Isle of Man).
She once had 13 cavities as a child.
Katy once described herself as "a fatter version of Amy Winehouse and a skinnier version of Lily Allen". Later, Allen took offense to the statement and threatened to release Perry's personal phone number.
In 2009 while working on a magazine shoot, Katy had a chimp on set, which urinated all over her and forced her to take a shower in the middle of the shoot.
She attended Dos Pueblos High School in Santa Barbara, California before she dropped out of her freshman year to pursue her music career.
Perry has the most number of followers on Twitter. [November 2013]
She holds two Guinness Book World Record: 'Best Start on the US Digital Chart by a Female Artist' in 2010 and 'Best First Female with Five Number One US singles from One Album' in 2013.
Was in an on-off relationship with singer John Mayer, from 2012-2014. The two released a duet, together, called "Who You Love", in 2013.
Ranked #3 on Maxim's "Hot 100" of 2014 list.
Before Katy's mother Mary Hudson became an evangelical Christian preacher with husband Keith Hudson, she once dated rock icon Jimi Hendrix.
According to Nielsen data, Katy Perry's Super Bowl XLIX halftime show performance in 2015 was seen by 118.5 million viewers, making it the most-watched halftime show ever. Surpasses the previous record-holder's, Bruno Mars, 115.3 million viewers.
The first person to reach 100 million followers on Twitter.[June 2017].
Endorsed President Barack Obama for his 2008 Presidency.
Perry has a younger sister, Angela Hudson, who was featured on the cover of the single "Birthday," released in 2014.
In 2005, Perry had several music videos for songs from her cancelled album filmed. Although the album was never released, all but 3 of its songs and their accompanying videos can be found on the Internet if you search (A) Katy Perry. The actual title of the album is unknown.
Originally, Perry's "Swish Swish", the first promotional single from the album Witness featuring Nicki Minaj, was thought to be a revenge track about Taylor Swift after Swift released "Bad Blood." Perry later stated in an interview that this was not true and that "Swish Swish" was "an anti-bullying anthem.".
Perry adopted the stage name Katy Perry because her real name, Katy Hudson, was too close to actress Kate Hudson.
Along with Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry has sold two songs to Selena Gomez, "Rock God" and "That's More Like It.".
Katy's 4th album, Witness, has been described as a personal album full of powerful feminist ballads to songs about romance.
Growing up, Perry was only allowed to listen to gospel music.
She has been in a relationship with Orlando Bloom since January 2016. They visited Pope Francis at the Vatican in April 2018. They got engaged on February 14, 2019.
(March 5, 2020) Revealed that she is pregnant in the music video for her new song "Never Worn White". The baby on the way will be the first for Perry with fiancÃ© Orlando Bloom, she's due in the summer.
Is a natural blonde.
There was a 7 year gap between the release of her debut studio album (Katy Hudson (2001)) and her second studio album (One of the Boys (2008)).
At one time, she was often confused with Zooey Deschanel.

Trademarks:

Colorful outfits and wigs
Often makes references to food in songs and/or music videos
Love ballads
Powerful contralto vocal range

Quotes

If people want a role model, they can have Miley Cyrus.
[on who she wants to kiss] Scarlett Johansson before she gets married to Ryan Reynolds. She is a classic beauty. I love that 1940s pin-up look.
Have I ever kissed a girl? Of course I have. I can't sing a song and not have done it. That'd be complete hypocrisy. I fancy Scarlett Johansson, Natalie Portman and Angelina Jolie - I'd definitely kiss them.
[on Rihanna] We're friends and we're both kind of on this crazy roller coaster, and ... it's nice to have good girlfriends. I pride myself on having cool chicks in my life, and she's a cool chick.
[on future husband Russell Brand] He's a genius and geniuses are both wonderful and delicate in the greatest way.
[on The X Factor UK (2004)] The most gorgeous judge is Cheryl. That woman is just edible.
[on Rihanna missing her wedding] I was upset she couldn't make it but let me promise you, there was no one more upset about it than her. When you have an album coming out you don't have a spare second in the day and you're answerable to the record company. She felt really bad she couldn't be there but we're still the very best of friends. My girl organized the best bachelorette party ever and I'll always love her to bits.
Look, any couple in a serious relationship has that talk about babies, but we haven't decided when. Russell wants lots of children and I think there's something amazing about tons of kids running around. We probably won't have the talk again for a few years - it's important to enjoy each other before having babies.
My singing is really important to me, but when children come along they'll be my main focus. I'd never put my career in front of my babies - it'd be a case of fitting jobs around them.
(on her song "I Kissed a Girl") The song was inspired by a friendship I had with a girl when I was 15, and I did kiss her. I was totally obsessed with her. She was beautiful - porcelain skin, perfect lips - and I still talk to her, but I've never told her the song is about her.
"I Kissed a Girl" was inspired when I opened up a magazine and I saw a picture of Scarlett Johansson. I was with my boyfriend at the time, and I said to him, 'I'm not going to lie: If Scarlett Johansson walked into the room and wanted to make out with me, I would make out with her. I hope you're okay with that?'
This is a really important time in my life. I can't just be the girl who sang I Kissed a Girl. I have to leave a legacy.
[on her documentary Katy Perry: Part of Me (2012)] I wanted to show the entire operation. People just think I'm the girl wearing the ruby slippers. I wanted to show them at the end of the journey. I am the Oz as well.
The number one issue for me is equal rights, whether it's being able to be equal in love, and being treated equally whether you have ovaries or not. (Billboard, 2012)
[on her luncheon with First Lady Michelle Obama, 2012] Now my birthday is complete!
I remember hearing Killer Queen by Queen and falling down in what felt like slow motion in my bed listening to the lyrics. And I thought to myself, 'Oh my gosh, this music is incredible. These lyrics speak to me...' and that made me want to be what I am.
Queen's track 'Killer Queen' made me discover music and helped me come into my own at the age of 15. The way Freddie Mercury delivered his lyrics just made me feel like a confident woman; I'd say his fingerprint is all over me in general.
I get drunk, I pick my nose, I swear and I fart! I don't care, I'm not planning to become the President of the United States.
When I was 15, I fell in love with a female friend. I thought she was beautiful and wanted to be like her. She had such a huge impact on my life, but I never told her how I felt.
I've told my boyfriend that if Scarlett Johansson wanted to go out with me, I'd ditch him immediately. Female beauty can be incredibly powerful... Actually, I'm obsessed with beautiful women and their elegance. I like the paradox of appearing innocent and sexy all at once.
I think it's important to not just play the sexy card. Be sexy but be smart and sophisticated.
There's times when you see other people who, the only reason why they have success is because they're just shock jocks, which works for a period of time. I haven't really taken off all my clothes yet... Yeah, I've done my fair share of 'naked on a cotton candy cloud' situation, but everything is with a wink. It's not like, 'Here's my vagina'.
I don't believe in a heaven or a hell or an old man sitting on a throne. I believe in a higher power bigger than me because that keeps me accountable. Accountability is rare to find, especially with people like myself, because nobody wants to tell you something you don't want to hear. I'm not Buddhist, I'm not Hindu, I'm not Christian, but I still feel like I have a deep connection with God. I pray all the time - for self-control, for humility. There's a lot of gratitude in it. Just saying 'thank you' sometimes is better than asking for things.
People don't understand that I have a great relationship with my parents - like, how that can exist. There isn't any judgment. They don't necessarily agree with everything I do, but I don't necessarily agree with everything they do. They're at peace with - they pray for me is what they do. They're fascinated with the idea that they created someone who has this much attention on her.
You know you're living right when you wake up, brush your hair - and confetti falls out!
So put your rose-coloured glasses on/ and Party On.
[2008] Yeah, I made a joke about [being "a fatter version of Amy Winehouse and a skinnier version of Lily Allen"] earlier this year. I was just kind of joking and trying to be funny. I didn't mean anything by it. Comedians are not necessarily to be taken super seriously.
I'm like a fatter version of Amy Winehouse and a skinnier version of Lily Allen!
[June 2010] [Some of "Teenage Dream"'s content] is a bit sugary sweet but when you listen to the record head to toe I think it's completely appetizing. I didn't want to have just club songs. People are living real lives, working jobs, having relationships. There's definitely a bit more substance and perspective on this record.
I'm stressed out with the wedding and I keep smoking to calm my nerves. I do it even though I know it is really bad for me and I know I need to stop.