Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, known professionally as Katy Perry, was born on October 25, 1984, in Santa Barbara, California. Her parents were Pentecostal pastors, and she grew up listening to gospel music. Perry's upbringing was strict, and non-religious music was not allowed in her home. At the age of 16, she released a gospel album under her birth name, Katy Hudson, which was commercially unsuccessful.
Career Beginnings and Breakthrough
At 17, Perry moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in secular music. After being dropped by two record labels, she signed with Capitol Records in 2007. She adopted her mother's maiden name to avoid confusion with actress Kate Hudson. Her breakthrough came with the 2008 album "One of the Boys". The album featured the controversial hit single "I Kissed a Girl," which topped the charts, and "Hot n Cold."
"Teenage Dream" and Superstardom
Perry's second mainstream studio album, "Teenage Dream" (2010), catapulted her to global superstardom. The album became the first by a female artist to produce five number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100: "California Gurls," "Teenage Dream," "Firework," "E.T.," and "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)". This achievement tied Michael Jackson's record for the most number-one singles from one album. The album's success led to a major worldwide tour, the "California Dreams Tour". In 2012, she re-released the album as "Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection," which included the number-one single "Part of Me".
Subsequent Albums
Perry's fourth studio album, "Prism" (2013), continued her success with hit singles like "Roar" and "Dark Horse". The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Her fifth album, "Witness" (2017), explored a more electropop sound and also debuted at number one in the U.S. It featured the singles "Chained to the Rhythm" and "Bon Appétit". In 2020, Perry released "Smile," an album that focused on themes of resilience and self-improvement, influenced by her personal struggles with depression. Her seventh studio album, "143", was released in 2024 to largely negative reviews, with critics pointing to its production and songwriting.
Other Ventures and Personal Life
Beyond music, Perry has voiced Smurfette in "The Smurfs" (2011) and its 2013 sequel. She was also a judge on the television show "American Idol" from 2018 to 2024. Perry was married to comedian Russell Brand from 2010 to 2012. She later began a relationship with actor Orlando Bloom in 2016. The couple got engaged in 2019 and have a daughter, Daisy Dove Bloom, born in August 2020.