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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, and actress. 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. 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 2007.

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 100 chart-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 as Teenage 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.

Artistry

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Influences

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Alanis Morissette playing guitar
Freddie Mercury performing
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 as Amy Grant.[1] 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.[2] 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.[3] She paid homage to the band by naming her third fragrance Killer Queen.[4] 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]."[5] The singer also holds the Beatles' self-titled album in high esteem, and described these two albums as "the only things I listened to for probably two years straight".[6]

Perry cites Alanis Morissette and her 1995 album Jagged Little Pill as a significant musical inspiration, opting to work with Morissette's frequent collaborator Ballard. 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.[7] Perry intends to become "more of a Joni Mitchell", releasing folk and acoustic music.[8] Perry's autobiographical documentary Katy Perry: Part of Me was largely influenced by Madonna's Truth or Dare (1991). She has professed an admiration of Madonna's ability to reinvent herself, saying "I want to evolve like Madonna."[9]

Perry has also listed multiple artists and authors as having inspired her work. She names Gwen Stefani and Björk as influences, particularly admiring Björk's "willingness to always be taking chances".[7] "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.[10] Her second concert tour, the California Dreams Tour, was reminiscent of the settings in the books Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz.[11] She also credits the 1996 film, The Craft, for being the influence behind her song "Dark Horse",[12] and Eckhart Tolle's book, The Power of Now, for influencing Prism.[13]

Musical style and themes

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"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[14]

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, while Teenage Dream features disco influences.[15][16] Perry's fourth album, Prism, is significantly influenced by dance and pop music. Lyrically, the album addresses relationships, self-reflection, and everyday life.[17] 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".[18] Self-empowerment is a common theme in Perry's music.[19]

Perry identifies as a "singer-songwriter masquerading as a pop star"[20] 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."[21] 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."[6] According to Greg Kot of Chicago Tribune, "being taken seriously may be Perry's greatest challenge yet."[22] The New York Times labeled her "the most potent pop star of the day – her hits are relatable with just a hint of experimentation".[23] Randall Roberts of Los Angeles Times criticized her use of idioms and metaphors in her lyrics and for frequent "clichés".[24] Throughout her career, Perry has co-written songs recorded by other artists, including Selena Gomez & the Scene,[25][26] Jessie James,[27] Kelly Clarkson,[28] Lesley Roy,[29] Britney Spears,[30] and Iggy Azalea.[31]

Voice and performances

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Perry has a contralto vocal range.[32][33] Her singing has received both praise and criticism. Tony Cummings from Cross Rhythms declared her to be "a real vocal talent" on Katy Hudson.[34] Samar Grewal of Rolling Stone praised her vocals on One of the Boys as a "punky Fiest"[32] while Alex Miller from NME felt that "Perry's problem is often her voice" on the album, stating that "somewhere along the line someone convinced her she was like, well, a ballsy rock chick".[35] Rob Sheffield from Rolling Stone described Perry's vocals on Teenage Dream as "processed staccato blips".[16] Kot felt Perry's voice was "more of a sonic ornament than an expressive instrument on many of her songs" on Prism.[22]

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".[36] Sasha Frere-Jones described Perry's voice as "strong and bright", though felt it was "not enough to capture you without a killer hook".[37] Betty Clarke of The Guardian commented that her "powerful voice is hard-edged"[38] Bernadette McNulty from The Daily Telegraph praised her "rock chick voice" in a review of a concert promoting Prism.[39]

Public image

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Perry performing in a dress decorated with peppermint swirls
Perry's trademark spinning peppermint swirl dress

Perry is considered a sex symbol; GQ labelled her a "full-on male fantasy",[40] while Elle described her body "as though sketched by a teenage boy".[41] Vice described her as a "'serious' popstar/woman/sex symbol".[42] 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".[43] Men's Health readers voted her the "sexiest woman of 2013".[44] In November 2010, Perry told Harper's Bazaar that she was proud of and satisfied with her figure.[45]

Perry's fashion often incorporates humor, bright colors, and food-related themes[46] such as her trademark spinning peppermint swirl dress.[47] Vogue described her as "never exactly one to shy away from the outrageous or the extreme in any realm",[48] while Glamour named her the "queen of quirk".[49] 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.[50] She has also described herself as having "multipersonality disorder" for fashion.[45] Perry lists Gwen Stefani, Shirley Manson, Chloë Sevigny, Daphne Guinness, Natalie Portman, and the fictional character Lolita as her style icons.[18][51]

On social media, Perry surpassed Justin Bieber as the most followed person on Twitter in November 2013.[52] In January 2014, she became the first person to gain 50 million followers on the site,[53] and won the 2015 Guinness World Record for most Twitter followers.[54] 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."[55] 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."[56]

References

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ "Katy Perry on the 180 That Saved Her Career". NPR. National Public Radio, Inc. October 26, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2014.
  2. ^ Schneider, Marc (May 12, 2012). "Katy Perry Wants a 'Fucking Vacation' After Next Single". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 3, 2014.
  3. ^ "Freddie Mercury inspired Katy Perry to 'Kiss a Girl'". NME. Time Inc. September 26, 2008. Retrieved February 3, 2014.
  4. ^ Reed, Ryan (July 15, 2013). "Katy Perry Launches Third Fragrance: Killer Queen". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. Retrieved September 10, 2014.
  5. ^ "Katy Perry, The Things They Say". Contactmusic.com. Channel 4. Retrieved February 3, 2014.
  6. ^ a b Wiig, Kristen (March 2, 2012). "Katy Perry". Interview. Brant Publications. Retrieved February 3, 2014.
  7. ^ a b Mitchell, Gail (November 30, 2012). "Katy Perry Q&A: Billboard's Woman of the Year 2012". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved November 30, 2012.
  8. ^ Michaels, Sean. "Katy Perry wants to go folk acoustic – in style of Joni Mitchell". The Guardian. Retrieved February 3, 2014.
  9. ^ Dinh, James (April 6, 2012). "Katy Perry's 'Part of Me' Film Inspired By Madonna". MTV News. Viacom. Retrieved April 29, 2014.
  10. ^ Friedlander 2012, p. 123
  11. ^ "Katy Perry's 'California Dreams' Tour: What the Critics Are Saying". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. June 19, 2011. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
  12. ^ Rutherford, Kevin (October 22, 2013). "Katy Perry Reveals 'Prism' Influences, Adds Stripped-Down Performances at Album Release Event". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
  13. ^ Diehl, Matt (September 27, 2013). "Katy Perry's 'PRISM': The Billboard Cover Story". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
  14. ^ Woods, Vicki (June 2013). "Katy Perry's First Vogue Cover". Vogue. Advance Publications. Retrieved July 2013. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  15. ^ Musical genres of Katy Hudson and One of the Boys:
  16. ^ a b Sheffield, Rob (August 23, 2010). "Teenage Dream". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  17. ^ Trust, Gary (September 9, 2013). "Katy Perry's Future 'Prism' Hits: Industry Picks". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
  18. ^ a b Hirschberg, Lynn (October 22, 2013). "Katy Perry". W. Advance Publications. Retrieved November 2013. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  19. ^ Reed, James (October 20, 2013). "Perry shows many colors on 'Prism'". The Boston Globe. Christopher Mayer. Retrieved February 7, 2014.
  20. ^ Wallace, Amy (January 19, 2014). "Katy Perry's GQ Profile Outtakes: Going Back to School, Dating Musicians, and Plastic Surgery". GQ. Advance Publications. Retrieved February 2014. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  21. ^ Hoffman, Claire (December 9, 2013). "Katy Conquers All". Marie Claire. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
  22. ^ a b Kot, Greg (October 20, 2013). "Katy Perry album review; Prism reviewed". Chicago Tribune. Tony W. Hunter. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  23. ^ Pareles, Jon; Ratliff, Ben; Carmanica, Jon; Chinen, Nate (September 6, 2013). "Fall Pop Music Preview: An Abundance of Rhythms and Styles". The New York Times. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
  24. ^ Roberts, Randall (October 22, 2013). "Review: Hits pack Katy Perry's 'Prism'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  25. ^ Vena, Jocelyn. "Selena Gomez 'Had To Fight' To Get Katy Perry Song 'Rock God'". MTV News. Viacom. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
  26. ^ When the Sun Goes Down (Media notes). Selena Gomez & the Scene. Hollywood Records. 2011.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  27. ^ Jessie James (Media notes). Jessie James. Mercury Records/The Island Def Jam Music Group. 2009.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  28. ^ All I Ever Wanted (Media notes). Kelly Clarkson. RCA Records/19 Recordings. 2009.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  29. ^ Castellanos, Melissa (September 26, 2008). "Second Cup Cafe: Lesley Roy". CBS News. CBS Corporation. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
  30. ^ Garibaldi, Christina (December 4, 2013). "Britney Spears Explains How 'Amazing' Katy Perry Ended Up On Britney Jean". MTV News. Viacom. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  31. ^ The New Classic (Media notes). Iggy Azalea. The Island Def Jam Music Group. 2014.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  32. ^ a b Grewal, Samar (October 9, 2008). "Review: Katy Perry – One of the Boys". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  33. ^ Mirkin, Steven (February 1, 2009). "Review: 'Katy Perry'". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  34. ^ Cummings, Tony (July 26, 2001). "Katy Hudson – Katy Hudson". Cross Rhythms. Cornerstone House. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  35. ^ Miller, Alex. "NME Album Reviews – Katy Perry". NME. Time Inc. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  36. ^ Harvey, Darren (September 15, 2008). "Katy Perry – One of the Boys". musicOMH. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  37. ^ Frere-Jones, Sasha (November 18, 2013). "The Katy Show". The New Yorker. Advance Publications. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  38. ^ Clarke, Betty (October 1, 2013). "Katy Perry – review". The Guardian. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  39. ^ McNulty, Bernadette (October 1, 2013). "Katy Perry, iTunes Festival, Roundhouse, review". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  40. ^ Wallace, Amy (January 19, 2014). "Katy Perry's GQ Cover Story". GQ. Advance Publications. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
  41. ^ Hudson, Kathryn (August 29, 2013). "Katy Perry: Elle Canada Interview". Elle. Hachette Filipacchi Médias. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
  42. ^ George, Kat (May 24, 2014). "Does Madonna Need Katy Perry More Than Katy Perry Needs Madonna?". Vice. Vice Media. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  43. ^ "Katy Perry tops Maxim's Hot 100 list". CNN. Turner Broadcasting System. May 10, 2010. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
  44. ^ "The Hottest Women of 2013". Men's Health. Rodale, Inc. January 2013. Retrieved April 29, 2014.
  45. ^ a b Apodaca, Rose. "Katy Perry's Interview – Quotes from Katy Perry". Harper's Bazaar. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
  46. ^ Larson, John (September 14, 2010). "Katy Perry // "Teenage Dream"". Tacoma Weekly. Pierce County Community Newspaper Group. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  47. ^ Menyes, Carolyn (July 12, 2012). "Katy Perry Asked to Ditch Hazardous Peppermint Bra". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
  48. ^ "Fashion Fireworks: Katy Perry's Best Performance Looks". Vogue. Advance Publications. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
  49. ^ Lyons Powell, Hannah. "Katy Perry's Changing Style and Fashion". Glamour. Advance Publications. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
  50. ^ "Find Out What Influences Katy Perry's Cute Style!". Seventeen. Hearst Corporation. February 5, 2009. Retrieved April 29, 2014.
  51. ^ Young, Katy (October 1, 2013). "Katy Perry reveals her perfume preferences". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
  52. ^ Hollister, Sean (November 3, 2013). "Katy Perry passes Justin Bieber as most popular person on Twitter". The Verge. Vox Media. Retrieved November 4, 2013.
  53. ^ Buli, Liv (January 31, 2014). "Katy Perry Hits 50 Million Twitter Followers". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 1, 2014.
  54. ^ Grow, Kory (September 4, 2014). "Wherever They May Roam: Metallica Set Guinness World Record for Touring". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
  55. ^ Pomerantz, Dorothy. "Katy Perry – In Photos: Social Networking Superstars". Forbes. Retrieved February 6, 2014.
  56. ^ Gundersen, Edna (October 21, 2013). "Katy Perry tells how to 'tame the social media dragon'". USA Today. Gannett Company. Retrieved February 7, 2014.

Sources

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NOTE: Book references and movie reference should be kept here in case commentary is used from them

To do

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For Lead

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  • note that her music works in the range between dance pop and pop rock
  • note that her first hit ("I Kissed a Girl") came with an attention-grabbing and mildly controversial theme
  • mention that she is known for self-empowerment/self-esteem anthems ("Firework", "Roar")
  • mention that her songwriting is always in collaboration with others, especially Dr. Luke and Max Martin
  • mention that she is known for idiosyncratic, fun-based, over-the-top personal fashions (fruit designs, etc)
  • mention that she is known for elaborately staged and costumed concerts
  • reduce info between Katy Hudson and One of the Boys

For Artistry

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  • go more into vocals, both live and recorded
  • go more into performances

NOTE: reviews of tours and albums can be used

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