You could argue that Katy Perry is one of the few singers (apart from Justin Bieber) who managed to find instant success by tapping into YouTube. It was her hit single "I Kissed a Girl" which launched her into the spotlight. It explored the then taboo topic of homosexuality in women, sparking controversy among traditionalists and liberals alike. Here are 15 secrets you didn't know about Katy Perry.
Her real name is Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson but she had to get it changed to avoid confusion with acclaimed actress Kate Hudson. At first she tried experimenting with Katheryn Perry but eventually settled with Katy Perry, using her mother's maiden name instead.
Katy Perry was born on October 25, 1984. Which means she is part of the millennial group known for its energetic but laid back attitude towards the perils of life. Most of her songs are focused towards her own age group.
Believe it or not but Katy Perry grew up in an extremely orthodox and puritanical religious family, her parents were Pentecostal Christians who were so strict that she wasn't even allowed to watch TV or read books.
Katy Perry has two siblings. An older sister called Angela Hudson and a younger brother called David Hudson. Her brother is a renowned actor in his own right having starred in a dozen or so movies. His last movie was in 2014.
Russel Brand is an extremely popular comedian, writer and actor and could be more popular than Katy Perry herself. But the nature of their job and perils of fame caught up with them, resulting in the dissolution of their marriage.
While still in her teens, Katy Perry had already released her first album under the name 'Katy Hudson'. It could only reach a hundred people and the distributor eventually went bankrupt. Of course it now has a greater reach thanks to her fame.
By far her greatest asset isn't her amazing body - which kudos to Katy, has a great fan following in its own right - instead, it's her contralto vocal rage which few individuals on the planet are ever gifted with.
When Dannii Minogue was on maternity leave, Katy Perry was asked to play the role of a substitute judge on X Factor. She mentored hundreds of aspiring musicians along with Simon Cowell and Cheryl Cole. She even performed an impressive single called "The One That Got Away" on stage.
Katy Perry has a natural affinity to adorable little felines and owns a pet cat named Kitty Purry, an obvious reference to her own name. The cat is so popular that it has an entire blog dedicated to its name, documenting its daily life.
Katy Perry was given a massive sum of $20,000,000 to become a judge on American Idol's 12th season back in 2013. Despite the amazing price tag which was attached to the job title of judge, Katy Perry chose to deny it.
Katy Perry has close links with the Obamas and actually had lunch with the then First Lady Michelle Obama. She got to celebrate her 28th birthday in style by spending it in the company of the Obamas.
When Katy described herself as a 'fatter version of Amy Winehouse and the skinner version of Lily Allen', Lily took offense to the joke. It seems Katy hit a nerve with the rather harmless statement. Something tells us their feud has more to do with other underlying issues.
Katy Perry had the innovative idea of selling her product 'Mad Potion' on Twitter. She had a sizable portion of followers and felt that it would have a greater reach. So you could argue that she is a technology entrepreneur of sorts.
Katy Perry is one of the few in individuals on the planet who can look like a frog. Buzzfeed was the first to uncover this top secret talent. Although Katy thinks that it looks disgusting, the internet just can't sem to get enough of it.
Apart from writing her own songs (which Lily accused Katy couldn't do), she has also written songs for other esteemed singers such as Selena Gomez and Ashley Tisdale. We wonder if she could start a profitable side gig as a writer.
