In response to speculation that her parents opposed her music and career, Perry told MTV News that they had no problems with her success. Ballard then introduced her to Tim Devine, an A&R executive at Columbia Records, and she was signed as a solo artist. Perry’s fifth studio album, Witness (2017), more introspective than her earlier work, was less well received. By then, however, Hudson had found new musical models in such rock artists as Freddie Mercury and Alanis Morissette, whom she had discovered through friends. She soon moved to Los Angeles to pursue success in the secular music realm, adopting her mother’s maiden name, Perry, to avoid confusion with the actress Kate Hudson. In June 2015, her music video for “Dark Horse” became the first video by a female artist to reach 1 billion views on Vevo.
She performed the tracks in front of her parents, who let her take vocal lessons like Angela was doing at the time. Perry primarily listened to gospel music, as secular music was generally discouraged in the family’s home. Perry later recalled a story about how a friend of hers played “You Oughta Know” by Alanis Morissette, which influenced her songwriting and singing.

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The show’s creators Benj Pasek and Justin Paul had requested Perry to cover the song to promote the musical’s national tour. She also recorded the song “Immortal Flame” for the game Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, and had a playable character modeled after her. After serving as a guest judge on American Idol, Perry released “California Gurls” featuring Snoop Dogg on May 7, 2010. The song was the lead single from her third studio album, Teenage Dream, and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in June.

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Other artists who Perry has cited as influences include Stevie Nicks, ABBA, the Cardigans, Whitney Houston, Cyndi Lauper, Ace of Base, 3OH! Her second concert tour, the California Dreams Tour, was reminiscent of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. She also credits the 1996 film The Craft for inspiring her song “Dark Horse”, and Eckhart Tolle’s book The Power of Now for influencing Prism. In addition, after Devine suggested that songwriting team the Matrix become a “real group”, she recorded an album, The Matrix, with them.

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In June 2019, Perry appeared in the music video of Taylor Swift’s “You Need to Calm Down”. Perry chose to release it as a standalone track rather than save it for her album “because now more than ever, there is a need for our world to unite”. Prior to ending her relationship with Mayer in 2014, she recorded and co-wrote a duet with him titled “Who You Love” for his album Paradise Valley. Perry’s third headlining tour, the Prismatic World Tour, began in May 2014 and concluded in October 2015. Four days later, Perry performed the songs from the album at the iHeartRadio Theater in Los Angeles. “Dark Horse” with Juicy J was released as the album’s third single in December, and became her ninth U.S. number-one single the following month.

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That September, a limited-edition Katy Perry doll was produced by Integrity Toys in response to her growing popularity. Her brother David described her as a “tomboy” during her adolescence, which Perry talks about on her song “One of the Boys”.

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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, and on a duet with Timbaland entitled “If We Ever Meet Again”, from his album Shock Value II, three months later. The 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. 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. Perry provided backing vocals on Mick Jagger’s song “Old Habits Die Hard”, which was included on the soundtrack to the 2004 film Alfie.

• 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.

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• During May 2024, it reached 4 billion views, making it the most viewed music video by a female artist on YouTube at that time.

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• Perry embarked on her first headlining world tour, the Hello Katy Tour, from January to November 2009 to support One of the Boys.

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• Teenage Dream became the first album by a female artist to produce five number-one Billboard Hot 100 singles, and the second album overall after Michael Jackson’s Bad.

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• “Unconditionally” followed as the second single from Prism on October 16, 2013, and peaked at number 14 in the United States.
• Perry embarked on her second tour, the California Dreams Tour, in support of Teenage Dream from February 2011 to January 2012.

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From May 2010 to September 2011, the singer spent a record-breaking 69 consecutive weeks in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100. Teenage Dream became the first album by a female artist to produce five number-one Billboard Hot 100 singles, and the second album overall after Michael Jackson’s Bad. Perry’s music has been described by Out as having a “lasting legacy”, with American singers Fletcher sampling “I Kissed a Girl” and Olivia Rodrigo referencing Teenage Dream on “Brutal”. 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. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five non-consecutive weeks, making Teenage Dream the ninth album in history to produce four number one singles on the chart. For this record, she received an honorary American Music Award in November 2011 and another Guinness record.

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• Perry released her first single with Capitol, “I Kissed a Girl”, on April 28, 2008, as the lead single from One of the Boys.

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• Later singles “Thinking of You” and “Waking Up in Vegas” were released in 2009 and reached the top 30 of the Hot 100.

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• Perry chose to release it as a standalone track rather than save it for her album “because now more than ever, there is a need for our world to unite”.
• Growing up, she could not listen to secular music, but at 17 a friend played her a recording of “Killer Queen” by Queen, which had a profound effect on her.
• Keith Caulfield of Billboard stated that Perry is “the rare celebrity who seems to have enormous popularity but genuine ground-level interaction with her adoring KatyCats”.

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• Perry is known for her influence on pop music and her camp style, being dubbed the “Queen of Camp” by Vogue and Rolling Stone.

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She also became the first artist to have three songs receive Diamond certifications from Lucky Mister casino the RIAA in 2017 with “Dark Horse”, “Firework”, and “Roar”. When “Teenage Dream” and “E.T.” received Diamond certifications in 2024, Teenage Dream became the first and only album in history with four Diamond-certified songs on its tracklist. Perry’s albums One of the Boys, Teenage Dream, Prism, Witness, and Smile have each surpassed one billion streams on Spotify.
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Katy Perry at Paris La Défense Arena

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• From May 2010 to September 2011, the singer spent a record-breaking 69 consecutive weeks in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100.

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• The world’s highest-paid female musician in 2015 and 2018, she was named by Billboard as one of the greatest pop stars of the 21st century.

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• Perry is among the wealthiest musical artists; during September 2023, Forbes surmised her net worth was $340 million.

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• Released on August 24, 2010, Teenage Dream debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, and received mixed reviews from music critics.

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• It has since sold over 12 million copies worldwide, being her highest-selling album to date.
• Other artists who Perry has cited as influences include Stevie Nicks, ABBA, the Cardigans, Whitney Houston, Cyndi Lauper, Ace of Base, 3OH!

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Perry recorded an album while signed to Columbia Records, but was dropped before signing to Capitol Records. Perry’s initial efforts at mainstream stardom were fruitless, with two separate record labels signing and subsequently dropping her before any material was released. She made a greater splash several months later with the single “I Kissed a Girl,” an assertive ode to sexual curiosity backed by a hard-edged electro-pop beat. Nevertheless, the combination of titillation and polished melodicism helped “I Kissed a Girl” become a number one hit in multiple countries, powering sales for her album One of the Boys (2008). Although Perry’s music incorporates elements of pop, rock, and disco, Katy Hudson contains gospel. One of the Boys is a pop rock record, while Teenage Dream features disco influences.