Katy Perry facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Katy Perry
Perry in 2024
Born	Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (1984-10-25) October 25, 1984 (age 40) Santa Barbara, California, U.S.
Other names	Katy Hudson Katheryn Perry
Occupation	Singer songwriter television personality
Years active	2001–present
Works	Songs discography performances videography
Spouse(s)	Russell Brand ​ ​ (m. 2010; div. 2012)​
Partner(s)	Orlando Bloom (2016–present; engaged)
Children	1
Relatives	Frank Perry (uncle)
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Pop dance rock
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Labels	Red Hill Java Columbia Capitol
Signature

Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and TV star. She is one of the top-selling music artists ever, with over 143 million records sold worldwide. Katy is famous for her influence on pop music and her unique, playful style. Vogue and Rolling Stone even called her the "Queen of Camp".

At 16, Katy released a gospel album called Katy Hudson (2001). It was not very successful. She moved to Los Angeles at 17 to make non-religious music. She then started using the stage name "Katy Perry" from her mother's maiden name. Katy became famous with her album One of the Boys (2008). This pop rock album included her first hit singles, "I Kissed a Girl" and "Hot n Cold". These songs reached number one and three on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Her disco-inspired pop album Teenage Dream (2010) had five U.S. number one songs. These were "California Gurls", "Teenage Dream", "Firework", "E.T.", and "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)". This made her the only female singer to have five number one hits from one album. The album's re-release, Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection (2012), added another number one hit, "Part of Me". Her album Prism (2013), which focused on empowerment, had two more U.S. number one songs: "Roar" and "Dark Horse". The music videos for "Roar" and "Dark Horse" made her the first artist to have multiple videos reach one billion views on Vevo and YouTube. Later, Katy released the albums Witness (2017) and Smile (2020). She also had a Las Vegas concert residency called Play (2021–2023). Her seventh album, 143, came out in 2024.

Katy Perry has the second-most U.S. Diamond-certified singles for a female artist, with six. She has won many awards, including four Guinness World Records and five American Music Awards. Outside of music, she released a documentary about her life, Katy Perry: Part of Me, in 2012. She also voiced Smurfette in The Smurfs movies (2011–2013). In 2017, she started her own shoe line, Katy Perry Collections. Katy was a judge on American Idol from 2018 to 2024. Forbes magazine named her the world's highest-paid female musician in 2015 and 2018. With about $350 million, she is one of the richest musicians globally. Billboard ranked her fourth on its "Greatest of All Time Pop Songs Artists" list.

Katy Perry's Early Life and Career

Growing Up in Santa Barbara (1984–1999)

Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson was born on October 25, 1984, in Santa Barbara, California. Her parents, Mary Christine and Maurice Keith Hudson, were Pentecostal pastors. Katy has English, German, Irish, and Portuguese family roots. Her uncle, Frank Perry, is a film director. She has an older sister, Angela, and a younger brother, David, who is also a singer.

From age three to 11, Katy's family moved often as her parents started new churches. They later settled back in Santa Barbara. Katy went to religious schools and camps. Her family sometimes struggled with money. They used food stamps and got food from a food bank.

Growing up, Katy mostly listened to gospel music. Other types of music were not encouraged at home. She found popular music by secretly listening to friends' CDs. She remembers hearing "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morissette, which really inspired her songwriting. Katy says she prays often for self-control and humility. She started singing by practicing with her sister's cassette tapes. Her parents let her take vocal lessons. She began training at age nine and sang in church until she was 17. At 13, she got her first guitar and performed her own songs. As a teenager, she tried rollerskating, skateboarding, and surfing. Her brother described her as a "tomboy". Katy also took dance lessons, learning to swing, Lindy Hop, and jitterbug. She finished her high school requirements early at 15 and left Dos Pueblos High School to start a music career.

Starting Her Music Journey (2000–2006)

Katy briefly took music lessons at the Music Academy of the West. Her singing caught the attention of rock artists Steve Thomas and Jennifer Knapp in Nashville, Tennessee. They helped her improve her writing skills. In Nashville, she started recording demo songs and learned to write and play guitar.

Katy signed with Red Hill Records. She released her first album, a Christian record called Katy Hudson, on March 6, 2001. She also toured that year. Katy Hudson did not sell well, and the record label closed down.

Katy then decided to make non-religious music. She moved to Los Angeles at 17 and started working with producer Glen Ballard. She chose Ballard because he had worked with Alanis Morissette, one of her inspirations. In 2003, she briefly used the name Katheryn Perry to avoid confusion with actress Kate Hudson. She then chose "Katy Perry," using her mother's maiden name. She later said "Thinking of You" was one of her first songs after moving to Los Angeles. She also performed new music at the Hotel Café while looking for a new record label.

In 2004, she signed with Ballard's label, Java Records. She started working on a solo album, but it was never released. Ballard then introduced her to Tim Devine at Columbia Records, and she signed with them. By 2006, Katy had finished songs for her Columbia album, Fingerprints. Some of these songs later appeared on One of the Boys. Other songs from Fingerprints were given to artists like Kelly Clarkson and Selena Gomez.

Katy worked with many songwriters, including Max Martin and Dr. Luke. She also recorded an album with the songwriting team The Matrix, but it was not released until 2009. Columbia Records dropped Katy in 2006.

Before her big breakthrough, Katy had some small successes. Her song "Simple" was in the 2005 movie The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. She sang backup vocals on Mick Jagger's song "Old Habits Die Hard" for the movie Alfie. In 2004, Blender magazine called her "The Next Big Thing." She also sang background vocals on P.O.D.'s song "Goodbye for Now" and appeared in its music video. In 2006, she appeared in the music video for "Learn to Fly" by Carbon Leaf. She also played the girlfriend of her then-boyfriend, Travie McCoy, in the music video for his band Gym Class Heroes' song "Cupid's Chokehold".

Becoming a Star with One of the Boys (2007–2009)

After Columbia Records dropped Katy, her demos were shown to Jason Flom, who worked at Virgin Records. He believed she could be a huge star. Katy signed with Capitol Records in April 2007. The label set her up to work with Dr. Luke to create a big hit song. Katy and Dr. Luke co-wrote "I Kissed a Girl" and "Hot n Cold" for her next album.

To introduce her to the music world, they released the video for "Ur So Gay" in November 2007. Madonna helped make the song popular by praising it on a radio show in 2008. In March 2008, Katy appeared in a TV show called Wildfire. She also appeared as herself on The Young and the Restless in June.

Katy Perry performing at the Warped Tour in 2008

Katy released her first single with Capitol, "I Kissed a Girl," on April 28, 2008. It quickly became number one on the US Billboard Hot 100. Her album, One of the Boys, came out on June 17, 2008. It reached number nine on the US Billboard 200 and sold 7 million copies worldwide. "Hot n Cold" was released in September and became another hit, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100. It also topped charts in Germany, Canada, and other countries. Later singles like "Thinking of You" and "Waking Up in Vegas" also did well.

After the 2008 Warped Tour, Katy hosted the 2008 MTV Europe Music Awards in November 2008. She won the award for Best New Act. She also won the International Female Solo Artist award at the 2009 Brit Awards. Katy went on her first world tour, the Hello Katy Tour, from January to November 2009. She also hosted the 2009 MTV Europe Music Awards again, becoming the first person to host it twice in a row.

In July 2009, Katy recorded a live album called MTV Unplugged. It featured acoustic versions of her songs and a new song. It was released in November 2009. Katy also sang on two songs with other artists: "Starstrukk" with 3OH!3 and "If We Ever Meet Again" with Timbaland. The Guinness World Records recognized her in 2010 for having the "Best Start on the U.S. Digital Chart by a Female Artist."

Katy Perry met her future husband, Russell Brand, in 2009 while filming a small part for his movie Get Him to the Greek. They started dating after meeting again at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. They got engaged on December 31, 2009, in India.

Teenage Dream and Major Success (2010–2012)

After being a guest judge on American Idol, Katy released "California Gurls" with Snoop Dogg on May 7, 2010. This song was the first single from her third album, Teenage Dream, and quickly hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100. She also guest-judged on British The X Factor. The album's second single, "Teenage Dream", also reached number one.

Released on August 24, 2010, Teenage Dream debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. It has sold 6 million copies worldwide. The album won the 2011 Juno Award for International Album of the Year. In October, "Firework" became the album's third number one hit.

"E.T." featuring Kanye West was released in February 2011. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks. This made Teenage Dream one of only a few albums to have four number one singles. "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" followed as the fifth single. When it hit number one, Katy became the first female artist to have five number one songs from one album. She was the second artist overall to do this, after Michael Jackson's Bad. For this amazing achievement, she received an honorary American Music Award and a 2013 Guinness World Record.

In January 2012, Katy was named the sixth best-selling digital artist in the U.S. She was also the first artist to have four songs sell over 5 million digital copies. On February 13, Capitol Records released "Part of Me", which debuted at number one. This was her seventh number one single. Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection, a re-release of Teenage Dream, came out in March. "Wide Awake" was released in May and also did very well.

Katy Perry at the Sydney premiere for her 2012 documentary Katy Perry: Part of Me.

Katy went on her second tour, the California Dreams Tour, from February 2011 to January 2012. The tour earned $59.5 million and won her the award for Best Live Act. In September 2011, she performed at the Rock in Rio festival.

In December 2010, Katy appeared on The Simpsons. In February 2011, she guest-starred on How I Met Your Mother, winning a People's Choice Award. She made her film debut as Smurfette in The Smurfs in July 2011. The movie was a big success. She hosted Saturday Night Live in December 2011. In March 2012, she guest-starred on Raising Hope. On July 5, 2012, Katy's documentary Katy Perry: Part of Me was released. It received good reviews and earned $32.7 million.

Katy also started her own businesses. She launched her first perfume, Purr, in November 2010. Her second perfume, Meow!, came out in December 2011. She also worked with Electronic Arts to promote their The Sims 3: Showtime game. In June 2012, they released a special game pack with Katy-inspired items. She became a spokesperson for Popchips and invested in the company. Billboard named her their "Woman of the Year" for 2012.

Katy married Russell Brand on October 23, 2010, in India. They divorced on December 30, 2011. Katy later said their different career paths and his desire for children before she was ready led to the end of their marriage. After her marriage ended, Katy started a relationship with singer John Mayer in August 2012.

Prism and Super Bowl Performance (2013–2015)

In November 2012, Katy began working on her fourth album, Prism. She wanted to make a record that reflected her feelings after her divorce. She said she felt "very prismatic," which inspired the album's name. "Roar" was released as the first single from Prism on August 10, 2013. It quickly became number one on the Billboard Hot 100. "Unconditionally" followed as the second single.

Katy Perry performing during the Prismatic World Tour in July 2014.

Prism was released on October 18, 2013. It received good reviews and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. It has sold 4 million copies. "Dark Horse" with Juicy J became her ninth U.S. number one single. In 2014, "Birthday" and "This Is How We Do" were released as singles. Katy's third tour, the Prismatic World Tour, ran from May 2014 to October 2015. It sold almost 2 million tickets and earned $204.3 million worldwide. She also performed at the 2015 Rock in Rio festival.

On November 23, 2014, the NFL announced that Katy would perform at the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show on February 1, 2015. Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott joined her as special guests. Her performance was highly praised. The Guinness World Records announced that it had 118.5 million viewers in the U.S., making it the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show ever.

Katy was ranked among the top global recording artists by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) in 2013. In June 2014, she was named the Top Certified Digital Artist Ever by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In May 2014, a portrait of Katy by artist Will Cotton was shown in the United States National Portrait Gallery. In November 2015, Katy starred in H&M's holiday ad campaign and recorded a song for it called "Every Day Is a Holiday".

In June 2014, Katy announced she had started her own record label, Metamorphosis Music, under Capitol Records. It was later renamed Unsub Records.

Outside of music, Katy returned as Smurfette in The Smurfs 2 in 2013. She also appeared in the documentary Brand: A Second Coming about her ex-husband Russell Brand. In March 2015, she released a concert film called Katy Perry: The Prismatic World Tour. She also appeared in the music video for Madonna's song "... I'm Madonna". In December 2015, she released a mobile app called Katy Perry Pop, where her character helps players become famous musicians.

Witness and American Idol (2016–2018)

Katy started writing songs for her new album in June 2016. She released "Rise" as an anthem for NBC Sports's coverage of the 2016 Summer Olympics. She chose to release it separately because she felt the world needed to unite. The song reached number one in Australia.

Katy Perry performing during Witness: The Tour in October 2017.

In February 2017, Katy released "Chained to the Rhythm" featuring Skip Marley. It reached number one in Hungary and number four in the U.S. The song also broke a Spotify record for the most streams by a female artist on its first day. The album's second single, "Bon Appétit" with Migos, came out in April. Its third single, "Swish Swish", featured Nicki Minaj.

Her album, Witness, was released on June 9, 2017. It debuted at number one in the U.S. To celebrate the album, Katy live-streamed herself on YouTube for four days, ending with a concert. She also went on Witness: The Tour from September 2017 to August 2018. In June 2017, she was featured on Calvin Harris's song "Feels", which reached number one in the United Kingdom.

Katy also recorded a cover of the song "Waving Through a Window" from the musical Dear Evan Hansen. She released "Cozy Little Christmas" in November 2018. She also recorded "Immortal Flame" for the game Final Fantasy Brave Exvius.

Outside of music, Katy appeared in the film Zoolander 2 in 2016. In February 2017, she launched her shoe line, "Katy Perry Collections." In August, she hosted the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards. Katy was hired as a judge on ABC's new American Idol for $25 million. The show started in March 2018. Katy began a relationship with Orlando Bloom in early 2016, and they got engaged on February 14, 2019.

Smile and Becoming a Mother (2019–2020)

Katy Perry at the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards.

At the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, Katy performed with Dolly Parton and Kacey Musgraves. Four days later, she released "365" with DJ Zedd. In April, she was on a remix of Daddy Yankee's song "Con Calma". She then released the singles "Never Really Over" in May, "Small Talk" in August, and "Harleys in Hawaii" in October. "Never Really Over" was especially praised by critics.

In June 2019, Katy appeared in Taylor Swift's music video for "You Need to Calm Down". In July, there was a legal dispute about her song "Dark Horse" and another artist's song. The initial ruling was later changed.

After releasing her single "Never Worn White" in March 2020, Katy revealed in the music video that she was expecting her first child with Orlando Bloom. "Daisies", the first single from her sixth album, came out in May 2020. Its second single, "Smile", followed two months later. The album, also called Smile, was released on August 28, 2020. Two days before the album came out, she gave birth to her daughter, Daisy Dove Bloom. The album received mixed reviews. She also released several EPs to promote the album.

Las Vegas Residency: Play (2021–2023)

Katy Perry performing on her Play residency in 2022.

On January 20, 2021, Katy performed "Firework" at the Celebrating America concert for the inauguration of Joe Biden. Four months later, she released a new single, "Electric", with Pokémon for its 25th anniversary. In December, she released "When I'm Gone", a song with Swedish DJ Alesso. This made her one of only three artists to reach number one on Croatia's ARC 100 list across three different decades.

Katy began a concert residency called Play at Resorts World Las Vegas on December 29, 2021. The show was inspired by movies like Honey, I Shrunk the Kids and Pee-wee's Big Adventure. She described it as "larger than life" and "the kookiest, most camp show I've ever put together." The show received great reviews. It ended on November 4, 2023, and earned $46.4 million.

In September 2021, Variety honored Katy in their "Power of Women" issue. She talked about her career, motherhood, and philanthropy. In October, on her 37th birthday, Katy guest-hosted The Ellen DeGeneres Show. She also starred in a holiday ad for Gap Inc. singing "All You Need Is Love" by the Beatles. In January 2022, she started a company called De Soi, which sells non-alcoholic drinks.

Katy recorded a country pop song called "Where We Started" with Thomas Rhett for his album, released on April 1, 2022. The next month, it was announced that Katy would create music for and voice the main character in an animated musical film called Melody. She also became the new face for Just Eat's advertisements. On June 8, 2022, Katy received the Key to Las Vegas, and that day was named Katy Perry Day.

Katy collaborated with Apple Inc. for advertisements for their GarageBand music software. Users could create "Remix Sessions" using her song "Harleys in Hawaii." Katy performed at the May 2023 Coronation Concert of Charles III at Windsor Castle. Four months later, she sold her music rights to Litmus Music for about $225 million.

New Music: 143 (2024–Present)

Katy Perry performing in 2024.

In February 2024, Katy announced she would leave American Idol after its twenty-second season. She wanted to focus on releasing new music. She released "Woman's World", the first single from her seventh album, on July 11, 2024. Two more singles, "Lifetimes" and "I'm His, He's Mine" featuring Doechii, came out before the album.

The album, titled 143, was released on September 20. Katy described it as "super high energy, it's super summer, it's very high BPM" and "just full of so much joy, so much love, so much light." On September 11, Katy received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards. She performed at the 2024 Rock in Rio festival on the day 143 was released. Eight days later, Katy headlined the pre-game show at Australia's 2024 AFL Grand Final. In December, she filmed a special performance titled Katy Perry: Night of a Lifetime for ITV in the United Kingdom. A deluxe edition of 143, called 1432, was released on December 20, 2024, with four extra songs.

Katy Perry's Music Style

Musical Inspirations

Alanis Morissette (left) and Freddie Mercury (right) both greatly influenced Katy Perry and her music.

Katy says her sister Angela has influenced her the most. Early in her career, Katy's music was gospel, and she wanted to be as successful as Amy Grant. At 15, she heard "Killer Queen" by Queen, which inspired her to pursue music. She calls Queen's lead singer, Freddie Mercury, her biggest influence. She even named her third perfume Killer Queen in his honor.

Katy says the Beach Boys and their album Pet Sounds greatly influenced her music. She also loves the Beatles' album The Beatles. She listened to these two albums for about two years straight.

She considers Alanis Morissette and her 1995 album Jagged Little Pill a huge musical inspiration. Katy said in 2012 that Jagged Little Pill was "the most perfect female record ever made." She also gets inspiration from Flaming Red by Patty Griffin and 10 Cent Wings by Jonatha Brooke. Katy's documentary Katy Perry: Part of Me was inspired by Madonna: Truth or Dare. She admires Madonna's ability to change her style, saying, "I want to evolve like Madonna."

Katy also names Björk as an influence, admiring her willingness to take chances. Other artists who have influenced Katy include Stevie Nicks, ABBA, Whitney Houston, Cyndi Lauper, and Mariah Carey. Her song "Firework" was inspired by a book where the author compares lively people to fireworks. Her California Dreams Tour was inspired by 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."

Music Style and Topics

Katy Perry's music mixes pop, rock, and disco. Her first album, Katy Hudson, was gospel. Her later albums, One of the Boys and Teenage Dream, are pop rock and disco-influenced pop. Her fourth album, Prism, is heavily influenced by dance and pop music. The lyrics on Prism talk about relationships, self-reflection, and everyday life. Her fifth album, Witness, is an electropop album. She described it as being about "360-degree liberation," including freedom from negativity. Many of her songs, especially on Teenage Dream, are about teenage love. A common theme in Katy's music is self-empowerment.

Katy calls herself a "singer-songwriter pretending to be a pop star." She believes that honest songwriting is very important. She told Marie Claire that her "secret magic trick" is being brave enough to be open and truthful. She thinks this makes her more relatable. Actress Kristen Wiig said that while Katy's songs are catchy, they also have deep emotions and mixed feelings. The New York Times called her "the most powerful pop star of the day" in 2013. Katy has also co-written songs for other artists, including Kelly Clarkson, Selena Gomez, and Ariana Grande.

Katy Perry's Voice

Katy Perry has a contralto vocal range. Her singing has received both good and bad reviews. Betty Clarke from The Guardian said her "powerful voice is hard-edged." Rob Sheffield from Rolling Stone described her vocals on Teenage Dream as "processed staccato blips." Darren Harvey from musicOMH compared Katy's vocals on One of the Boys to Alanis Morissette's, noting her "perky voice shifting octaves mid-syllable."

Katy Perry's Impact and Achievements

Katy Perry at the ARIA Music Awards in November 2014.

Katy Perry has won many awards. These include five American Music Awards, fourteen People's Choice Awards, four Guinness World Records, a Brit Award, and a Juno Award. In September 2012, Billboard named her "Woman of the Year." From May 2010 to September 2011, she spent a record-breaking 69 weeks in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100. Teenage Dream was the first album by a female artist to have five number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. It was the second album overall to do so, after Michael Jackson's Bad. In the U.S., she has nine number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. She also holds the record for 18 consecutive number one songs on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.

Billboard magazine ranked her as the 15th most successful dance club artist ever. They also ranked her fourth on their "Greatest of All Time Pop Songs Artists" list. In June 2015, her music video for "Dark Horse" was the first video by a female artist to reach 1 billion views on Vevo. The next month, her music video for "Roar" also reached 1 billion views. This made her the first artist to have multiple videos with 1 billion views.

With 143 million records sold worldwide, Katy Perry is one of the best-selling music artists of all time. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) named her the Top Global Female Recording Artist of 2013. The RIAA says Katy is the ninth top digital singles artist in the U.S., with 121.5 million certified song units. She was the first artist to have three songs receive Diamond certifications from the RIAA in 2017. These were "Dark Horse," "Firework," and "Roar." Six years later, "California Gurls" also became Diamond-certified, making her the female artist with the most Diamond singles in the U.S. Her albums One of the Boys, Teenage Dream, Prism, Witness, and Smile have each been streamed over one billion times on Spotify.

Forbes magazine has often listed Katy among the highest-earning women in music. In 2015, she was number one on their "Top-Earning Women In Music" list, earning $135 million. In 2018, she topped the "Highest-Paid Women in Music" list again, with $83 million. Forbes estimated her net worth to be $350 million in May 2024, including her on the list of "America's Richest Self-Made Women."

Other Activities

Helping Others (Philanthropy)

Katy Perry became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in December 2013.

Katy Perry has supported many charities and causes throughout her career. She has especially helped organizations that improve the lives of children. In April 2013, she joined UNICEF to help children in Madagascar with education and nutrition. On December 3, 2013, she was officially named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. She made sure that part of the money from her Prismatic World Tour tickets went to UNICEF. In September 2010, she helped build a shelter for young people in Baltimore, Maryland.

She has also supported children's education. All profits from the album The Gay Nineties Old Tyme Music: Daisy Bell, which includes her song, were given to Little Kids Rock. This charity supports music education in schools. In June 2014, she worked with Staples Inc. for a project that donated $1 million to DonorsChoose. This organization helps teachers and funds classroom resources. In May 2016, she worked with UNICEF to improve child care in Vietnam. In November, UNICEF gave her the Audrey Hepburn Humanitarian Award for her work.

Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj (right) performing for service members in 2010.

Katy has supported organizations that help people with diseases like cancer and HIV/AIDS. She hosted and performed at the We Can Survive concert in October 2013. The money from this concert went to Young Survival Coalition, which helps young women with breast cancer. In June 2009, she designed clothing for H&M's "Fashion Against AIDS" campaign. In February 2017, she co-chaired the Elton John AIDS Foundation Academy Award Party, which raises money for HIV/AIDS healthcare.

Money from Katy's single "Part of Me" was donated to MusiCares, which helps musicians in need. During her California Dreams Tour, she raised over $175,000 for charity. This money went to the Children's Health Fund, Generosity Water, and The Humane Society of the United States.

On her 27th birthday, Katy set up a donation page for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Auckland. She did something similar for her 28th birthday to benefit the David Lynch Foundation. In March 2014, she helped raise $2.4 million for the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.

Katy performed at the One Love Manchester benefit concert for the victims of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing. In March 2018, Katy announced Witness: Coming Home, a concert in her hometown of Santa Barbara. This concert helped those recovering from the 2017 California wildfires and 2018 Southern California mudflows.

Activism and Views

Katy Perry performed at events for Hillary Clinton during her 2016 presidential campaign.

Katy dedicated the music video for "Firework" to the It Gets Better Project. This project supports LGBT youth. In June 2012, Katy shared her hopes for LGBT equality. She commented that she hoped people would look back and see how society had grown. In December 2012, The Trevor Project gave Katy the Trevor Hero Award for her work helping LGBT youth.

Katy identifies as a feminist. In June 2016, Katy and almost 200 other music artists signed an open letter. It asked the United States Congress to increase gun control in the U.S.

Discography

• Katy Hudson (2001)
• One of the Boys (2008)
• Teenage Dream (2010)
• Prism (2013)
• Witness (2017)
• Smile (2020)
• 143 (2024)

Filmography

• The Smurfs (2011)
• Katy Perry: Part of Me (2012)
• The Smurfs 2 (2013)
• Brand: A Second Coming (2015)
• Katy Perry: The Prismatic World Tour (2015)
• Katy Perry: Making of the Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show (2015)
• Jeremy Scott: The People's Designer (2015)
• Zoolander 2 (2016)

Tours and Residency

Main Tours

• Hello Katy Tour (2009)
• California Dreams Tour (2011–2012)
• Prismatic World Tour (2014–2015)
• Witness: The Tour (2017–2018)
• The Lifetimes Tour (2025)

Co-Headlining Tours

• Strangely Normal Tour (with Phil Joel) (2001)

Residency

• Play (2021–2023)

See also

In Spanish: Katy Perry para niños

• Forbes list of highest-earning musicians
• List of best-selling music artists
• List of Billboard Social 50 number-one artists
• List of highest-certified music artists in the United States
• List of most-followed Twitter accounts