Katy Perry - Artistry / Public image
Artistry
Musical style and themes
Perry has a contralto vocal range.[71] Perry's first album is of the gospel music genre.[12][19] She related that her perspective in music was "a bit enclosed and very strict", and everything she did was church-related.[12] Her second album, One of the Boys, is described as "secular" and "rock," and reflects a departure from her religious musical roots.[12] Her next album Teenage Dream featured more pop songs in the vein of Boys.[16][72] Among Perry's musical influences are Alanis Morissette,[14][23] pop rockers Cyndi Lauper, Pat Benatar, Joan Jett, Shirley Manson,[73] and Freddie Mercury,[13] the late frontman of the British band Queen. In her tribute to Mercury on what would have been his 65th birthday, Perry stated; "Without you I wouldn't be making music or doing what I do because your lyrics inspired me as a 15 year old girl."[74] She was especially inspired by the Queen song, "Killer Queen" to pursue a career in pop music after her first album.[12] She also described Morissette's album, Jagged Little Pill as having influenced her music profoundly; even going on to work with Morissette's collaborator on the album, Glen Ballard because of that.[18]
Perry is artistically involved in her projects, especially in the writing process. Since she could play guitar, she would start writing songs at home and present it to her producers. Perry is mostly inspired by specific moments of her life. She said it is easy for her to write songs about heartbreak.[13] Most of the themes in One of the Boys deal with heartbreak, teen adventure, and "puking into toilets".[18] Perry's mother reportedly told British tabloid Daily Mail that she dislikes her daughter's music, calling it "shameful and disgusting".[12][75] Perry said her mother was misquoted and told MTV that it was false information.[75] Her songs "Ur So Gay" and "I Kissed a Girl" have received negative reactions from both religious and gay sectors.[75] The songs have been respectively labeled as being homophobic and promoting homosexuality, as well as "lez ploitational".[12] MTV mentioned criticism suggesting that Perry is using "bi-curiosity" as a way to sell records.[75] Perry responded to the controversy surrounding "Ur So Gay": "It's not a negative connotation. It's not, 'you're so gay,' like, 'you're so lame,' but the fact of the matter is that this boy should've been gay. I totally understand how it could be misconstrued or whatever ... It wasn't stereotyping anyone in particular, I was talking about ex-boyfriends."[76]
Personal life
Perry has been generally associated with three men: Matt Thiessen, Travie McCoy, and Russell Brand. She dated Relient K frontman Matt Thiessen for a few years. The two worked together on Perry's album Teenage Dream[77] as well as Kelly Clarkson's 2009 album All I Ever Wanted.[78] Perry dated Gym Class Heroes frontman Travie McCoy, whom she met in a recording studio in New York.[20] They broke up in December 2008.[79]
Perry first met British comedian Russell Brand in the summer of 2008[80] when Perry filmed a cameo appearance for Brand's film Get Him to the Greek.[81] Perry and Brand began dating after meeting again in September 2009 at the MTV Video Music Awards,[82] where Brand, as host, remarked, "Katy Perry didn't win an award and she's staying at the same hotel as me, so she's gonna need a shoulder to cry on. So in a way, I'm the real winner tonight." The couple became engaged in December 2009 while vacationing in India.[83][84][85] Perry stated that she plans to take dual British citizenship. "One of the first things I'll do is apply for dual citizenship. I'm not too sure if I have to take a test as I've not had time to look into it. But England is like my second home".[86] Perry and Brand married on October 23, 2010 in a traditional Hindu ceremony near the Ranthambhore tiger sanctuary in Rajasthan, India, where Brand had proposed.[87][88]
In an interview with Rolling Stone she said, "I am sensitive to Russell taking the Lord's name in vain and to Lady Gaga putting a rosary in her mouth. I think when you put sex and spirituality in the same bottle and shake it up, bad things happen."[89][90][91]
Public image
Perry is known for her unconventional style of dress.[16] It is often humorous, bright in color, and reminiscent of different decades, and she frequently used fruit-shaped accessories, mainly watermelon, as part of her outfits.[73] Since the Teenage Dream era, Perry has included more glamorous and food-related outfits in her wardrobe.[citation needed] Having learned dancing at an early age, she fantasized about having her own style. Perry's transformation into an artist began with fashion, inspired by American film actress Dominique Swain's portrayal in 1997 film adaptation of the novel Lolita.[18] She defines her fashion style as "a bit of a concoction of different things".[16] Johnny Wujek, Perry's stylist, described her style, upon meeting her for the first time, as "very colorful and vintage".[92] Her fashion has caught the attention of designers.[12][73] In June 2008, a publicity photo that showed Perry posing with a switchblade was criticized.[93] The picture was defended as only an effort to give Perry a "sexy, harder edge".[93] The criticism leveled at her was mocked by Perry who subsequently posed with a spoon instead.[94] She has appeared in FHM Magazine's 100 Sexiest Women poll twice, ranking at No.23 in 2009 and No.37 in 2010.[95]
She was ranked 7th in Rolling Stone's global Queen of Pop poll in July 2011.[96] Perry is also a gay activist. According to Dosomething.org, Perry had stated "I am a gay activist and I say that proudly. I voted no on Prop 8 [California’s Nov. 4, 2008 amendment declaring that marriage is definied as a union solely between a man and a woman], of course."[97]
