Katy Perry has a great glam-girl look going with her jet-black hair and painted red lips, despite being a natural blonde. Because she's young, there's a certain innocent air about her, but her straightforward demeanor and her sense of style make her seem equally grounded and confident and now she's making a name in the poker industry!
Yep, I was once watching celebrity poker player Katy Perry's “Waking Up In Vegas” when I saw Daniel Nugreanu playing poker! Katy Perry grew up singing in a choir, going to Christian schools, attending Christian camp, and listening to gospel music. Her mother banned “secular music” from the house.
So when exactly did she find time to kiss a girl, like it and write a chart-topping song about it? We’re guessing what happens in Christian camp, stays in Christian camp. While the song was released in 2008, Perry embarked on the Hello Katy Tour in January of 2009, was nominated for as Grammy for “I Kissed a Girl” and won Best International Female Artist at the 2009 BRIT Awards.
Katheryn Hudson a.k.a Katy Perry admits she wasn't a "good little church school", and often marched to the beat of her own drum. She was a tad rebellious and loved her Queen album, which she says served as a huge inspiration for her to become a singer. At the age of 15 she moved from birth town Santa Barbara, Calif. to Nashville to work closely with songwriters.
Red Hill Records' Steve Thomas and Jennifer Knapp signed her to the label to release her debut album which was self-titled while she used her name Katy Hudson. In 2001, when she was just 17 years old, Katy Perry released her first album, a Christian self-titled CD with a true gospel sound. She then experimented as a solo musician as well as singing with a live band.
Katy Perry's songs were picked up for various soundtracks along the way, including for MTV's The Hills, with Lauren Conrad and Heidi Montag, as well as for the flick The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in 2005 with Blake Lively. However, she was still waiting for her big break.
At 17, Katy Perry met Glen Ballard who is responsible for the extreme success of Alanis Morissette in the album "Jagged Little Pill". Citing Morissette as one of her influences, Perry found comfort in working with Ballard who then gave her necessary mentor. In 2004 she became the vocalist of The Matrix production team and recorded some songs with Ballard that made her dubbed "The Next Big Thing" by Blender magazine. Through her sessions with Ballard, Perry was heard by Capitol Music executive, Jason Flom who then agreed to sign her in Spring 2007.
It finally came when Katy Perry attracted the attention of well-known record agency Virgin Records, and they signed her. It was a long haul but, in 2007, Katy Perry began recording her second album, One of the Boys, which included the hit singles "UR So Gay" and "I Kissed a Girl." The album was released in 2008, and a song from it was used on the soundtrack for the comedy flick Baby Mama, starring Amy Poehler and Tina Fey.
Also in 2008, Katy Perry decided to try her hand at acting and appeared in one episode of the television show Wildfire. That summer, she joined musical acts like Gym Class Heroes and Reel Big Fish in the 2008 Warped Tour. She appeared on The Young and the Restless in June 2008 as well, adding to her modest but growing acting resume.
"I definitely want to make a follow-up pop, fun record. I'm not looking to alienate my fans, but I can't be that grown-up Shirley Temple girl wearing the stupid strawberry in her hair all the time ... because I'd kill myself or someone else would for me," – Katy Perry.
