Katy Perry

Edgy and non-typically including herself in the good girl image, Katy Perry may be one great example of the future musician. Born on October 25, 1984 in a strict Christian family, Perry was later known for her song "Ur So Gay". Her parents are two devoted pastors who directed their daughter into singing in churches or local restaurants. Perry said that her mother used to ban her from listening to what they call "secular music." Thus, young Perry was apt in gospel music until one day during a slumber party she heard the voice of Freddie Mercury.

Inspired by the Queen frontman's style of singing, she was metaphorically 'opened' to another possible side of music, although it was not until much later that this side of her would come out as her main music style. At the age of 15 she moved from birth town Santa Barbara, Calif. to Nashville to work closely with songwriters. Steve Thomas and Jennifer Knapp of Red Hill Records signed her to the label to release her debut album which was self-titled while she used her name Katy Hudson. The album that contained Christian songs was released in 2001.

At 17, she 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.

By being in the club, Perry was introduced to a number of renowned musicians such as Greg Wells, Butch Walker, Dr. Luke and Max Martin. In November 2007 she offered free download of the song "Ur So Gay" on her MySpace account. It was an instant hit, but it was the second single "I Kissed a Girl" that propelled her to chart success. The latter song was used in an episode of teen drama series "Gossip Girl", thus prompting it to climb up the Billboard Hot 100 chart at #2.

Perry constantly added her live experience by scoring the opening act slots for big singers like Mika and The Starting Line. Her full-length debut album "One of the Boys" then hit the U.S. stores on June 17, 2008, peaking at No. 9 on Hot 200.

While pursuing a singing career, Perry met Travis McCoy when she recorded a song in a studio in New York and dated him soon afterwards. They played a couple in Gym Class Heroes' "Cupid's Chokehold" music video. After having a casual dating for several years, she was given a promise ring in 2008, but they broke up several months later. They rekindled their romance in April 2009 only to go their separate ways again few months after.

In summer at the same year, Perry was romantically linked to British comedian Russell Brand. She first met him on the set of his movie "Get Him to the Greek" and ran into each other again at MTV Video Music Awards. She got proposed by the funnyman on New Year's Eve of 2010 during a trip to India, and talks about their impending wedding floated the web ever since.

They married on October 23, 2010, in a traditional Hindu ceremony near the Ranthambhore tiger sanctuary in Rajasthan, India. Besides moving on to a new love, Perry rushed a new album "Teenage Dream". ...

The album two six hit singles "California Gurls", "Teenage Dream", "Firework", "E.T.", and "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" and "The One That Got Away". The first five ruled Hot 100 and the six peaked at No. 3. The album is the second in history to have five number ones from one album (after Michael Jackson's Bad), the first by a female to achieve this milestone and the third album in history to produce eight top-five hits. Those singles including two from the repackaged album sold over two million downloads in the United States alone, breaking the previous record of Fergie's "The Dutchess" (five multi-platinum songs). By January 2012, she was named the sixth best-selling digital artist in the United States.

During her hectic career as a performing artist, she made her debut in 2011's 3D family movie "The Smurfs" voicing Smurfette. The film was a commercial success despite gaining negative reviews. It collected more than half a billion dollars across the globe in ticket revenues. She reprised the role in the second installment filmed two years later.

Unfortunately, her personal love life was not as bright as her career. After 14 months of marriage while she was at the peak

Despite her heartbreak, show must go on and so she continued traveling the world to fulfill her commitment to her fans until January 2012. She was nominated for five awards for her traveling show that featured extravagant decorations and costumes. She won three of them including Choice Music: Tour for Teen Choice Awards and Favorite Tour Headliner for People's Choice Awards. The Katy Perry Teenage Dream tour experience was filmed in 3D by and was later showcased in theaters in autobiographical flick dubbed "Katy Perry: Part of Me" which was quite a success.

Afterwards, Perry slowed down a bit. While she was no longer touring and promoting singles, she was working hard to put together a next album that could match the success of her 2010 LP. "Prism" was announced later with its lead single "Roar" set for the ...

first offering. Unlike its bubbly, fun predecessor, this new one is planned to explore her darker side. It's confirmed as she retired her bright-wigged alter ego in the teaser of her new single.