October 25: Katy Perry - "California Gurls," "I Kissed a Girl" & "Firework" - is 27-years-old today.

 

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Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson grew up listening to only gospel music, sang in her local church and was not allowed to listen to "secular music" as a child. After earning a GED during her freshman year of high school, she began to pursue a singing career.







She released a self-titled gospel album in 2001 as Katy Hudson but it flopped when the record label went out of business. In 2007, she used the stage name Katy Perry and released her first Internet single, "Ur So Gay." She then hit it big with her second single "I Kissed a Girl" in 2008, which went on to top international charts.

Katy's first major studio album, One of the Boys, followed that same year and became the thirty-third best selling album worldwide of 2008. It achieved platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America.

Also, "I Kissed a Girl" and her second single "Hot n Cold" both received multi-platinum certifications. Perry was ranked the ninety-seventh Artist of the 2000–10 decade by Billboard.

In 2010, she recorded "California Gurls" with Snoop Dogg. (See below.)



 Recommended (Links to Amazon):
Teenage DreamOne of the BoysCalifornia GurlsMTV Unplugged (CD & DVD)







Her second album, Teenage Dream, was released in August 2010 and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. The album included the hit singles "California Gurls" and "Teenage Dream"; both of which topped the charts on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and on the charts in several other countries.





In June 2011, Perry released the single, "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" A remixed version featuring American rapper Missy Elliot was released in early August. The single has topped U.S. download and radio charts. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 on August 17, 2011, making Perry the first female artist ever to have five #1 singles from one album. 

Perry appeared at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards on August 28, 2011. She was nominated for ten awards, received the most nominations of the ceremony and was the only singer in history to have four different music videos shown on various categories, eventually winning three of those, including Video of the Year for "Firework," Best Collaboration and Best Special Effects for "E.T."

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