Portrait · Danilo / CC BY-SA 3.0

Katy Perry

Singer, songwriter and television judge

Born 1984

Katy Perry is an American singer and songwriter whose career combines theatrical pop, filmed performance and television. Born Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson in Santa Barbara, she developed her songwriting with Nashville gospel musicians as a teenager and released Katy Hudson. She moved to Los Angeles at seventeen, worked with Glen Ballard, and endured label setbacks and financial difficulties before Capitol supported her pop direction. One of the Boys and I Kissed a Girl brought the breakthrough. Teenage Dream expanded that success into a vivid sequence of songs and videos, followed by Prism, Witness, Smile and 143. Her stage career includes the Play residency at Resorts World Las Vegas. Her concert productions also became screen works, from the documentary Part of Me to the Prismatic World Tour and the Lifetimes Tour film. Beyond her own music, she voiced Smurfette in Sony’s Smurfs films and spent seven seasons on the American Idol judging panel with Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie, concluding that run in 2024. Her honors include a BRIT Award, MTV’s Video Vanguard Award and UNICEF’s Audrey Hepburn Humanitarian Award; the Recording Academy lists Grammy nominations rather than wins. She has served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2013. Her checked recent record includes the release of Watch It Burn in June 2026, the Paris concert film’s Japanese screenings and publicly discussed personal changes. Her older interviews provide specific listening choices, musical favorites and tastes, retained with their original dates and contexts.

Verified identityCore facts checked against named sources.

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Connected people

ConnectionJustin TrudeauPublicly acknowledged relationship in the checked September 2026 record.

ConnectionKristen WiigInterviewed Perry for Interview Magazine.

ConnectionLuke BryanAmerican Idol co-judge.

Deduplicated reporting · visible evidence

Latest Clippings

Current work, broadcasts and public milestones, each linked to the primary record used for publication.

Verified news · projects · public record

Latest Index

2026

NewsChecked against a primary source or trusted newsroom.

ScopeOnly attributable updates about Katy Perry's work and public record.

Broadcast
MTV airs her Isle of MTV Malta performance
LOS40’s September 25 report announces the television broadcast of the festival set recorded in Malta in July. Its account includes Watch It Burn alongside Roar and Firework; the broadcast date is distinguished from the live event.
25 Sept 2026Named dated broadcast reporting
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News
Perry publicly discusses her relationship
Checked October 1,2026: Rolling Stone Canada reports her public People interview about Justin Trudeau. The named relationship is distinguished from engagement or marriage.
3 Sept 2026Checked original or explicitly attributed reporting
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Project
The Lifetimes Tour film reaches Japanese cinemas
Universal Music Japan confirms September screenings of the Paris concert film, bringing the stage production to cinemas.
2 Sept 2026Checked original or explicitly attributed reporting
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Project
Watch It Burn joins her released music
The label announces the new song and Christian Breslauer-directed video. The checked release credits Perry and Justin Tranter among its co-writers.
25 Jun 2026Checked original or explicitly attributed reporting
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Project
Tribeca announces the concert-film premiere
The festival’s program names The Lifetimes Tour Live from Paris and director Paul Dugdale. Festival selection is kept distinct from a personal producing credit.
28 Apr 2026Checked original or explicitly attributed reporting
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Project
Bandaids precedes Watch It Burn
Universal Music’s November 2025 announcement confirms the released single and video. The label’s later Watch It Burn announcement connects the two songs.
7 Nov 2025Primary label release
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News
Listening to Cosmos
Before the flight, Perry said she was listening to Carl Sagan’s Cosmos.
11 Apr 2025Original interview
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Award
MTV honors her video career
MTV’s primary winners release names Perry for the Video Vanguard Award and the Roar Most Iconic Performance honor.
11 Sept 2024Checked original or explicitly attributed reporting
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Broadcast
A farewell to the judging panel
ABC marks Perry’s American Idol finale after her run with Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie.
20 May 2024Checked original or explicitly attributed reporting
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News
An audiobook in the Prism writing process
USA Today’s original album-preview report connects listening to The Power of Now with the writing of This Moment.
13 Sept 2013Checked original or explicitly attributed reporting
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Latest Index

MTV airs her Isle of MTV Malta performance

Perry publicly discusses her relationship

The Lifetimes Tour film reaches Japanese cinemas

Watch It Burn joins her released music

Tribeca announces the concert-film premiere

Bandaids precedes Watch It Burn

Listening to Cosmos

MTV honors her video career

A farewell to the judging panel

An audiobook in the Prism writing process