KATY PERRY : FROM THE BEACH TO THE STARS.

A PERFECT FIT FOR STARS ON BEACH.

It's hard to find a better topic that fits with the theme of this blog : show business stars and their presence on the beaches.

Our star today ?  Katy Perry : one of the biggest superstars on the planet.  Not only because of the dominant place she has carved out for herself in the field of music thanks to her immense talents as a singer-songwriter; but also a star by her remarkable beauty, her flamboyant style, her impressive personality, and even as a very successful businesswoman (shoe line, fragrances, Popchips, mobile app game).  

She is one of the world's best paid entertainers.  According to FORBES, her net worth = $ 330 million.

AN ACCLAIMED AND AWARD-WINNING SUPER POP STAR

Some statistics to demonstrate the incredible popularity of the 37-year-old American singer, who makes crowds run during her large-scale shows ?  Here are some of them :

• One of the best artists of all time with more than 143 million records sold worldwide (18 million albums + 125 million singles;
• All of her albums with Capitol Records have surpassed more than a billion streams on Spotify;
• Nine number one songs (including three certified diamond), and three number one albums on the U.S. charts;
• Many Guinness World Records : 
• * Most followers on Twitter (> 100 million); She is still the most followed female artist on this network;
• * Highest annual earnings for a female Pop Star ($ 135 million, in 2015); 
• * First female to have five No. 1 singles from one album (Teenage Dream); 
• * Largest TV audience for a Super Bowl half-time performance (118½ million);
• * Biggest selling digital artist.
• * Seven multi-platinum records in the span of just five years (2008-2013);

• Fourteen People's Choice Awards;
• Fourth best artist of all time in the field of pop song, according to Billboard;
• Five Billboard Music Awards;
• Five American Music Awards;
• A Brit Award;
• A Juno Award;
• First artist with a video with more than a billion "views" on Vivo (Roar), she added another one later (Dark Horse);
• Among the artists who accumulated the most income from 2011 to 2019, according to FORBES;

And the list could go on and on.

A BEACH STAR

Katy Perry beach star ?  Certainly !  Perry, whose real name is Elizabeth Hudson, was born on October 25, 1984, in Santa Barbara, California.  She grew up near the beach of this beautiful place.

One of the most important influences that forged his musical career was the Beach Boys' album "Pet Sounds".  Her big hit "California Gurls" (co-written with Snoop Dog), which has sold more than five million copies, is reminiscent of "California Girls", a classic of the Beach Boys, even if the two songs have in common only the lyrics : "I wish they all could be California girls" (Beach Boys), and "I wish you all could be California girls" (Snoop Dog/Perry).

Katy Perry told Jimmy Fallon : «Pet Sounds is one of my favorite records and it influenced pretty much all my songwriting.  All of my melody choices that I make are because of Pet Sounds».

Two of the original Beach Boys said they like Perry's California Gurls song.  Brian Wilson appreciates the melody and the reference to his band.  About Katy's interpretation, Wilson said : «I love her vocal.  She sounds very clear and energetic».

Mike Love, the other Beach Boy who commented Perry's song, added a bit of humour : «I think she's really clever.  We have a lot in common now : we both have done songs called "California Girls" and we've both kissed girls and liked it» (...) «My band has always accentuated the positive, and hers is a positive message about California Girls, so what's not to like».

CHILDHOOD, PARENTS, AND SANTA BARBARA

Katy Perry's parents were "Born Again Christian" ministers.  Unlike most Santa Barbara residents, they were not rich. They imposed very strict education and morals on their children.  For example, apart from church songs and gospel, all other musical genres were forbidden to them.

Here's what Katy Perry once said about her childhood, her parents, and Santa Barbara :

«I didn't have a childhood».

«I grew up not really having anything, so the idea that I can take care of my family and my friends now is a really cool bonus».

«I was raised in a super sheltered atmosphere where we didn't watch anything besides Trinity Broadcasting Network -which was called TBN- or the Fox News channel».

«Everyone related to me in my circle was from church : church friends, church school, church activities.  All my friends weren't allowed to watch MTV or go to PG-13 movies or listen to the radio, so I didn't really know anything different.  That's how I was raised».

«I wasn't going to great schools, because my parents didn't believe in public education.  They wanted the education to be influenced by their religion, so I was going to these halfway education-slash-Christian schools that were like pop-up shop-style education».

«I grew up listening to gospel.  That was the only thing I had reference to because that was what my family was involved with».

«My dad would give me $ 10, which is a lot of money when you're 9, to sing at church, on tables at restaurants, at family functions, just about anywhere».

«My parents were strict, but it was the world I lived in.  I had no idea there was a world outside».

«I came from a lot of intolerance and prejudice, which aren't necessarily healthy to evolve as a human».

«I think that parents grow up with an idea of what they want their kids to be like, -and then their kids grow up to be people of themselves, of their own».

«People love the idea of a good girl gone bad, thinking that my parents were so strict and disowned me, but that actually wasn't the case.  Even though they don't necessarily agree with some of the things I do, they love me as their daughter.  That's always been their perspective».

«I never took part in the rules and hatred that sometimes go along with religion.  But if my parents are happy with what they believe, then I'm happy to stay out of their way.  We agree to disagree».

«When I was younger, I used to be a part of the surfing and skateboarding community».

«I left for L.A. when I was 17.  Santa Barbara was boring to me back then.  Now all I want to do is be bored in Santa Barbara, because it is a beautiful place !  But when I was young, I felt a little trapped on an island -my family isn't well-off, and it was kind of tough to be hanging out with millionaire families that live there».

«I'd go to the farmers' market in Santa Barbara, and I'd put out my guitar case, and I'd test out these little ditty songs that I would write, and I would get a couple of avocados, a bag of pistachios, and, like, fifteen bucks.  That was a lot of money for me».

«Santa Barbara is my hood.  I mean, it's not much of a hood, but it is definitely like my hood.  I claim Santa Barbara like I claim my family.  I'm going to be married and buried there».

A FANTASTIC CAREER, WITH VERY HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Growing up loving to sing but with a unique reference to gospel, Katy Perry wanted to pursue a career in gospel music and be as successful as Amy Grant.  But her debut album (Katy Hudson) released in 2001 was commercially unsuccessful.

At 17, she moved to Los Angeles and adopted a new stage name, Katy Perry, from her mother's maiden name.  She recorded an album titled "Fingerprints" while signed to Java Records and then Columbia Records before being dropped.  The album was never released.  Another failure for the young Katy...

Success came when she signed a recording contract with Capitol Records in 2007.  The following year Katy Perry became famous with her album "One of the Boys", containing her first big hit "I kissed a Girl".  The rest is History !  Here's some of her thoughts about her fabulous musical career which was influenced by many great artists like the Beach Boys, the Beatles, Queen (Freddie Mercury), Alanis Morissette, Gwen Stefani, Björk and Madonna.

«I just want to make it clear that I come from very humble beginnings, and I worked for everything».

Ever since I was younger I wanted to be on stage, singing my songs in a glittering costume.  And that happened and is still happening.  I have to remember that this is what I wished for and be grateful because there are 500 other girls right behind me that are ready to snatch it up».

«Jagged Little Pill (Alanis Morissette 1995) was the most perfect female record ever made.  There's a song for anyone on that record; I relate to all those songs.  They're still so timeless».

«I think people appreciate a songwriter who shows different sides.  The whole angst thing is cool, but if that's all you've got, it's just boring.  Everything I write, whether it's happy or sad, has a sense of humor to it».

A FLAMBOYANT STYLE, A STRONG PERSONALITY AND WHAT A SEXY BODY !

«I was never really attached to a clique, and I wanted to be in all the different groups; I was never a one-group kind of person.  I think that's still part of my personality today».

«I always made do -if I had five dollars, I'd go to the thrift stores on State Street and get my vintage cardigans and pencil skirts.  Thank God for the body, because that '40s look really worked on me».

«I'm kind of a more sunshiny person myself».

«People don't want just vanilla.  They want 31 flavors.  I couldn't do what Rihanna does.  I couldn't do what Gaga does.  They can't do what I do».

«My style icons were Gwen Stefani, when she was in No Doubt, and then Shirley Manson in Garbage».

«I don't follow trends.  I'm just not into what everyone else is wearing.  I have my own look, which I call "Lolita Meets Old Hollywood Glam».

«I still want to be as approachable and relatable as possible -when I meet fans and they're crying, I'll say, "Calm down, there's nothing to cry about"».

(following her single "I Kissed a Girl") «Girls now keep asking for a kiss.  After every show on my tour I stay behind to do an autograph signing.  But about a dozen women will want a snog.  I just sweetly say, "No, thank you".  If I kissed everybody who asked I'd probably go away with something I don't really want».

«There are a lot of things that are personally uncomfortable to show, especially me without makeup and completely bloated or crying.  But I've realized that it's time for me to show my audience that you don't have to be perfect to achieve your dreams.  Because nobody relates to being perfect».

«I'm really critical of my posture, it makes a big difference.  And I try to suck my belly in.  Everyone should do that whether you're on a red carpet or not.  Even if you're just going out to dinner with your boyfriend you should try and suck it in».

«I'm kind of a good girl -and I'm not.  I'm a good girl because I really believe in love, integrity, and respect.  I'm a bad girl because I like to tease.  I know that I have sex appeal in my deck of cards.  But I like to get people thinking.  That's what the stories in my music do».

«I don't have a Kate Moss body, but I'm very proud and happy with mine».

«Besides my big boobs, it is probably my hourglass shape that is my best feature.  I play off of that a lot.  I like that I have a lot on top and a lot on the bottom».

«I don't care what people say about my relationship; I don't care what they say about my boobs.  People are buying my songs; I have a sold-out tour.  I'm getting incredible feedback from my music».

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