Katy Perry (born Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson on October 25, 1984) is a singer/songwriter from Santa Barbara, California, United States. Since the release of her 2007 debut single "Ur So Gay," Perry has released four albums and has had six Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit singles.

Under the name Katy Hudson, she released a self-titled gospel album in 2001, which was unsuccessful. In 2007, after signing with Capitol Music Group, her fourth record label in seven years, she adopted the stage name Katy Perry.

She released her first Internet single "Ur So Gay" that November, which garnered public attention but failed to chart. She rose to fame with the release of her second single "I Kissed a Girl" in 2008, which made it onto top international charts.

Perry's first mainstream studio album One of the Boys followed later that year and subsequently became the 33rd-best selling album worldwide of 2008. Her second studio album, Teenage Dream, was released in August 2010 and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.

The album includes five Billboard chart-toppers "California Gurls," "Teenage Dream," "Firework," "E.T." and "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)," making Teenage Dream only the second album - after Michael Jackson's Bad - to have five songs reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

With "E.T." at number one on the chart of May 12, 2011, Perry became the first artist in history to spend 52 consecutive weeks in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. Perry has been a judge on American Idol, has released multiple fragrances, and voiced Smurfette in the 2011 film The Smurfs.

Perry married Russell Brand on October 23, 2010. After 14 months of marriage, Brand filed for divorce from Perry on December 30, 2011, in Los Angeles, citing irreconcilable differences. The divorce became effective in July 2012 and is one of the main subjects of "Katy Perry: Part of Me," a 2012 documentary concert film.

After its release, Perry's third album, Prism, topped the US album charts with first week sales of 286,000, making it Perry's best opening week to date. Her fourth studio album, Witness, was released in 2017.