What Is Katy Perry’s Real Name and Why Did She Change It?

She’s caused more than her fair share of controversy over the years, but her fans love her for it. Katy Perry has been making music since the early 2000s and is well known for her love of crazy costumes, brightly-colored hair, and California-girl good looks. While much of her life has been lived in the spotlight, Perry’s relationships and opinions laid bare for all to see, there are some facts about her early life that are not so well known.

What kind of childhood did Perry have?

Interestingly enough, in spite of the provocative nature of much of Perry’s music, she experienced a very religious upbringing. Her parents are both Pentecostal pastors and born-again Christians, and raised Perry, along with her younger brother and older sister, in a very strict religious environment. It wasn’t until her late teenage years that Perry started to rebel against what she was experiencing at home, and began to listen to a wider range of music beyond the gospel that her parents insisted upon.

Perry has admitted in interviews she has struggled with the deeply religious doctrine she was raised in. According to Perry, she grew up in a bubble and was entirely surrounded by conservative influences. The pop star and her siblings weren’t allowed to celebrate more secular holidays like Halloween, and couldn’t acknowledge figures such as Santa Claus. 

However, Perry hasn’t shunned her family, and remains close to them to this day, while acknowledging she disagrees with them on most issues. She even says that she still prays, though in a much more general sense than her parents and that she doesn’t ascribe to any one particular religion. 

What is Katy Perry’s real name?

Katy Perry was born in October 1984 as Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson. When she started performing, she was afraid the name Katheryn Hudson would cause people to confuse her with actress Kate Hudson, so after a brief stint referring to herself as Katheryn Perry, she took to calling herself Katy Perry. Perry is her mother’s maiden name, so it was easy enough for the young singer to adopt the moniker for both her public and personal life.

Of course, Katy Perry first burst onto the popular scene in 2008 with her song “I Kissed a Girl.” The song was saucy, funny, and provocative – adjectives which seemed to personify Perry’s style perfectly. In the years since, Perry has become an iconic public figure, with numerous hit songs to her name like “California Gurls,” “Roar,” and “Unconditionally.” 

In 2015, Perry joined a singular group of performers when she did the halftime show at the Super Bowl. Her halftime show became one of the most-watched in event history and solidified Perry as a superstar that was here to stay. 

What’s next for Katy Perry? 

In early 2018, Katy Perry lent her talents and knowledge of the music business to the judge’s panel of American Idol. For her role, she scored an unprecedented $25 million salary, a first for any judge on the show. Realizing the value that Perry could bring to the show, producers paid it, and now Perry is set to return for the seventeenth season of American Idol, premiering in March 2019.

She’s also added fashion designer to her list of credentials, and in spite of some controversy regarding some of her shoe designs, it is likely that she will continue expanding her skills in the field of clothing and design.

Perry’s personal life is on the upswing as well – on Valentine’s day 2019, Perry got engaged to longtime on-again-off-again boyfriend Orlando Bloom. With a red-hot career and a healthy relationship to her credit, Katy Perry is on fire!