Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. She is known for her influence on modern pop music and her camp style, being dubbed the "Queen of Camp" by Vogue and Rolling Stone. At 16, Perry released a gospel record titled Katy Hudson (2001) under Red Hill Records, which was commercially unsuccessful. She moved to Los Angeles at 17 to venture into secular music, and later adopted the stage name "Katy Perry" from her mother's maiden name. She recorded an album while signed to Columbia Records, but was dropped before signing to Capitol Records.
One of the Boys is the second studio album by American singer Katy Perry. It was released on June 17, 2008, by Capitol Records. She collaborated on the album with producers Greg Wells, Dr. Luke, Dave Stewart, Max Martin, and Ted Bruner among others, and wrote most of the songs in collaboration with other producers and writers. However, the title track, "Thinking of You", and "Mannequin" were all written by Perry alone. The EP Ur So Gay, containing the song of the same name, was released in 2007 to generate interest in the singer and the album.
"I Kissed a Girl" is the debut single by American singer Katy Perry. It was released on April 28, 2008, by Capitol Records as the lead single from her second studio album, One of the Boys (2008). Perry co-wrote the song with Max Martin, Cathy Dennis, and its producer Dr. Luke, with additional production from Benny Blanco. "I Kissed a Girl" is a pop-rock, electropop and new wave song with elements of disco and glam rock. Perry stated its lyrics are "about the magical beauty of a woman". The song sparked controversy for its handling of bi-curious themes, but in retrospect has been credited with increasing LGBT awareness in pop music.
Ur So Gay is the debut extended play (EP) by American singer Katy Perry. It was released digitally on November 20, 2007 by Capitol Records. A physical edition of the EP was released on January 15, 2008. The EP contains four tracks: the title track "Ur So Gay", a remix of the title track by American DJ Junior Sanchez, "Use Your Love", and "Lost". "Ur So Gay" and "Lost" would later appear on Perry's second studio album, One of the Boys (2008).
"Hot n Cold" is a song by American singer Katy Perry. The song was written by Perry, Dr. Luke, and Max Martin and produced by Luke and Benny Blanco for her second studio album, One of the Boys (2008). It was released as the album's second single on September 9, 2008. The lyrics address an unstable romantic relationship caused by a partner's mood swings.
"Thinking of You" is a song written and recorded by American singer and songwriter Katy Perry from her second studio album, One of the Boys (2008). It was produced by Katy Perry and Butch Walker, and released on January 12, 2009, as the album's third single. "Thinking of You" deals with a break-up in which Perry does not want to move on but has no choice, and feels nostalgic of a previous lover while in a relationship with another man. Retrospectively, "Thinking of You" has been described as a favorite among her fans.
"Waking Up in Vegas" is a song by American singer Katy Perry, released as the fourth and final single from her second studio album, One of the Boys (2008). Perry wrote the song with Desmond Child and Andreas Carlsson, and Greg Wells produced it, who is also credited for playing all the instruments on the song. It was officially released to US radio stations on April 21, 2009. "Waking Up in Vegas" is a pop rock track about an underage couple getting drunk and blowing their money in Las Vegas, paying homage to the phrase "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas."
MTV Unplugged is an extended play (EP) and live album by American singer Katy Perry, released in the United States on November 13, 2009, by Capitol Records. After airing more than 100 MTV Unplugged specials, MTV wanted to bring back the series, in order to expose them to a younger generation. The channel recruited various mainstream and popular artists to perform as part of the series, including Perry, who particularly expressed interest in the idea as it would allow her to showcase herself as an artist and share the stories behind her songs.
"California Gurls" is a song recorded by American singer Katy Perry. It served as the lead single for her third studio album, Teenage Dream (2010). The song features verses from rapper Snoop Dogg. The artists co-wrote the song with Bonnie McKee and its co-producers Dr. Luke and Max Martin, with additional production from Benny Blanco. According to Perry, "California Gurls" is an answer song to "Empire State of Mind" (2009), by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys. Its mid-tempo production incorporates disco-pop and funk-pop with influences of new wave and electropop. Its lyrics are an ode to the state of California, in which both Perry and Snoop Dogg were born and raised.
"Peacock" is a song by American singer Katy Perry, taken from her third studio album, Teenage Dream (2010). Because the song was filled with suggestive lyrics pertaining to male genitalia, Capitol Records initially opposed the idea of including it on her record. Similar to what happened with another song of hers – "I Kissed a Girl" (2008) – she refused to withdraw it from the record. "Peacock" was panned by music critics and, musically, was compared to the 1980s song "Mickey" by Toni Basil, and Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" (2005). On March 26, 2012, a remix version was released as a promotional single on iTunes.
"I Kissed a Girl" is a song by American singer-songwriter Jill Sobule. The song, released on May 2, 1995, reached number 20 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, number 67 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 36 on the Australian ARIA Singles Chart. In Canada, it debuted and peaked at number 15 on the newly established RPM Alternative 30 chart.
"By the Grace of God" is a song by American singer Katy Perry from her fourth studio album, Prism (2013), included as the standard edition's final track. The song was written and produced by Perry and Canadian record producer Greg Wells. It was conceived following Perry's divorce from English actor and comedian Russell Brand. This initially made Perry consider making a "darker" album, but instead was channeled into the song. Throughout its autobiographical lyrics, Perry is depicted finding her strength and standing up for herself.
"Birthday" is a song by American singer Katy Perry from her fourth studio album, Prism (2013). She co-wrote the song with Bonnie McKee and its producers Dr. Luke, Max Martin, and Cirkut. Critics, as well as Perry herself, have compared the track to the music of Prince and Mariah Carey. Through double entendres in the lyrics of "Birthday", Perry makes sexual references while celebrating a partner's birthday. Capitol Records sent the track to mainstream and rhythmic radio on April 21, 2014 as the album's fourth single.
"Who You Love" is a song by John Mayer featuring Katy Perry, for Mayer's sixth studio album, Paradise Valley (2013). It appears as the sixth song on the album and is the third single from the record. Mayer co-wrote the song with Perry and co-produced with Don Was and released it as an Internet download on August 12, 2013. Lyrically, "Who You Love" is a ballad about accepting falling in love with someone, on the theory that "you love who you love". The song has been praised by critics and has received mostly positive reviews.
"Bon Appétit" is a song by American singer Katy Perry featuring American hip hop group Migos from Perry's fifth studio album Witness (2017). It was released as the album's second single on April 28, 2017, by Capitol Records. It is a dance-pop, trap-pop, electronic and euro disco song, with lyrics that feature oral sex double entendres involving food. An accompanying music video followed on May 12, 2017, and features Perry being prepared and served by chefs as a dish. Commercially, the song charted within the top ten in Bulgaria and Israel, the top twenty in Canada, Panama and Wallonia, and the top thirty in Scotland, the Philippines, Slovakia, and the Netherlands.
"Swish Swish" is a song by American singer Katy Perry featuring rapper Nicki Minaj for Perry's fifth studio album, Witness (2017). It was written by both artists along with Duke Dumont, Sarah Hudson, PJ "Promnite" Sledge and Brittany Hazzard, while being produced by Dumont, with additional production by Sledge and Noah "Mailbox" Passovoy and vocal production by Passovoy. The song was initially released as a promotional single on May 19, 2017, and later as the album's third single. "Swish Swish" is a house-inspired EDM and hip hop song that samples "I Get Deep" by Roland Clark.
"What Makes a Woman" is a song by American singer Katy Perry from her sixth studio album Smile. It was released as album's first promotional single on August 20, 2020. It was written by Perry, Sarah Hudson, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, John Ryan, and song's producer Johan Carlsson, with additional production by Elvira Anderfjärd. Perry acknowledged that the song was written to her daughter, Daisy Bloom. It received polarized reviews, with most of critics praising Perry's performance and song's production, with lyrics being mainly panned. The track was given with two visuals: acoustic performance published on the same day as the song, and animated video released as a part of The Smile Video Series on September 1, 2020.
"Not the End of the World" is a song by American singer Katy Perry from her sixth studio album Smile (2020). It was released on December 21, 2020, by Capitol Records as the third single from the album. It was written by the singer, Michael Pollack, Madison Love, Jacob Kasher Hindlin, and Andrew Goldstein, and was produced by Goldstein and Oscar Görres. Built off the interpolation of a melody from Steam's 1969 song "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye", it is a techno-pop and trap-pop track with an underlying disco and techno beat. A self-empowerment cut, with the lyrics about positivity and Perry's indifference to her critics. Compared to her 2013 single "Dark Horse", the song left music commentary divided. Some of them depreciated the single's message in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Cry About It Later" is a song by American singer Katy Perry from her sixth studio album, Smile (2020). It is a mid-tempo break-up pop song written by Perry, Noonie Bao, Sasha Sloan, and the track's producer Oscar Holter. The song gatherned positive reviews from music commntary, with Holter's production being praised. However some critics pointed out how the next album track, "Teary Eyes", is identical in subject matter to "Cry About It Later" – postponement of sorrow in favor of short-term pleasure.
