Ode to Katy Perry

In another life I would be your girl, Katy. Or well, actually I'm already hooked. And I'm not the only one. Katy Perry (or should I say Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson?) has captured the hearts of millions of souls. How do you do that? By working completely in line with your strengths and talents. This is why I luv Katy.

Her background has brought her to where she is now
Katy was raised in a strict religious environment. It went so far that she wasn't even allowed to eat Lucky Charms cereal, as the name is derived from ‘Lucifer’, a religious designation for the devil. But even the Smurfs, Alice in Wonderland, and later MTV were taboo in the Perry household. Bizarre idea that Katy never listened to pop or rock music in her youth...

But then: she followed her heart
One day she heard You Oughta Know by Alanis Morissette at a friend's house and that became her breakthrough to break free from the years of chains. Katy was heavily impressed by Alanis’ openness about her thoughts and emotions, the fact that she was brutally honest about it and that she didn't care what others thought of her. This was the encouragement she needed to stop writing gospel songs. She freed herself from the rules of Christian music and from then on wrote down everything that occupied her mind.
 
And then she broke a huge taboo...
‘I kissed a girl and I liked it. The taste of her cherry chopstick. I kissed a girl just to try it. I hope my boyfriend don’t mind it.’ In the same song, she sings about not being in love, but just being unable to control her curiosity. Just think about it: raised in a strict Christian environment and then debuting with a song like I Kissed a Girl. In earlier interviews, Katy mentioned that her parents totally didn't chill with her releasing this song, but hey, she felt it was necessary. The lyrics of the track sparked a major controversy in America and there you have it: a monster hit is born. Why? ‘Cause women can relate. Every woman who hasn't done this at a party fantasizes about it. And Katy knows that.

Her vulnerability became her strength
The fear and panic you feel when someone you love leaves you. The inner strength that makes you rise again after a downfall. Feeling like you don't belong to ‘the cool group’. Katy sings right through her fears. She uses her music as a therapy tool and goes completely bare. She has the courage to showcase her vulnerability and those who dare to do so inspire others.

And now she uses her talent to make a difference
Chained to the Rhythm was about political freedom. Bon Appétit was about sexual freedom and Swish Swish is about the liberation from all the negativity in life. Katy, for me you have made a difference in music. ‘Cause baby, you’re a firework.