Our latest featured contributor is columnist Lisa Shipman. Check out Lisa's articles Katy Perry is the only female recording artist ever to have five number one singles in the Billboard Hot 100. The only other artist to do this is Michael Jackson. She’s released two number one albums, had three UK number ones, seven in the United States, is involved with The Sims 3, has a film coming out and is currently going through a divorce with comedian Russell Brand. She doesn’t know how to sit still, nor does she know how to give up, but that’s part of what makes her the perfect person to learn some life lessons from.
It’s Ok to be Weird
In the trailer for her film, Katy Perry: Part of Me 3D, she thanks audience members for “believing in [her] weirdness.” Katy is weird, and she knows it, but she uses that to her advantage, and if you can find your weird parts and accept them, not only can you do the same, but people will be more accepting of you, too.
Originality is Good
Whilst many stars out there are forced to be quirky in order to be cool, Katy doesn’t have to try. To her, it comes naturally. We are all unique, but many people out there try too hard to fit in, and the harder you try to fit in, the more of a fool you look.
Trust Your Instincts
Her record company didn’t want I Kissed A Girl to be her first official single, nor did they like Peacock. But she went ahead and recorded (and, in the case of I Kissed A Girl, released) them anyway. And it turned out that she was right.
Ignore The Voices
There will be voices – sometimes internally, sometimes from those around you – telling you that you can’t do it, no matter what it is that you’re trying to achieve. You have to ignore those voices in order to get to wherever it is that you want to go, and if you ignore the voices, you’re already halfway there.
Don’t Give Up
She was dropped twice. I just felt like I should emphasise that fact. Most people would give up after one rejection, but she didn’t give up after two. She kept going. She lived on jacket potatoes and salad. She sold her car. She had no money. But she carried on, because she knew what she wanted, and she was going to get it.
Tenacity Pays Off
If you know what you want, it’s important to always remember it, and to use that to keep you going when things go wrong. Cling on to what you want as tightly as you possibly can, and don’t let it go even when you have it, because you never know when it will slip away.
“If you have a dream you gotta go on a journey to fulfil that dream.”
She most definitely went on a journey to fulfil her dream. She didn’t even realise that becoming a worldwide pop sensation was her dream: she was happy to sing in churches, but the older she became, the more she began to realise it, and everything that she’s been through in life has bought her to the point where she is now.
Channel Your Emotions
Every single one of Katy’s songs reflects an experience in her life, whether it’s a break-up, depression, sex, or a little too much partying. They’re things that we can all relate to, and writing about her emotions is a healthy way to channel them instead of falling into drink and drugs like many celebrities do. Even if you’re not one for writing, there are plenty of other healthy ways to channel your emotions, such as going to the gym or painting.
You Can Be Religious and Still Push Boundaries
Katy is Christian, but singing songs like I Kissed A Girl, Peacock and Circle the Drain is anything but. However, she is still a devout Christian despite pushing boundaries and believing in LGBT rights. Some people believe that this makes her un-Christian, but she does still believe in God, she just doesn’t agree with the strict, Christian upbringing that she had.
“Life’s too short not to…try everything at least once and also be yourself in a relationship.”
Katy said this in an interview with Cosmopolitan magazine. It shows her dare devil attitude, how important it is to take risks, and also how she feels about relationships. If we can’t be ourselves with the person that we love, how can we be sure that they truly love us?
Make People Smile
When she goes on stage, all she wants to do is to make people smile. When you make people smile, they’re happy, you’re happy, everyone’s happy. You can’t lose.
Be Yourself and You Can Be Anything
“Be yourself and you can be anything,” is the tagline from Katy Perry: Part of Me 3D. It emphasises how important it is to Katy to be herself, and also for her fans to be true to who they are. When you are yourself around other people, they can tell, and they immediately feel more relaxed around you. They’re more willing to trust you, and it gives you more energy to spend on other things because you’re not wasting it on hiding who you are.
Image Credits:
Katy Perry: Part of Me
Katy Perry
Katy-Perry.org
It’s no secret that I have quite the crush on Katy Perry – initially her looks drew me in and then that slight bizarre quality she has compelled me further. Now Teenage Dream is one of my favourite albums of all time but not because it’s an upbeat set of pop songs but because it’s a eulogy for that adolescent enthusiasm we all feel, of when we’re first finding our voices and have the ability to make choices and ultimately we make the wrong ones – but we still see the beauty in them and would do it again all over. It’s about trying to tap in to that again, and get a handle on its power. It’s hard to believe most of it is about that git, Travie McCoy. It’s sensational, and it inspires me to work everytime I listen to it even if it does deeply uoset me.