Katy Comes Undone

She’s on a global tour and guiding pop hopefuls to fame as a judge on the new American Idol. But her most ambitious project yet? Dismantling Katy Perry.

- Cleo Wade

This last year has really been about killing my ego,” Katy says. “I no longer have a choice.”

A few years ago I took my mom to see a Katy Perry concert. She was in awe of the sound, the production and the costumes, but she was particularly mesmerised by Katy herself. After the show, my mom asked me, “What is it like to be friends with her?” I had never really thought about it. In one sense, the Katy I’ve known since 2011 is not that different from the pop icon you see on stage. Katy is insanely funny, unapologetically honest, outrageously creative and a little mischievous (the woman loves a practical joke and a prank gift). But to know her intimately is to also know a quieter side of her. It is to know her mystic intuition (it is almost annoying – Katy can hug you and know instantly that you’re going through something). And it’s to know Katheryn Hudson, the girl from Santa Barbara, US, whose idea of a perfect night is to throw on a tracksuit, grab her dog, Nugget, and snuggle up on the couch with friends to talk about everything and nothing.

There is a lot to admire about Katy Perry. She’s the first female artist to have five number-one Billboard Hot 100 tracks from a single album. She is the most-followed person on Twitter in the world. And in the last 10 years, she has sold more than 40 million albums. But what I admire most about Katy is her bravery. She’s not afraid to be wrong. In fact, she often says that it’s vitally important for her to speak about her mistakes so that other people can learn from them as well.