work
OUTLETS
Advocate Playbill NewNowNext HX Next E. Homme DLNQNT Misc.
bio
contact

Brandon Voss

writer, editor, and master of small talk with big people
work
OUTLETS
Advocate Playbill NewNowNext HX Next E. Homme DLNQNT Misc.
bio
contact
View fullsize KatyPerry1.JPG
View fullsize KatyPerry2.JPG

Katy Perry: Good Girl Gone Bad

Katy Perry goes from gospel singer to gay icon with “I Kissed a Girl.”

By Brandon Voss

First came "Ur So Gay," a finger-flip to a fey ex-boyfriend from her 2007 digital EP. Now her single "I Kissed a Girl," off her full-length debut One of the Boys, is a Top 5 Billboard hit. Yes, Katy Perry, you've got our attention — and that of Madonna, who called "Ur So Gay" her favorite song on two morning radio shows. The sassy singer-songwriter told us how she strayed from her strict Christian upbringing and finally saw the lavender light.

HX: On behalf of all the gays, I love you, Katy.

Katy Perry: I love you guys! C'mon, we're one in the same!

But was there love for us while you were growing up singing gospel in church as the daughter of two pastors?

I just remember that it was looked down upon, and never to be talked about — and that's why I wanted to hang out with them. [Laughs] I respect and love my parents, but I definitely do not have the same viewpoint as l was raised with now that I've grown up and can make my own choices. Now that I'm 23, they love me as their daughter, even though l'm singing about all these types of things they probably never imagined when they had me, but I'm here to stay.

Do you have a gay BFF now?

Most definitely — my best friend in whole wide world. His name is Markus Molinari, and he runs a blog called Markusisthedrug.com. But there's a gay man trapped inside me as well.

Speaking of gay pals, you're a smart bitch getting Perez Hilton in your corner.

[Laughs] Nothing was necessarily calculated, but l'm so happy there aren't little white dots coming out of my nose and that he's not showing pictures of my cellulite, because every girl has it. I think he just heard the music and related to it. That's the thing: I wear my heart on my sleeve, and l've been through so much. I don't want to be so serious about it, but that's why sometimes I get along better with gay men than I do straight men, because I come from a suppressed upbringing, where I couldn't be who I wanted to be and I didn't know who I was. Now I feel like l've lived, and I'm happy.

Now that you have Madonna's stamp of approval, are you prepared to be a gay icon? It's a big responsibility, you know.

I understand! Yes, sir, I am fully prepared, and I will be marching in the San Francisco Pride parade.

Since "I Kissed a Girl" came out, have more girls been hitting on you? I heard you autographed some boobs recently...

I signed a lot of male boobs, because I was taking the piss out of the idea that every guy rockstar has signed a set of boobs. So I was like, I wonder how they would feel. I do get some comments, but it's not a song about being a lesbian — it's about just growing up. There are so many thoughts that run through everyone's head when you’re growing up, finding out who you are. But it is about the undeniable power, magic, and mystery of a woman. There's no doubt that if Angelina Jolie, Gisele Bündchen, or Natalie Portman walked into the room, I don't care who you are female or male — you would not pass up the opportunity to kiss them.

Your album title One of the Boys begs the question: What's your butchest quality?

I may wear a lot of hearts, stars, unicorns, and rainbows, but i can pack a punch. I trained in kickboxing for a while.

Do you think Jill Sobule wants to kick your ass for releasing a song with the same name as hers?

I think she's chillin', because there's probably a lot of people buying her song out of the blue.

What do you think about so many of your songs popping up on The Hills last season?

They seem to be fans, and I'm okay with it. I think The Hills is the easiest stuff to watch that's the most excruciatingly painful. My songs can be a good soundtrack to the drama, like when Lauren Conrad’s being dumped by Brody Jenner, so l'm so happy to be that soundtrack.

With which girl on The Hills do you most identify?

l identify with Brody Jenner. [Laughs] I actually identify with Kim Kardashian the most — I have a huge butt! No, I don't, but I just watched that show once and was glued to the TV, like, I can't believe you live this way! You all are crazy!

Have you encountered any uptight gays who find "Ur So Gay" offensive?

I haven't gotten a whole lot of that. Every once in a while I'd think there'd be someone out in the middle of nowhere that heard a snippet of the song, never heard the story behind the song, and said, "Go die in a river." But they don't understand. I did date a boy who, in another life, should've been gay. I'll walk into a party with Markus and we'll say, "If he's your team, you can have him; if he's on my team, I'm going to take him." At the end of the night, someone ends up with him. But sometimes you have no idea, especially when you have a guy who has hair that's straighter than yours, more eyeliner than you and the same pair of jeans on. And you're telling me you're straight and you wanna do me? That's just weird.

Love the cover of The Outfield's "Use Your Love" on your EP. What's the story there?

I remember going out with my friends and seeing every girl on the dance floor literally put their drink down and try to sing at the top of their lungs to this song when it came on. It's like their lives depended on them dancing as slutty as possible, so I said, "I need that song on my record."

Any contemporary song you'd like to cover in the future?

Oh, Flo Rida! [Sings loudly] "Apple Bottom jeans, boots with the fur..." I don't know if it would work, but it'd be hilarious. Or, "The last time I freaked out... oh, she's just being Katy!" I'm actually going to meet Miley Cyrus [at Z100's Zootopia at IZOD Center] and make out with a Jonas Brother.

Which one do you want?

All of 'em. I'll take anything I can get. I'll take the father.

SIDEBAR:

"I KISSED A GIRL" 1995, JILL SOBULE

WHO'S THAT GIRL? "Genny," the unfulfilled housewife next-door.

BOOZE TO BLAME "We had a drink, we had a smoke. She took off her overcoat."

VERDICT "Her lips were sweet. She was just like kissing me. But better."

VIDEO AESTHETIC Harlequin romance novel meets Pee-wee's Playhouse.

ACTUAL KISSING None. Just some hand-on-knee and footsie action.

HAPPY ENDING? Both women are still married, pregnant by their husbands.

"I KISSED A GIRL" 2008, KATY PERRY

WHO'S THAT GIRL? "No, I don't even know your name. It doesn't matter.”

BOOZE TO BLAME "I got so brave, drink in hand. Lost my discretion."

VERDICT "Us girls we are so magical. Soft skin, red lips, so kissable."

VIDEO AESTHETIC Moulin Rouge meets Tila Tequila: A Shot at Love.

ACTUAL KISSING None. Just pillow-fighting and pussycat-petting.

HAPPY ENDING? It was all a dream! Katy wakes up beside her hot boyfriend.

HX, June 2008; extended online version.

Newer:Ron Morris: Handle His TruthOlder:Stuart Black: Back to Black
PostedJune 1, 2008
AuthorBrandon Voss
CategoriesHX Magazine
TagsKaty Perry

This is a Squarespace block. You can add text and images to a block, pull info from  your blog posts, external social accounts, and more.

When logged in, click the pencil icon in the bottom right corner of your screen to edit, remove or add blocks.

Powered by Squarespace6.