What is Katy Perry's Net Worth?
Katy Perry is an American singer, songwriter, and television judge who has a net worth of $400 million. Katy Perry is one of the highest-paid entertainers in the world and has been for over a decade. In September 2023, Katy sold her song catalog to a company called Litmus Music for $225 million.
Every year between 2009 and 2014, Katy Perry earned between $30 and $50 million from album sales, merchandise, touring, and endorsements. Between June 2014 and June 2015, she earned an estimated $135 million (before taxes, agents, lawyers, and lifestyle expenses). Between June 2018 and June 2019, she earned $60 million. Between June 2019 and June 2020, she earned $40 million, of which $25 million came from hosting American Idol.
Perry's early career began with gospel music, releasing an eponymous debut album in 2001 under the name Katy Hudson. However, it was her 2008 single "I Kissed a Girl" from the album "One of the Boys" that skyrocketed her to international fame. The track's catchy hook and daring subject matter caught the attention of listeners worldwide, marking the onset of her mainstream success.
The following years saw Perry consolidate her position in the pop pantheon. Her 2010 album, "Teenage Dream," spawned an incredible five number-one Billboard Hot 100 hits, including anthems like "California Gurls," "Teenage Dream," and "Firework." In doing so, Perry became the first female artist, and the second artist overall after Michael Jackson, to achieve this feat.
Katy Perry's appeal is not just limited to her earworm melodies. She has a knack for blending her music with visually stunning music videos and performances, often characterized by colorful and elaborate costumes.
Beyond her musical pursuits, Perry has ventured into other realms of entertainment, including voice acting in the "Smurfs" film series and judging on the reality show "American Idol."
While Perry's career has experienced the inevitable ebb and flow of the music industry, her resilience and ability to reinvent herself have ensured her continued relevance. Albums like "Prism" (2013) and "Witness" (2017) have explored different themes and sounds, showcasing her growth as an artist.
Early Life
Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson was born in Santa Barbara, California, on October 25, 1984, to Pentecostal pastors Mary and Maurice. She was brought up in a strict Christian home. Due to her parents' work setting up churches, Perry moved around the country from ages 3 to 11 before settling back in Santa Barbara. She has two siblings. While growing up, Perry was only allowed to listen to religious music, primarily gospel music, and discovered pop music by sneaking CDs from friends. She began vocal training at age nine because her sister was taking vocal lessons at the time, too, and Perry wanted to be like her and sang in her parents' church.
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Career Beginnings
Having completed her General Educational Development (GED) requirements at the age of 15, Perry left school to pursue a career in music. She caught the eye of rock artists Steven Thomas and Jennifer Knapp and moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to work with them. After signing with Red Hill Records, her debut album, a gospel record "Katy Hudson", was released in 2001. The album was commercially unsuccessful, only selling an estimated 200 copies, despite positive reviews from critics.
At the age of 17, Perry moved to Los Angeles, where she transitioned from gospel music to secular pop. She remained here until she signed to the label Java in 2004, which was then affiliated with The Island Def Jam Music Group. After Java was dropped, Perry signed with Columbia Records, where she worked on her album until she was dropped by the label in 2006.
Breakthrough
Perry was signed to Capitol Records in April 2007, where she worked with the producer Dr. Luke on material for her second album, "One of the Boys." To promote the album, her song "Ur So Gay" was released as a digital EP in November 2007, but Perry's success and rise to fame did not really start until the release of her single "I Kissed a Girl" in April 2008. From January to November 2009, Perry went on the Hello Katy Tour, her first headlining world tour.
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Continued Success
In August 2009, Paula Abdul announced she was not returning for the ninth season of "American Idol." Katy served as a guest judge for the ninth season, which aired from January to May 2010. This is not to be confused with her eventual formal hosting duties on "American Idol," which commenced in 2018 with the show's 16th season.
On May 7, 2010, Perry released "California Gurls," the first single from her upcoming third studio album "Teenage Dream." That album reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in June of that year. The album "Teenage Dream" was released on August 24, 2010, and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, despite mixed reviews from critics. A total of five singles from the album were released ("California Gurls," "Teenage Dream," "Firework," "E.T.," and Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)"), all topping the Billboard Hot 100, making Perry the first female artist to achieve five number-one Billboard Hot 100 songs from one album. She was only the second artist at the time to do so, after Michael Jackson.
With her amazing commercial success, Perry was named the sixth best-selling digital artist in the United States on January 5, 2012, with sales of 37.6 million units. From February 2011 to January 2012, Perry went on her second headlining tour, the California Dream Tour, which grossed $59.5 million globally. Her autobiographical documentary "Katy Perry: Part of Me" was released through Paramount Pictures on July 5, 2012, and grossed $32.7 million worldwide at the box office.
Her fourth studio album "Prism" was released on October 18, 2013, and sold 4 million copies by August 2015. Perry's third headlining tour to promote the album, the Prismatic World Tour, lasted from May 2014 to October 2015 and grossed $204.3 million worldwide after selling almost 2 million tickets. She also performed at the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show on February 1, 2015, and the viewership numbers for her show (114.4 million) were higher than those who watched the actual game.
On June 17, 2014, Perry announced the formation of her own record label under Capitol Records, Metamorphosis Music, later renamed Unsub Records. Her fifth album, "Witness," was released on June 9, 2017, for which she toured from September 2017 to August 2018 on Witness: The Tour. In 2020, Perry released her sixth studio album, "Smile."
Perry was ordered by a jury in July 2019 to pay artist Flame $550,000 after determining that Perry's song "Dark Horse" copied his 2008 song "Joyful Noise."
(Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
Catalog Sale
In September 2023, Katy sold her song catalog to Litmus Music for $225 million. The deal included her share of the master recordings and publishing rights for the five albums Perry released between 2008 and 2002; "One of the Boys," "Teenage Dream," "Prism," "Witness" and "Smile."
Outside of Music
In addition to her music career, Perry has made numerous guest appearances on shows such as "Saturday Night Live," "The Simpsons," "How I Met Your Mother," and "Raising Hope." Her film debut came in 2011 when she starred as Smurfette in the animated family film "The Smurfs." She reprised her role in "The Smurfs 2" in 2013. She has also made appearances in "Zoolander 2," "Jeopardy: The Greatest of All Time," and "Masterchef Australia."
Katy Perry has supported many charitable causes and organizations over her career, including UNICEF, Little Kids Rock, Baby2Baby, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and more. In 2014, she teamed up with Staples Inc. to donate $1 million to DonorsChoose through the project "Make Roar Happen." Also that year, she helped raise $2.4 million for the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.
How much does Katy Perry make to host American Idol?
In March 2018, Kate Perry signed on to be a judge on ABC's "American Idol" revival. Her salary in the first season was $15 million. Starting in the 2019 season, Katy's American Idol salary was bumped to $25 million.
She also has made a number of business ventures, including multiple fragrances: Purr (2010) and Meow! (2011), Killer Queen (2013), and Mad Potion (2015), investing in Popchips and becoming a spokesperson for the brand in 2012; and launching her mobile app game "Katy Perry Pop" in December 2015 through Glu Mobile.
Personal Life
Katy Perry met Russell Brand in the summer of 2009. The couple became engaged that December. They married on October 23, 2010, in Rajasthan, India, but divorced 14 months later. With no prenup, Perry could have been on the hook for an estimated $22 million divorce settlement. In the end, however, the separation was settled on much lower terms.
She began dating actor Orlando Bloom in early 2016 and became engaged to him in February 2019. The couple has a daughter together.
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Real Estate
In 2014, Katy struck a deal with the Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese to purchase an 8.5-acre property complete with a 1920s mansion for $14.5 million. The deal was to consist of $10 million in cash and $4.5 million in the form of another property for the three nuns who were occupying the property at the time. Unfortunately, a few months later those nuns who had been residing at the mansion for decades struck a separate deal to sell the house to a businesswoman named Dana Hollister for a slightly higher amount that would have been paid to their order directly. This set off a years-long court battle over the property. One of the nuns actually died IN COURT. Ultimately, Katy was victorious, and Dana was ordered to pay $6.5 million in damages for interfering with the sale. Katy's option to buy the house expired in August 2019, and as of 2023, her bid to buy the hilltop convent remains in limbo.
In 2017, she spent $19 million to acquire a mansion in Beverly Hills. She listed this home for sale in March 2022 for $19.5 million, and it sold later that year for $18 million.
In 2018, she spent $7.5 million on another Beverly Hills home. This one was occupied by family members until Katy decided to list the property in 2020 for $8 million.
In 2019, while the nun court battle was finally wrapping up, Katy sold two side-by-side homes in LA's Runyon Canyon area for a combined $12.3 million.
In 2023, Perry paid $11 million for a three-bedroom Los Angeles penthouse complete with wood detailing throughout and a home theater.
In July 2020, Katy and Orlando paid $15 million for a home in Montecito, California. This home purchase would soon turn into a legal mess. Katy purchased the home from Carl Westcott, the founder of 1-800-Flowers. Westcott, who was in his 80s at the time of purchase, seemingly made out with the deal of the century. Westcott had purchased the home just three months prior for $3.5 million, LESS than Perry's offer. Unfortunately, Westcott quickly came to regret the sale, perhaps believing he actually could have gotten more as the value of real estate in Montecito continued to skyrocket in the wake of the COVID pandemic. As such, Westcott actually sued Katy Perry, her husband, Orlando Bloom, and her business manager to reverse the sale. In his lawsuit, Westcott claimed he was under the influence of pain medication after surgery and was, therefore, not of sound mind when he signed the sale documents. The case went to trial in late 2023, and in November 2023, a judge ruled in favor of Perry.
Westcott's lawsuit actually prevented Perry and Bloom from occupying the mansion. Therefore, in October 2020, Katy and Orlando paid $14.2 million for a different mansion in Montecito. This mansion, which is known as Villa De La Vista, spans around nine acres. Below is a video tour. In the wake of the judge's favorable decision, Perry and Bloom revealed they were seeking $1.5 million in damages from Westcott because his efforts to block them from the home prevented them from earning at least that much in potential rental income.
