Katy Perry recalls ‘sofa surfing’ and getting ‘car repossessed’ as she desperately tried to break into the industry
Katy Perry recalled her early struggles to break into the music industry, including having her car repossessed and spending her early twenties “couch surfing”.
While appearing on Friday’s episode of Good Morning America, the 39-year-old pop star looked back on her own rise to fame when asked if mentoring contestants on American Idol take her back to her own days chasing her dreams of stardom .
‘It feels like yesterday to me,’ she raved as she sat alongside Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Ryan Seacrest. “I can smell it, taste it, hear it, everything.”
Before she became one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold over 143 million records worldwide, the Grammy nominee admitted that she was barely scraping by with her teeth.
Katy Perry recalled her early struggles to break into the music industry, including having her car repossessed and spending her early twenties “couch surfing”
‘I had, you know, repossessed cars, I’d been signed and dropped three times. I couch surfed. Literally. It’s so visceral to me. That’s the passion some of these kids have,” she continued.
The performer, who is estimated to be worth $400 million, previously to People that her parents often had to rely on food stamps and food banks to survive.
Additionally, she said she would hit the streets as a teenager, “hoping to make $20.”
During her GMA appearance, Perry continued to point out that she sees the ‘same passion’ and talent in many of the contestants on American Idol.
The Teenage Dream hitmaker also spoke about leaving the singing competition series after seven seasons.
“It’s been incredible to be on this journey with them,” she said before gesturing to her fellow judges and Seacrest.
She then hinted that her departure might not be permanent and that it was just goodbye ‘for now’.
“I feel so connected to America that I want to go back out there and sing and play music and hold their hands and (tour) and take my daughter and show her and all that,” the mother-of-one, who is engaged to Orlando Bloom, said.
While appearing on Friday’s episode of Good Morning America, the 39-year-old pop star looked back on her own rise to fame when asked if mentoring contestants on American Idol take her back to her own days chasing her dreams of stardom ; seen in 2006
‘It feels like yesterday to me,’ she raved as she sat alongside Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Ryan Seacrest. ‘I can smell it, taste it, hear it, everything’
Before becoming one of the best-selling music artists of all time, having sold over 143 million records worldwide, the Grammy nominee admitted she was barely scraping by
She also admitted that she got emotional watching the contestants compete because she and her fellow judges ‘really can see’ themselves in them.
“They also remind us of the fight, because we can get a little complacent here or there, but then they give us that energy again,” she said.
As for what she hopes her replacement will bring to the judge’s table, Perry joked ‘just someone who can put up with Luke and Lionel.’
As for what she hopes her replacement will bring to the judge’s table, Perry joked ‘just someone who can put up with Luke and Lionel.’
“Keep my seat warm,” she teased.
ABC has not announced who will fill Perry’s role, but rumors have surfaced that Jennifer Lopez is in the running to take her place.
‘I had, you know, repossessed cars, I’d been signed and dropped three times. I couch surfed. Literally. It’s so visceral to me. That’s the passion some of these kids have,’ she continued; seen in 2021
In February, Perry announced she was leaving American Idol during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live (pictured last year)
In February, Perry announced she was leaving American Idol during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
The multihyphenate had reportedly been planning her exit from the show since last year when it was revealed she repeatedly felt ‘thrown under the bus by producers’ who she believed purposefully edited her to look like the ‘ugly judge’.
‘I think this is probably going to be my last show, my last season of Idol. I mean, I love Idol so much,’ she revealed on the late show.
She continued: ‘It’s connected me to, like, the heart of America, but I feel like I need to go out and feel that pulse.’
The Grammy nominee pointed out that it was their seventh season, with former judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson all leaving after seven seasons.
Perry is currently the highest paid American Idol judge with a reported salary of $25 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.