Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television judge. After singing in church during her childhood, she pursued a career in gospel music as a teenager.
Perry signed with Red Hill Records and released her debut studio album Katy Hudson under her birth name in 2001, which was commercially unsuccessful. She moved to Los Angeles the following year to venture into secular music after Red Hill ceased operations and she subsequently began working with producers Glen Ballard, Dr. Luke, and Max Martin.
After adopting the stage name Katy Perry and being dropped by The Island Def Jam Music Group and Columbia Records, she signed a recording contract with Capitol Records in April 2007.
Following the unlawful killing of George Floyd and the consequent nationwide protests, gospel singers Kirk Franklin and Fred Hammond plan to bring healing for their Verzuz battle on Sunday, May 31.
Bishop T.D. Jakes will open with a few words before the battle begins at 5 p.m. ET, according to the Verzuz TV Instagram account.
Singing in the background of the announcement was 12-year-old sensation Keedron Bryant, who voiced his will and right to live as a young black man in America with a beautiful acapella rendition of his original song, "I Just Want to Live," which garnered the attention from Katy Perry, LeBron James and Franklin. "I'm a young black man/ Doing all that I can/ To stand, oh but when I look around/ And I see what's being done
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