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SINGAPORE : What do you get when you combine the kookiness of Zooey Deschanel, the sensuality of Dita von Teese and the spunk of Courtney Love?
If you answered, “Fiona Xie”, go boil yourselves under a silly person.
We are - with all due respect to dear Fiona - actually talking about hot American singing sensation Katy Perry, who’s been making headlines this past year with her debut album, "One of the Boys".
The album itself is a pretty poppy affair, but thanks to having song titles such as "I Kissed a Girl" and "Ur So Gay", Perry found herself a target from various circles of society and, of course, the media. But as is so often the case, many of the gripers just took those phrases at face value and didn’t actually listen to what the songs were about.
Perry’s response? A shrug.
“The media has to sell papers and get hits on websites,” she said. “I understand that. It’s the nature of the beast. I knew exactly what I was getting into when I released a single called 'I Kissed a Girl'. I was okay with whatever the media thought, because I knew I would have a chance to show people that there are different sides to me as well.”
That was what she was doing when TODAY caught up with Perry. She was en route to Barcelona, Spain, on her second European tour to promote the album, but took time out to get on the blower.
Did you expect the album to have such an impact?
And that I would be talking to someone from Singapore? I never expected that. Not at all. Not in a million years!
Can you describe yourself in five words or less to someone halfway around the world?
Sure! Er, I don’t know! Okay ... Spontaneous, a goofball, over-achiever, sensitive, songwriter.
There were reports about you verbally abusing some girls at the MTV Europe Music Awards who were making a play for your boyfriend. True?
Well, that was a completely fabricated story. These are little stories that I don’t think are going to affect the big picture necessarily. And anyone who is in the spotlight has those things happen ... When you read those things of me saying I told the girls to piss off, that’s obviously coming from a more English perspective. I’ve never used the term “piss off” before. People would understand that I’m American and I don’t use that kind of English slang!
Do you feel any pressure to up your game all the time?
I find it’s just a great opportunity. For a long time in my life nobody would give me time of day. I’d be knocking on doors saying, ‘Hey give me a chance to sing, let me step up to the plate and try to hit a home run’. Now that it’s happened, I’m just excited to continually change and evolve.
What’s your favourite song?
Probably "Thinking of You". When I play "Thinking of You" live, it’s just me, one spotlight, the guitar - it’s the skeleton of the song - and hopefully, that skeleton will have a whole lot of life! But really, it’s a very emotional song for me.
Katy Perry is ... sensitive?
I know. When you see Katy Perry, you think of the girl that’s cute, cheeky or sassy, the one who gives the middle finger to her boyfriend. Well, this is me in my more delicate, fragile state, you could say.
So you’re not all those other things?
No, it is me! I’m not just one thing. I’ve got many different personalities! I’m a true woman!
"One of the Boys" is out now at all CD shops. - TODAY/rose
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