Katy Perry is a young pop/rock singer/songwriter from California who worked with various big-name producers such as Glen Ballard (Alanis Morissette) and the Matrix (Avril Lavigne) prior to signing with Capitol Records and releasing her debut album in 2008. Born on October 25, 1984, in Santa Barbara, CA, she grew up in a Christian household as the daughter of two pastors. Though as a child she was not allowed to listen to secular music, as a teenager she found herself captivated by Queen vocalist Freddie Mercury and also Alanis Morissette. At age 17 she began working with hitmaker Glen Ballard, who had produced and co-written Morissette's chart-topping breakthrough album, Jagged Little Pill (1995). A couple years later she began working with the Matrix, a Grammy-nominated production team whose work includes Avril Lavigne, Shakira, and Korn. Her partnership with the Matrix and Columbia Records led to a 2004 write-up in Blender magazine titled "The Next Big Thing!" Yet Perry's recording career didn't take off as planned. Some of her songs were licensed for television and film soundtracks, but she didn't release her debut single, "UR So Gay," until after signing to Capitol Records in 2007. The song didn't become an immediate hit, but it did generate some online buzz for Perry and set the stage for her 2008 debut album, One of the Boys. In support of the album, she joined the summer's Warped Tour. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide