Pop princess Katy Perry has been in the limelight for nearly two decades, and along with a string of chart-topping hits, this pop star’s had her fair share of controversial moments!
From intense feuds with fellow celebs to problematic moments on American Idol, Katy’s time in the public eye has certainly given us a lot to talk about.
Wanna find out why she’s the queen of controversy? Here’s the low down on some of Katy Perry’s biggest scandals and craziest antics over the years.
Katy Perry’s Most Shocking Controversies
1. Katy Throws Shade at Sky Ferreira
February 2010
Let’s face it, when there’s drama brewing between celebs, Twitter (or X) is nearly always the first place we hear about it.
Back in 2010, the Smile singer took to Twitter to throw some serious shade at actress and indie artist Sky Ferreira.
In one particular tweet shared in the early hours of the morning, Katy wrote: “@fkyferreira is it hard being pregnant @ 17? Hope it doesn’t look like a monkey…” Yikes!
Then, the following month, she clapped back at a tweet from Ferreira about people leaking her new album, posting, “Maybe u should stop sleeping with so many DJ’s” — savage, right?
Although Katy’s shady comments could have easily been perceived as the start of a serious feud, turns out the pair were good friends at the time, and it was most likely all just a bit of fun.
Phew!
2. Her No-Makeup Snap Goes Viral
December 2010
We’ve seen tons of celebrities without makeup, so this might not have been the biggest scandal of the year…but it definitely got people talking!
In 2010, Katy’s ex-husband, Russell Brand, caused quite a stir when he posted a not-so-flattering photo of her in bed without a scrap of makeup on.
Though it might not seem like much of a big deal, it was obvious the star had been caught off-guard and certainly wasn’t aware that the photo would end up online.
The image was removed quickly after posting, but by that point, it had already been shared all over the internet. Eek!
3. She’s Caught Pretending to Play the Flute
November 2011
…Or was it a recorder?
In 2011, a hilarious clip started to circulate of Katy playing what appeared to be a very sparkly recorder during a live show in the US.
After being handed the instrument, fans whooped and cheered, seemingly impressed by the star’s effortless performance. But at around 20 seconds in, Katy stopped, and it became obvious that she had been using a backing track.
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If that wasn’t awkward enough, Katy then turned to the audience and said, “So, I lied. I can’t play the flute.”
Don’t you mean the recorder, Katy? #Scandalous
4. Katy Divorces Russell Brand
January 2012
Katy Perry’s whirlwind romance and subsequent divorce from comedian Russell Brand made big headlines in 2012.
After just 14 months of marriage, Brand broke up with the singer by text on New Year’s Eve, informing the star that he was filing for a divorce. Although the reason for the divorce was put down to “irreconcilable differences,” recent allegations of Russell’s sexual assault and emotional abuse have caused some to wonder whether there might have been more to the story.
Talk about a brutal way to start the new year!
5. Her Revealing Outfit Choice Causes a Stir
June 2012
These days, the red carpet is overrun with risqué fits. With stars like Rihanna, Kendall Jenner, and Megan Fox all rocking barely-there looks, nothing surprises us anymore.
But rewind to 2012, and things were a bit different. When Katy Perry stepped out in a sparkly nude bodysuit for the MuchMusic awards, it wasn’t just a fashion statement — it was a headline-grabbing scandal that left everyone talking.
Was Katy rude for sporting all-nude, or was she simply ahead of her time?
6. Katy Falls Out with Taylor Swift
2012 – 2017
What happens when your pop star pal goes and steals three of your backing dancers?
A five-year-long feud, apparently!
Between 2012 and 2013, three of Taylor’s backing dancers left her Red tour early to join Katy’s Prismatic tour instead. And THAT’s when the drama began.
Pissed at the fact that Katy had “stolen” her dancers, Taylor retaliated by releasing her track Bad Blood, which she claims was about a fellow woman in the industry.
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“She basically tried to sabotage an entire arena tour. She tried to hire a bunch of people out from under me,” Taylor told Rolling Stone.
The pair continued to slam each other in interviews, engaged in Twitter wars, and even wrote songs about each other, making their feud one of Katy Perry’s biggest scandals of all time.
But after being hot n cold for a number of years, Katy and Taylor are now good friends. Let’s just say it certainly took them a long time to shake it off!
7. Katy Criticizes Chief Keef
May 2013
Here’s another time things got *especially* heated on Twitter.
In 2013, Katy Perry took to Twitter to criticize the song I Hate Being Sober by then 17-year-old rapper Chief Keef. After claiming it made her have “serious doubts for the world,” the rapper quickly saw red, tweeting, “I’ll smack The S— out her.”
Perry quickly apologized, writing: “Mr. Keef! I’m sorry if I offended you. I heard a lot of people guesting on the song & didn’t even know it was you in particular. Actually…”
Could things get any more awkward?!
8. She’s Accused of Copying Sara Bareilles
August 2013
With its catchy chorus, uplifting lyrics, and upbeat tempo, Katy’s track Roar is the ultimate ‘feel good’ anthem. However, back in 2013, many listeners took to Twitter to point out the fact that it sounded suspiciously similar to Sara Bareilles’ power-pop hit Brave.
Posting to the platform, one user wrote: “I liked Katy Perry’s new song “Roar” better when it was called “Brave” by Sara Bareilles.”
We have to admit, the songs do sound extremely alike, but according to Katy, she was just trying to write a song about cats…
“Secretly… I love how when I wrote #ROAR I was just trying to write a song about being a mega cat lady. Shhh, don’t tell anyone,” she tweeted.
9. Katy Dresses as a Geisha
November 2013
You know those crazy celebrity moments that make you go, “Oh no, they didn’t”?
Well, this was certainly one of them…
In 2013, Katy made headlines for all the wrong reasons when she was seen sporting white powder makeup and a floral kimono for her performance of Unconditionally at the American Music Awards.
Rather than praising her Japanese inspired performance, many hit back, including a doctor and columnist for Psychology Today, who wrote: “If you don’t think Katy Perry was racist—let me ask you, what if she had performed in blackface?” — Eek!
10. She Locks Lips with Miley Cyrus
March 2014
She may have sung about kissing girls and liking it, but nothing could have prepared Katy Perry for the moment when, in 2014, Miley Cyrus leaned over to kiss her mid-performance during her Bangerz tour.
While Katy apparently initiated the kiss, let’s just say, she got a little more than she bargained for!
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Speaking to an Australian breakfast TV show, Katy recalled, “I just walked up to her to give her like a friendly girly kiss, you know, as girls do…and then she like tried to move her head and go deeper, and I pulled away.”
“God knows where that tongue has been,” Katy said, laughing about the awkward experience.
11. She’s Sued for Copying a Christian Rap Song
2014
Roar wasn’t the only track that landed the star in hot water.
In 2014, Katy got caught up in another copyright dispute when Christian rapper Flame accused her and Capitol Records of copying his song Joyful Noise. At the time, the rapper claimed that Perry’s hit Dark Horse shared a similar melody.
In 2019, a court eventually awarded Flame a whopping $2.8 million in damages, but this decision was overturned on appeal in 2022, with the judge ruling that the track consisted of “commonplace musical elements.”
That was a close call!
12. Katy is Accused of Sexual Misconduct
August 2019
In 2019, there was even more controversy for Katy when model Josh Kloss accused the pop star of sexual misconduct.
Around the time that they were filming the music video for Teenage Dream, Kloss alleged that Katy had exposed his genitals at an ice skating rink. Then, not long after, Russian TV host Tina Kandelaki claimed that Katy had made inappropriate sexual advances toward her while at a private party.
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Addressing the allegations in an interview with The Guardian newspaper, Katy said, “I think we live in a world where anyone can say anything.” She then added, “I don’t want to say ‘guilty until proven innocent’ but there’s no checks and balances: a headline just flies, right? And there’s no investigation of what it is.”
Although the allegations never resulted in formal charges, they undoubtedly impacted her public image.
13. Katy Faints While Filming ‘American Idol’
February 2020
All manner of weird and wonderful things can happen while filming for TV, but no one could have anticipated the moment when, in 2020, the entire cast and crew of American Idol had to be evacuated due to a gas leak.
After exiting the building for some fresh air, Katy announced that she “wasn’t feeling good,” before collapsing to the ground moments later.
Fans of the show were naturally concerned about the star, but it turns out she was okay.
Shortly after the incident, Katy posted on Twitter to thank the fire crew for helping her out: “Big shout out to all of our first responders around the country – thanks for risking your lives every day…and all night long #AmericanIdol”
14. Katy Announces She’s Pregnant
March 2020
There was some slightly happier news in 2020 when Katy announced she was about to be a mom!
After keeping her pregnancy largely on the DL during lockdown, the shock announcement came in the music video for her song, Never Worn White. The singer revealed a baby bump in the final few seconds of the clip, and later tweeted, “OMG, so glad I don’t have to suck it in anymore.”
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A year after marrying actor Orlando Bloom, fans were delighted to learn that Katy had given birth to her baby girl, Daisy Dove.
The news was first revealed on Instagram in a post shared by UNICEF, captioned: “Welcome to the world, Daisy Dove Bloom! We are honoured to introduce Goodwill Ambassadors @KatyPerry and Orlando Bloom’s new bundle of joy. ‘We are floating with love and wonder from the safe and healthy arrival of our daughter.’”
How cute!
15. Katy Falls Out Her Chair on TV
May 2022
Being a TV host is clearly a *very* dangerous job.
In 2022, there was yet another shocking moment on American Idol when Katy dramatically tumbled from her chair while wearing a Little Mermaid costume.
After hearing a loud crash, the panel looked down to find Katy on the floor, having fallen backward due to the weight of her mermaid costume. Luckily, Katy was able to see the funny side, and even shared the crazy moment with her fans on Instagram.
It seems like Katy’s career is full of ups and downs… literally!
16. She’s Sued for Using Someone Else’s Name
April 2023
Fun fact about Katy Perry? Her name isn’t actually Katy Perry!
Yup! The global superstar was, in fact, born Katheryn Hudson. And in 2023, that little fact ended up causing a major headache…
That year, an Australian designer named Katie Taylor (née Perry) sued the star, claiming trademark infringement over merchandise sold during Katy’s Australian tour. After a messy legal battle that spanned many years, the court eventually ruled in favor of the designer, and Katy — or should we say “Katherine” — was forced to pay out!
Just goes to show, sometimes a name can cause more trouble than you’d think!
17. Katy is Called Out for “Mom-Shaming”
March 2023
Katy doesn’t shy away from speaking her mind. In one particular incident, the star took it a little too far, and was called out for being one of the rudest celebrities.
During an American Idol audition by young mom of three Sarah Beth Liebe, Katy pretended to faint before joking, “Honey, you’ve been laying on the table too much.”
Shortly after, Katy then proceeded to tell the young mom that singing “wasn’t her dream” and that she “wouldn’t go far.” — Yikes!
Unsurprisingly, Katy’s scandalous comments didn’t land well with viewers, many of whom urged her to apologize for “mom shaming.”
18. Her Topless Public Appearance Disappoints Fans
June 2024
Katy Perry’s scandals have been surprising so far, but we certainly didn’t see this coming! When she stepped out for Paris Fashion Week wearing nothing but a fur coat and ripped tights, let’s just say not everyone was impressed by her revealing choice of fit.
After baring all for the paps, a number of users took to Twitter to share their thoughts, with many criticizing the pop star for her daring outfit.
One particular user wrote: “Oh Katy… we love your music and YOU ARE a talented successful pop star so there’s no need to strut around half naked to promote & sell your music!”
Another user even went as far as to compare her with Bianca Censori, tweeting: “What in the Kanye & Bianca is going on here.” #MAJORawks
19. She’s Slammed for Using the Wrong Football Flag
July 2024
If there’s one way to upset English football fans, it’s by using the wrong flag!
Eager to show her support for England in the 2024 Euros final, Katy took to Twitter, posting: “FOOTBALL IS COMING HOME”.
No problem with that, right?
Err, wrong. Unbeknownst to Katy, she had mistakenly used a United Kingdom emoji in her tweet, much to the horror of English fans everywhere.
She won’t be making that mistake again!
20. Katy Releases ‘Woman’s World’
July 2024
She may be one of the best-selling female artists of all time, but sadly for Katy, her 2024 single, Woman’s World, didn’t quite hit the mark.
Proving to be more of a “flop” than a feminist anthem, many fans and media outlets criticized the track for its outdated portrayal of women, with Pitchfork even labeling it a “monumental catastrophe.” Ouch.
Part of the reason for all the uproar was due to the song’s producer, Dr Luke. Previously accused of sexual assault by Kesha, his involvement in the project sparked major controversy and led many to question Perry’s judgment.
Despite Katy defending the track and branding the accompanying music video as “satire,” fans just couldn’t get over the fact that the song felt completely out of touch with the times.
Not quite the response the star was expecting for her first major comeback!
From chart-topping hits to headline-grabbing scandals, Katy Perry has cemented her status as one of pop culture’s most talked-about figures. Whether it’s her on-stage antics, public feuds, or fashion faux pas, the singer never fails to spark conversation.
What do you think of Katy Perry’s biggest scandals? Let us know which moment shocked you the most in the comments below!
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