In fact, the pop star is back in the limelight with a new single AND a film.
Her 3D documentary movie, Katy Perry: Part Of Me, is a mixture of energetic concert footage and behind-the-scenes tears.
But while the video for latest single Wide Awake shows her in uncharacteristic gothic clothes and singing about "falling hard", she is not about to turn her back on her sparkly, fun persona.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun, the 27-year-old said: "I'd never devote a whole record to heartbreak. I'm happy, I'm in a good place, I'm looking forward to my future."
Sitting across from the upbeat star it's hard to imagine she has been through such a tough 18 months.
Last year she became the first woman to have five No1 singles from one album and completed her epic California Dreams tour.
But in December Brit comic Russell filed for divorce and Part Of Me, released today, goes behind the scenes of her sell-out 124-date 11-month world tour as she experiences this "personal heartbreak".
In one incredibly poignant scene, in Brazil, we see Katy weeping beneath a blanket, shortly before she is due to perform.
When Katy's manager asks if she is depressed, she nods.
Yet despite that she pulls herself together and switches on her megawatt smile just as she is about to be lifted on stage through a secret door.
Katy said: "That's towards the end of the tour and I am obviously exhausted and things aren't going well for me personally. I am trying to keep that to myself and it started cracking through.
"It is a bit of a symbolic moment, rising above that pain on that lift, and sometimes I had to turn it on.
"I turned on my spinning outfits and my spinning peppermints.
"Whoever said the show must go on had obviously been there too. But it wasn't like I was always in my make-up chair, convulsing and crying and showing my cracks."
Katy used every spare moment between the high-energy shows to fly back to LA to be with her new husband, but Russell was not coming over to see her.
I asked if this was the reason for the split. She replied: "Yes, if I could edit it any other way I would, but that is exactly the way it was.
"I always had plans to make this record and usually with a record, you tour a record.
"Touring is always important to me. It's like a big IOU to my fans, because I know they are the reason I exist."
It is clear that the friendly and polite singer is not entirely comfortable talking about her ex-husband.
But she is honest enough to recognise that a movie about her life would be false if she did not address her high-profile divorce.
Katy explained: "For me it was important with this movie not to ignore that elephant in the room.
"I am not hiding anything, but I had to put it in with integrity and consideration because that's how I make all my choices, because I believe in karma."
There were suggestions in the Press that Russell had wanted children and Katy didn't. But the singer freely admits the time is not right for her to become a mother.
After years of struggling to get her songs out into the world, Katy does not want to put her career on hold just as it is really taking off.
She said: "Ever since I was younger I wanted to be on stage, singing my songs in a glittering costume. And that happened and is still happening. I have to remember that this is what I wished for and be grateful because there are 500 other girls right behind me that are ready to snatch it up.
"When I decide to become a mother I will just be that. That will be really important to me.
"I want to be delicate with that situation, because I will finally have someone's life in my hands."
Pretty Katy is relaxed about showing herself with no make-up in the film. For our interview she looked totally glamorous, but the star insisted she is not always like this.
Katy said: "I kept a lot of those scenes in where I am not looking all done up and looking pretty exhausted.
"And my acne is in 3D, which is not exciting! I think it's time to break down the wall of fakeness regarding Hollywood because it's not realistic.
"No one could walk out of their house being flawless and having all these material possessions. It is not cool to paint that picture all the time. I think it's great to dress up and play on all the girly features.
"But at the end of the day, I am pretty plain Jane when I go to bed and wake up.
"I am just a simple girl who had a dream and basically hustled the whole way here."
Katy wants fans to be themselves and not feel pressured into conforming to standard ideas of beauty.
Before she had her first hit single — I Kissed A Girl in 2008 — she had two problematic record deals behind her. One label tried to turn Katy, who was born Katheryn Hudson, into a replica of already successful acts. She refused because she wanted to be "the first Katy Perry" and to score hits with her own music.
Katy also had to rebel against the constraining beliefs of her evangelical parents.
Her dad, Keith, is a travelling preacher and her mum, Mary, made it clear she does not approve of the lesbian element of I Kissed A Girl.
Katy said: "The message of the film is: 'Be yourself and you can be anything.' Along the way people tried to change me in so many ways and I had to come out of this situation of my childhood and look beyond it in order to learn.
"I came from a lot of intolerance and prejudice, which aren't necessarily healthy to evolve as a human.
"And also the record labels tried to do the same thing — copycat, not an original.
"Then last year, in my relationship, it's like I didn't want to change. I wanted to stay as a performer who has so much love for my fans, and I don't want to ever think I would have to choose between them."
Katy and her parents have put their differences behind them and both mum and dad appear in the film. Katy said: "When you see my dad turn up on screen you think, 'Oh, he looks like Mr Clean and a Hell's Angel put together.' Now he is like a kind of rock 'n' roll pastor."
Despite the movie, Katy doesn't plan on pursuing an acting career.
She said: "I think that people in the past have made the crucial mistake of thinking they are successful in all avenues. I am not good at everything. I can't cook to save my life — I am constantly starving!
"But if I was to do something in film I would have to be very well rehearsed on it.
"Whatever I do, I always put in 110 per cent, personally and professionally."
Katy Perry: Part Of Me (PG) opens today.
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario