Inside Katy Perry’s ‘sex-over’ transformation – from strict christian childhood to naked video and wild sex confessions

KATY Perry has never been the shy and retiring type but when she turned heads at the VMAs recently looking wet and sultry in a revealing two-piece outfit, it marked yet another chapter in her new, sex-crazed era.

On the cusp of turning 40, gone are the cutesy baby doll dresses, the cartoonish frocks and the onesies – Katy is fully embracing her sexy side.

From flashing the flesh whilst promoting her new album, showing off risque nipple piercings and sharing intimate details about her sex life with heartthrob partner Orlando Bloom, it’s enough to make even the most liberal lot blush.

Katy’s ‘sex siren’ persona is world’s away from her incredibly strict Christian upbringing in Santa Barbara, California, where she was raised by Pentecostal pastor parents.

Here, SARAH MORTON, and Denise Palmer Davies, PR director at Borne Media, reveal how Katy went from pop’s girl next door to sex siren on a mission…

Sex sells & she knows it

With her seventh album ‘143’ due for release this week and the video for one song from the album, ‘I’m His, He’s Mine’, seeing her ‘making out’ with a male model, this is arguably one of her sexiest musical offerings yet.

And a hugely different vibe to the Christian rock album Katy created under her birth name, Katy Hudson, before making it big.

In July, her previous single, A Woman’s World, flopped despite heavy promotion which might explain Katy’s decision to up the ante when it comes to sexing up her image.

Denise Palmer Davies, PR director at Borne Media, explains that often a viral moment is what’s needed to get noticed and Katy has achieved plenty.

She says: “The fact that Katy’s new video oozes sex appeal is most definitely a tactical move and will undoubtedly go viral. Made bland and boring, it runs the risk of bad reviews and indifference from fans.

“But by making it sexy and creating visuas which are likely to be shared across social platforms, it becomes clickbait and in turn media outlets will cover it.

“It is 100% a strategic move, but in turn it could really help boost album sales.”

Denise says that mum-of-one Katy clearly knows that ‘sex sells’ adding: “Whilst she’s been focusing on being a mother, a new fresh breed of popstars are making waves, sexy starlets such as Sabrina Carpenter, who is a prime example.

Katy knows ‘sex sells’, and by opting for risque outfits, outrageous confessionals and saucy performances, she’s making sure she’s getting people talking again and giving the youngsters a run for their money.”

Horny housework confession

Katy and Orlando, 47, have been together since 2016 and got engaged in 2019, when Orlando proposed on board a helicopter.

I don’t need a red Ferrari! I can buy a red Ferrari. Just do the f*****g dishes. I will suck your d**k! It’s that easy

Katy Perry

Daughter Daisy came along four years ago. Throughout their relationship they’ve often alluded to having a saucy side – Orlando getting his pecker out on a paddle board while on holiday with Katy is particularly memorable – but they’ve remained largely tight-lipped about their sex life.

That is until Katy’s recent appearance on hit US podcast Call Her Daddy, in which she reveals she performs sex acts for Orlando in exchange for him doing the household chores.

“If I come downstairs and the kitchen is clean, and you’ve done it all, and you’ve done all the dishes, and you’ve closed all the pantry doors, you better be ready to get your d**k sucked,” she told the host, Alex Cooper, before adding, “’I don’t need a red Ferrari! I can buy a red Ferrari. Just do the f*****g dishes. I will suck your d**k! It’s that easy.”

Naturally, the outrageous comments got plenty of airtime, even more so when Orlando responded publicly, cheekily writing on her Instagram, “I’ve cleaned the whole house”.

In fact our sources say that Orlando is totally on board with this version of Katy and is proud of her for putting their sex life out there.

“Orlando loves this side of Katy, it’s raunchy and playful and he’s happy to watch her evolve her image,” we were told. “He’s proud of her. So he’s more than happy to play along and be naughty too.”

And Denise believes, much like her daring outfits, this is all another ploy to get people talking.

She says, “By discussing her and Orlando’s cheeky housework sex confession, she knew it would go viral. And if you’re promoting an album then you’re going to do whatever it takes to get people talking”.

The risque outfits

Katy’s style evolution has gone from cutesy pop princess in pastel coloured gowns, to dressing as fruit, to squirting cream from cartoonish cones on her boobs to a more sophisticated androgynous look.

In 2017 she said she had two types of red carpet looks. “I either go OTT weird, fun, wild, and wacky or I go elegant, evolved, designer, gorge,” she explained.

But never before has she been this open with her sexuality when it comes to clothes.

A lot of people in the industry credit her makeover to Australian stylist Tatiana Waterford, who, since joining Katy’s team in 2019 has decked her out in more and more daring outfits, especially in recent months.

It’s what gives Katy that star quality, something that is missing in a lot of female artists today

Denise Borne

A sheer netted dress over black underwear was worn for the iHeart Radio awards in April and in June she donned a see through gown with floral shapes strategically placed on her chest at a fashion show in Paris.

But it was her recent wet look dress at the VMAs in New York which got people talking, showcasing her incredible figure while leaving very little to the imagination.

Another recent podcast appearance saw her show off nipple rings in a top without a bra, again a great way of getting noticed.

Denise says: “Like Madonna and Lady Gaga who have consistently reinvented themselves over the years to stay at the top of the game, Katy is really no different.

“She’s not a puppet but a creative who consistently delivers in terms of column inches across the globe.

“These outfits and nipple piercings are designed to get people talking. It’s what gives Katy that star quality, something that is missing in a lot of female artists today.”

Rebelling against her parents

You wouldn’t know it to look at her now, but Katy was born and raised in a strict religious household, where she wasn’t even allowed to eat certain cereals for fear of raising the devil.

So it’s little wonder her parents aren’t exactly over the moon with her choice of career, or the more recent foray into sex.

Maurice and Mary Hudson, who have worked as Pentecostal pastors and evangelical ministers for decades, bought Katy and her siblings up to shun Halloween and they weren’t allowed to eat Lucky Charms for breakfast  – not because of the insane sugar content but because “luck is derivative from Lucifer.”

Women like Beyonce and the Kardashians are currently looking sexier and hotter than ever and Katy, who will be 40 in a matter of weeks, is no exception

Denise Borne

When she first burst onto the scene in 2008 at the age of 23 with the cheeky single Kissed A GIrl, a not-so-subtle nod to lesbianism, Katy admitted her parents struggled, saying, “It was tough for them”.

She also explained how she and her parents “agree to disagree.” Speaking in 2011 she said, “I come from a very non-accepting family, but I’m very accepting. We coexist. I don’t try to change them anymore, and I don’t think they try to change me.”

In 2017 she doubled down on her comments and said, “They don’t agree with some of the things I do and they do wish that I could do other things.”

Our insider says that while the family remain close, Katy’s parents try to steer clear of talking about her raunchier image.

“They’re used to her being in the spotlight, pushing boundaries and playing up to a sexy stereotype, but her latest outfits and actions have been a hard pill to swallow,” they said.

“It’s not something they like or agree with, but they’re used to Katy marching to the beat of her own drum.”

Simulating sex on the road

Katy’s latest video featuring rapper Doechi, has got tongues wagging thanks to gratuitous sexual imagery throughout, including scenes of Katy with her legs spread eagle on a car bonnet. 

It’s another example of her showing off her sexuality in a very public way, something Denise believes is following a trend.

Many celebs approaching 40 and over have been pushing boundaries recently when it comes to their image, proving that just because you have babies or reach a certain age, you can still be sexy. 

Kourtney Kardashian, 45, has been piling on the PDAs with hubby Travis Barker in recent years and 43-year-old mum of three Beyonce’s lyrics have become more sexual over time.

“Women like Beyonce and the Kardashians are currently looking sexier and hotter than ever and Katy, who will be 40 in a matter of weeks, is no exception,” Denise says.

“There’s a certain aspect of sticking two fingers up to the world and saying, ‘guess what, we can be women, be mothers, be wives and still look hot as hell’. 

Again if we look at Katy mimicking sex, it doesn’t scream desperation but is more playful –  Katy knows it’s what works to keep her at the forefront of pop stardom.”