Beauty News

“I Kissed A Girl” singer Katy Perry takes the November 2008 cover of Blender (on stands October 14th). Here’s a sampling of her talking about growing up with God, battling booze, dating a thug and those girls on The Hills:

Growing up in her parent’s Evangelical ministry, she says, “It was kind of an island. We spoke in tongues. We knew there was this one way, and all the other ways were wrong.” In Katy’s house, deviled eggs were called angeled eggs. “I didn’t know enough to ask my mom, ‘How come we call them that? Everybody else calls them something else.’” She’s protective of her parents beliefs, even if she doesn’t share them anymore: “They found God at a time when they really needed to, and I believe in the God they found. My dad would have died from one tab of Strawberry Fields (LSD) too many if he hadn’t found God.” Despite any religious conflicts, she’s part of the family tree. “I’m still in the will,” she explains. “It’s just that I have more money than them now.”

Breaking In: “The first time I got signed, they brought me in a room with three other girls they signed at the same time. They sat us down and said, ‘Maybe one of you will ever make a record. The other three can go back to Middle America and pop out babies.’” Despite her long wait, she didn’t quit: “What else was I gonna do? I’d just turn into a depressed, pill-popping disaster of a housewife.” She decided to stick it out until she turned 25, but it only took until she was 23. “It was really difficult, drinking became a problem. It got out of control until I said, OK - back to work. I know I’m speaking for someone, even if it is someone silly.”

Thug Life: Of her boyfriend, Gym Class Heroes front man Travis McCoy “He’s thug-nificent,” Katy says. “I can’t believe I got a thug to commit!” “We weren’t really together, it was casual. But soulless hooking up didn’t seem so hot to me. I always wanted to have a romance. I said “Excuse me, I’ve been coming to a number of your shows in the greater Los Angeles area for quite some time now. I’ve been your Penny Lane long enough, and now I want to be your Grace Kelly.”

She’s from Santa Barbara, not The Hills: Katy’s thrift-store bombshell style is a big part of her appeal — this is definitely one pop star you wouldn’t get confused with the girls from The Hills. “Hellz to the f— no! There’s no comparison. No offense, but those ladies are a totally different breed. A cheeseburger’s fine if you’re just looking for something quick to fill you up, but there’s no substitute for the filet!”

For more pics from the photo shoot, visit Blender.com.