Knife blades

A blade is that portion of a tool, weapon, or machine with an edge that is designed to cut and/or puncture, stab, slash, chop, slice, thrust, or scrape animate or inanimate surfaces or materials. A blade may be made from a flaking stone, such as flint, metal (usually steel), ceramic, or other material.

Uses[link]

Blades are used for utility purposes (food preparation, craftwork, outdoors sport, etc.) and for combat.

When used for food preparation, the main uses are slicing (cutting by drawing the blade across the object, applying light pressure) and chopping (cutting by pushing the blade through object), with some piercing (using the tip to cut through the surface).^[1]

In combat, a blade may be used to slash (i.e. to cut with the edge, generally in a swinging motion), puncture or stab (the blade is plunged into the opponent, starting with the tip and proceeding as the blade enters more deeply), thrown (i.e. by throwing the knife so the point enters the target) or propelled (i.e. a ballistic knife).^[2][3]

Blades may be used to scrape, moving the blade sideways across a surface, as in an ink eraser, rather than along or through a surface.

Physics[link]

The ability of a blade to cut arises from the concentration of the force applied to the blade onto a very small area, resulting in a high pressure on the matter to be penetrated.

A serrated blade (a blade which has many small "teeth") takes this further as each individual tooth concentrates the force on a smaller area which helps cut through denser materials. A jagged knife can cut through objects solely with a sliding motion with little pushing force, this is useful, for example, in bread knives. Some bladed weapons (and tools) have curved blades.

As a rule the blade must be made of a substance which is harder than (or as hard as) the material it is intended to cut. If this is not the case the blade will either be unable to cut (as it absorbs all the energy and is damaged) or will wear away very quickly (if it is hard enough to transfer enough of the energy to damage the material). The material must also be tough enough to last (e.g. glass is very hard but it shatters easily and thus is not very effective as a material for a blade).

Heat treatments, which increase hardness for better edge-holding, reduce the material's toughness. A balance must be found between the sharpness and how well it can last. Methods that can circumvent this include differential hardening. This gives an edge that can hold its sharpness and a body that is tough.

Geometry[link]

Blade of a whale knife

An ideal blade would come to a perfect edge —not at all rounded— but that says nothing of the angle of that edge. The ideal angle is a function of the material being cut. For example, a tool bit for cutting metal may have nearly a 90° edge; it would probably not even be considered a blade. With very rigid materials such as metal, cutting deep into a piece with a blade would be impossible so deep cutting is done with a saw or grinder which provides kerf through which the cutting device can pass. With less-rigid materials such as a butternut squash, an acute blade prevents the blade from being pinched by the material^{[citation needed]}. When cutting biomaterials such as tomatoes (which tend to have a low elastic modulus but high yield strain), the angle of the blade is less important since the material will bend, but the sharpness of the edge is important because if too much force is required, the material will be squashed rather than cut (or alternatively a serrated blade could be used)^{[citation needed]}.

Material[link]

Material for weapon blades has to be selected to achieve a balance between hardness and toughness and the balance is dependent upon the intended use of a blade. In antiquity, the main metal used was copper, then bronze, and later iron and steel. Perhaps the most well known steel forging technique is pattern welding, a technique historically used to mix high and low-carbon irons together, most furnaces being incapable of producing other grades than these two extremes. Today, the process is only used for the sides of historically accurate katanas (samurai swords), and for pattern welded steel's resemblance to damascus steel.

Techniques may also be employed to make the blade stronger or harder. Copper and bronze can be work hardened by simply hitting the blade with a hammer while it is cold. Blades made of steel with a high enough carbon content (greater than 0.2%) can be heat-treated by heating the steel up to a critical point (most simple carbon alloys become non-magnetic slightly below that point), then quenching it with forced air, oil, water, or salted water depending on the required hardness. Quenching puts an enormous amount of stress on the metal if cooled unevenly, and often a sword will warp during that step, which is how some swords acquire their curvature; this is called differential hardening. Following quenching, a blade may be tempered by heating it to a relatively low temperature for an extended period of time. The tempering process makes the steel slightly softer, but also much tougher and "springier", and thus less likely to break or chip during everyday use.

Case hardening is a process diffusing alloying elements into the surface of a piece of metal. The most common case hardening realized on blades is carburizing. It is done by placing the object to be hardened in a sealed container along with carbon-rich material; in antiquity, this material was usually a mix of horn, hide, or charcoal, and sometimes urine which brought nitrogen. The container would then be heated until it was glowing red and held at that temperature for a time based on the size of the part being hardened and the required depth of hardening. As long as enough carbon is provided, that depth can attain 1.5 millimetres^[4]. After the required time, the object is dumped out of the container into a water bath to quench it, resulting in a very hard surface, but a completely unhardened core. Case hardening is a less time-consuming and less expensive way to obtain a blade with balanced toughness and hardness than pattern welding two types of iron. Only low-carbon wrought iron is required (which is the only thing most antique and medieval furnaces could produce), bars are then case-hardened and finally pattern welded together, resulting in steel. It is also possible to case harden finished iron or steel items. Case hardening as an industrial process has survived the replacement of wrought iron by carbon steel, since despite no longer being required to increase carbon content, a thin but very hard surface layer is an effective protection against wear (on mechanical parts) and corrosion.

Another important aspect of many blades are fullers. Despite popular belief, fullers were not "blood grooves" that facilitated quicker bleeding of the victim and easier removal after insertion. Rather, fullers helped to make a blade stronger and more durable by giving it an I-beam cross section, thus reducing the amount of steel and weight of the blade required to keep the spine stiff. This was very important in ancient times when high quality steel was more labor intensive to make, smiths would scrape the fuller with an U shaped tool before hardening and reuse the scraps. Modern day fullers are made by positioning a heated blade over a bottom fuller (metalworking), setting a like sized top fuller on the top side of the sword, and hitting the top fuller with a hammer.

The most common materials used nowadays are homogeneous carbon or stainless steel, which are produced in quantity from pig iron, though anything that is fairly hard can be used. This has led to exotic blade materials being used in the past, such as obsidian, flint and bone. Joining them now are types such as synthetic sapphire,^[5] zirconium dioxide and even very hard plastics.

Dulling[link]

Blades dull with use and abuse. This is particularly true of acute blades and those made of soft materials. Dulling usually occurs due to contact between the blade and a harder substance such as a ceramic, stone or a tougher metal. To a first approximation, a harder material cannot be deformed by a softer material at their interface because the stress on both materials is the same at the interface and so the softer material will yield first. One exception to this is when the highest stress is not at the contact point; this is why a steel paper clip can easily be bent even though the end of the same paper clip could scratch the skin, and the main reason why a very sharp and thus very thin edge will be dulled by a softer but structurally much stronger flat plate, for example. In times when swords were regularly used in warfare, they required frequent sharpening because of dulling from contact with rigid armor, chain mail, metal rimmed shields, or other swords,^[6] for example. Particularly, hitting the edge of another sword by accident or in emergency could chip away metal and even cause cracks through the blade.^[7] Properly built soft or soft-cored blades are less affected by this.

Knife blade profiles (Patterns)[link]

Blade styles with typical edges highlighted

Some of the most common shapes are listed below.

(1) A normal blade has a curving edge, and straight back. A dull back lets the wielder use fingers to concentrate force; it also makes the knife heavy and strong for its size. The curve concentrates force on a smaller area, making cutting easier. This knife can chop as well as pick and slice. This is also the best single-edged blade shape for thrusting, as the edge cuts a swath that the entire width of the knife can pass through without the spine having to push aside any material on its path, as a sheepsfoot or drop-point knife would.

(2) A curved, trailing-point knife has a back edge that curves upward. This lets a lightweight knife have a larger curve on its edge. Such a knife is optimized for slicing or slashing. Trailing point blades provide a larger cutting area, or belly, and are common on skinning knives.

Clip-point blade

(3) A clip-point blade is like a normal blade with the back "clipped" or concavely formed to make the tip thinner and sharper. The back edge of the clip may have a false edge that could be sharpened to make a second edge. The sharp tip is useful as a pick, or for cutting in tight places. If the false edge is sharpened it increases the knife's effectiveness in piercing. The Bowie knife has a clip point blade and clip-points are common on pocket knives and other folding knives.^[8]

Drop-point blade

(4) A drop point blade has a convex curve of the back towards the point. It handles much like the clip-point, though with a stronger point less suitable for piercing. Swiss army pocket knives often have drop-points on their larger blades.

Spear-point blade

(5) A spear point blade is a symmetrically-shaped blade with a point aligned with the centerline of the blade's long axis. True spear-point blades are double-edged with a central spine, like a dagger or spear head. The spear point is one of the stronger blade point designs in terms of penetration stress, and is found on many thrusting knives such as the dagger. The term spear point is occasionally and confusingly used to describe small single-edged blades without a central spine, such as that of the pen knife, a small folding-blade pocket knife formerly used in sharpening quills for writing. Pen-knife may also nowadays refer to the blade pattern of some of larger pocket knife blades that would otherwise be termed drop-point designs. Some throwing knives may also have spear point blades, but these are commonly made without a spine, being only flat pieces of metal.

(6) A needle point blade has a sharply-tapered acuminated point. It is frequently found on thrusting weapons such as the stiletto, and certain daggers such as the Fairbairn-Sykes fighting knife. Its long, narrow point reduces friction and increases the blade's penetrative capabilities, but is liable to stick in bone and can break if abused. When the needle point is combined with a reinforced 'T' section running the length of the blade's spine, it is called a reinforced tip. One example of a knife with a reinforced tip is the pesh-kabz.

(7) A spey point blade (once used for neutering livestock) has a single, sharp, straight edge that curves strongly upwards at the end to meet a short, dull, straight point from the dull back. With the curved end of the blade being closer to perpendicular to the blade's axis than other knives and lacking a point, making penetration unlikely, spey blades were common on Trapper style pocketknives for skinning fur-bearing animals.^[9]

(8) A Kamasu Kissaki, often referred to as a "Americanized tanto" but actually a Japanese design tip which went out of use in the 15th century, has a somewhat chisel-like point that is thick towards the point (being close to the spine) and is thus quite strong. It is superficially similar to the points on most Japanese long and short swords (katana and wakizashi). The traditional Japanese tantō knife uses the blade geometry of (1). The Kamasu Kissaki is often straight but may also be gently curved. The point is actually a second edge on the end of the blade, with a total edge angle of 60 – 80 degrees. Some varieties may have the back edge angled to the point slightly and sharpened for a short distance from the point.

(9) A sheepsfoot blade has a straight edge and a straight dull back that curves towards the edge at the end. It gives the most control, because the dull back edge is made to be held by fingers. Sheepsfoot blades were originally made to trim the hooves of sheep. Their shape bears no similarity to the foot of a sheep.^[9]

(10) A Wharncliffe blade is similar in profile to a sheep's foot but the curve of the back edge starts closer to the handle and is more gradual. Its blade is much thicker than a knife of comparable size.^[10] Wharncliffes were used by sailors, as the shape of the tip prevented accidental penetration of the work or the user's hand with the sudden motion of a ship.

(11 is the same as 12) An ulu (Inuit woman's knife) knife is a sharpened segment of a circle. This blade type has no point, and has a handle in the middle. It is good for scraping, and sometimes chopping. The semi-circular version appears elsewhere in the world and is called a head knife. It is used in leatherworking both to scrape down leather (reducing thickness), and to make precise, rolling cuts for shapes other than straight lines. {12) is a popular tool for slicing pizzas. One corner is placed at the edge of the pizza and the blade is rolled across in a diameter cut.

Not pictured is the undulating style found on items like the kris or flame-bladed sword. These blades have a distinct recurved blade form and are sharpened on both sides, typically tapering to (or close to) a symmetrical point.

Sword Patterns[link]

Swords may have either a straight blade or a curved one. A straight sword was thought to be primarily intended for hacking and stabbing, yet recent studies have shown this to be untrue, as many slicing techniques were used. The difference between a hacking cut and a slashing one is essentially the same as the difference between using a butcher's knife and a chef's knife; one forces an edge straight into a material while the other is pulled along the material to get more of a slicing action. Hacking cuts were usually followed by a slicing action, where the sword is drawn backwards to maximize the cut. For more information see Western Martial Arts or kenjutsu.

Some variations included

• the flame blade (undulated blade, for both psychological effect and some tactical advantage of using a non-standard blade: vibrations and easier parry)
• the colichemarde, found in smallsword

Marks and decoration[link]

An Anglo-Saxon "broken-back" seax from Sittingbourne in Kent, inscribed in Insular majuscules ☩ BIORHTELM ME ÞORTE ("Biorhtelm made me") and ☩ S[I]GEBEREHT ME AH ("S[i]gebereht owns me").

Blades are sometimes marked or inscribed, for decorative purposes, or with the mark of either the maker or the owner. Blade decorations are often realized in inlay in some precious metal (gold or silver).^[11]

Early blade inscriptions are known from the Bronze Age, a Hittite sword found at Hattusa bears an inscription chiseled into the bronze, stating that the blade was deposited as an offering to the storm-god by king Tuthaliya.^[12]

References[link]

1. ^ Culinary Institute of America (2007). In the Hands of a Chef: The Professional Chef's Guide to Essential Kitchen Tools. John Wiley and Sons. p. 17. ISBN 978-0-470-08026-9. 
2. ^ Echanis, Michael (1977). Knife Self-Defense for Combat. p. 4. ISBN 978-0-89750-022-7. 
3. ^ Echanis, Michael (1979). Knife Throwing for Combat. p. 4. ISBN 978-0-89750-058-6. 
4. ^ Engineer's handbook; case hardening
5. ^ English Russia >> Sapphire Knife
6. ^ thearma.org; edge damage
7. ^ [Taiji Sword, Classical Yang Style. Jwing-Ming Yang. YMAA Publications 1999, page 20 ISBN 978-1-886969-74-2]
8. ^ Goddard, Wayne (2000). The Wonder of Knifemaking. Krause. pp. 88–89. ISBN 978-0-87341-798-3. 
9. ^ ^{a b} Overton, Mac (1990). "Two traditional designs". Blade Magazine 17 (=12): 48–53. 
10. ^ Rod-neep.co.uk
11. ^ Ewart Oakeshott, The Sword in the Age of Chivalry (1964)[1]
12. ^ Kristian Kristiansen, Thomas B. Larsson, '0The rise of Bronze Age society: travels, transmissions and transformations (2005)290.

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (September 2010)

Rubén Blades
Rubén Blades in concert, Connecticut, 2005
Background information
Birth name	Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna
Born	(1948-07-16) July 16, 1948 (age 63) Panama City, Panama
Genres	salsa, latin Jazz, Latin Pop, world music
Occupations	actor, singer, songwriter
Instruments	vocals, guitar
Years active	1960's–present
Labels	Fania Records, Elektra, Sony, Columbia
Associated acts	Willie Colón, Fania All Stars
Website	Rubén Blades' website

Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈruβen ˈbleðz];^[1] born July 16, 1948) is a Panamanian salsa singer, songwriter, actor, Latin jazz musician, and activist, performing musically most often in the Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz genres. As songwriter, Blades brought the lyrical sophistication of Central American nueva canción and Cuban nueva trova as well as experimental tempos and political inspired Nuyorican salsa to his music, creating thinking persons' (salsa) dance music. Blades has composed dozens of musical hits, the most famous of which is "Pedro Navaja," a song about a neighborhood thug who appears to die during a robbery (his song "Sorpresas" continues the story), inspired by "Mack the Knife." He also composed and sings what many Panamanians consider their second national anthem. The song is titled "Patria" (Fatherland).

He is an icon in Panama and is much admired throughout Latin America, and managed to attract 18% of the vote in his failed attempt to win the Panamanian presidency in 1994. In September 2004, he was appointed minister of tourism by Panamanian president Martín Torrijos for a five-year term. He holds a law degree from the University of Panama and a master's in international law from Harvard University. He is married to singer Luba Mason.^[2]

Family history and early life[link]

Blades was born in Panama City, Panama, the son of Anoland Diaz (Diaz was his mother's artistic surname, not her real name, which was Bellido de Luna), a Cuban pianist, singer, and actress, and Ruben Daro Blades, Sr., a gifted athlete, percussionist and later a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics in Washington, D.C. His mother's great-uncle Juan Bellido de Luna was active in the Cuban revolutionary movement against Spain and was later a writer and publisher in New York. Blades's paternal grandfather, Reuben Blades, was an English-speaking native of St. Lucia who came to Panama as an accountant. His family is not quite sure how the Blades family ended up in St. Lucia, but when his grandfather relocated to Panama, he lived in the Panamanian Bocas del Toro Province. Ruben Blades thought until recently that his grandfather had come to Panama to work on the Panama Canal, as he tells in the song "West Indian Man" on the album Amor y Control ("That's where the Blades comes from") (1992). He explains the source and the pronunciation (/ˈbleɪdz/) of his family surname, which is of English origin, in his web show Show De Ruben Blades (SDRB).^[3]

In Blades' early days, he was a vocalist in Los Salvajes del Ritmo with fellow university students including Antonio Jose Guzman, and also a songwriter and guest singer with a professional Latin music conjunto; Bush y sus Magníficos. His strongest influence of the day was the Joe Cuba sextet and Cheo Feliciano, whose singing style he copied to the point of imitating his voice tone and vocal range.

1970s - 1980s[link]

Blades earned degrees in political science and law at the Universidad Nacional de Panama and performed legal work at the Bank of Panama as a law student. Upon his graduation in 1974, Blades moved to the United States, staying temporarily with his exiled parents in Miami, Florida before moving to New York City. Perhaps his first profesional "gig" as singer and composer was with Pete Rodriguez La Magnifica Orchestra, under the musical direction of trumpetist Tony Pabon, including song hits such as "Descarga Caliente" and "De Panama a NewYork", recorded on Alegre records label around 1970 in New York City. Blades began his formal musical career in New York writing songs while working in the mailroom at Fania Records, perceived as a talented songwriter who still had to develop a singing style of his own. The mailroom job was a good opportunity to stay close to the company until the right opportunity came along. Soon Blades was working with salseros Ray Barretto and Larry Harlow. Shortly thereafter, Blades started collaborating with trombonist and bandleader Willie Colón, and they recorded several albums together and participated in albums by plena singer Mon Rivera and the Fania All Stars.

Blades' first notable hit was a song on the 1977 album Metiendo Mano that he had composed in 1968: "Pablo Pueblo," a meditation about a working-class father who returns to his home after a long day at work. The song later became his unofficial campaign song when he ran for president of Panama. The Colón and Blades recording on the same album of Tite Curet Alonso's composition, "Plantación Adentro," which dealt with the brutal treatment of Indian natives in Latin America's colonial times, was an enormous hit in various Caribbean countries. He wrote and performed several songs with the Fania All Stars and as a guest on other artists' releases, including the hits "Paula C," written about a girlfriend at the time; "Juan Pachanga," about a party animal who buries his pain for a lost love in dance and drink; and "Sin Tu Cariño," a love song, featuring a bomba break. The latter two songs feature piano solos by Papo Lucca.

In 1978, Blades wrote the song "El Cantante"; Colón convinced him to give the song to Colón's former musical partner, Héctor Lavoe, to record, since Lavoe's nickname was already "El Cantante de los Cantantes" ("the singer of singers"). Lavoe recorded it that same year, and it became both a big hit and Lavoe's signature song; a biographical film, El Cantante from Lavoe took the same title. (The film El Cantante told a fictionalized version of this story, in which Blades tells Lavoe he wrote the song for him.)

The Colón and Blades album Siembra (1978) became the best-selling salsa record in history. It has sold over 25 million copies, and almost all of its songs were hits at one time or another in various Latin American countries.,^{[citation needed]}

Blades became dissatisfied with Fania and tried to terminate his contract, but was legally obliged to record several more albums. Maestra Vida and its follow-up Canciones del Solar de los Aburridos are highlights. In 1984, Blades signed with Elektra and assembled a top-notch band (known variously as Seis Del Solar or Son Del Solar) and recorded a number of albums with them including the Grammy Award-winning albums Escenas and Antecedente. Fania continued to release recordings compiled from their archives for some years afterwards.

In 1982, Blades got his first acting role in The Last Fight (film), portraying a singer-turned-boxer vying for a championship against a fighter who was played by real-life world-champion boxer Salvador Sánchez. In 1984, he released Buscando América, and in 1985, Blades gained widespread recognition as co-writer and star of the independent film Crossover Dreams as a New York salsa singer willing to do anything to break into the mainstream. Blades also began his career in films scoring music for soundtracks. Also in 1985, he earned a master's degree in international law from Harvard Law School. He was also the subject of Robert Mugge's documentary The Return of Ruben Blades, which debuted at that year's Denver Film Festival.

After winning his first Grammy Award for Escenas in 1986, he recorded the album Agua de Luna based on the short stories of famed writer Gabriel García Márquez in 1987. The next year he released the English-language collaboration Nothing But the Truth with rock artists Sting, Elvis Costello, and Lou Reed the same year as the more traditionally salsa Antecedente, another Grammy Award winner.

The English-language album received disappointing reviews, but he answered his critics, "I do not believe in the notion that one is condemned to do something because he looks in a certain way or speaks a certain language. To me, music is a universal thing, and I have always been interested in the directions offered me by music in English, directions I could not find, concretely in terms of construction, with the Afro-Cuban rhythms I'd always worked with. I also wanted to leave testimony of the meeting of urban tropical music with rock 'n roll".

Blades had also contributed guest vocals in English to "Bitter Fruit" a song on the 1984 album Freedom - No Compromise by Little Steven.

1990s - 2000s[link]

During the 1990s, he acted in films and continued to make records with Seis/Son del Solar. In 1994 he mounted his unsuccessful presidential bid, founding the party Movimiento Papa Egoró. The album that followed this experience was La Rosa de los Vientos with songs by other Panamanian songwriters, using all Panamanian musicians.

In 1996, Blades along with Son Miserables performed "No Te Miento (I Don't Lie [to you])" for the AIDS benefit album Silencio=Muerte: Red Hot + Latin produced by the Red Hot Organization.

In 1997, Blades headed the cast of singer/songwriter Paul Simon's first Broadway musical, The Capeman, based on a true story about a violent youth who becomes a poet in prison, which also starred Marc Anthony and Ednita Nazario.

His many film appearances include The Milagro Beanfield War (1988), The Two Jakes (1990), Predator 2 (1990), Mo' Better Blues (1990), Color of Night (1994), and Devil's Own (1997). In 1999, he played Mexican artist Diego Rivera in Tim Robbins' Cradle Will Rock. In the 2003 film Once Upon a Time in Mexico, starring Johnny Depp, Antonio Banderas, and Willem Dafoe, he played the role of a retired FBI agent.

Blades' 1999 album Tiempos, which he recorded with musicians from the Costa Rican groups Editus and Sexteto de Jazz Latino, represented a break from his salsa past and a further rejection of commercial trends in Latin music. Ironically, the album won a Grammy Award for Best Latin Pop Album. Even more eclectic was the 2002 album Mundo with the 11-member Editus Ensemble and bagpiper Eric Rigler, which incorporated instruments from around the world. The same year, he guested on world music artist Derek Trucks' album, Joyful Noise.

In 2003 he followed the World Music Grammy and Latin Grammy winner Mundo with a web site free-download project. As he said in 2005 when receiving the ASCAP Founders Award about his non-commercial choices, "That's the way I think."

In 2004, he put his artistic careers on hold when he began serving a five-year appointment as Panama's minister of tourism. Beginning in June 2007, however, Blades turned some of his attention back to his artistic career, presenting an "online tv show" titled Show de Ruben Blades (SDRB) on his website.^[4]

During the summer of 2008 he took a leave of absence for a mini-tour in Europe, backed by the Costa Rican band Son de Tikizia. When his government service was completed in June 2009, he reunited the members of Seis del Solar for the 25th anniversary of Buscando America in an ambitious tour of the Americas.

Discography[link]

• A Las Seis - con Los Salvajes Del Ritmo - Panamanian conjunto banda
• From Panama to New York (1970) - Rubén Blades & la Orquesta de Pete Rodriguez
• Barretto - with Ray Barretto orchestra (1975)
• La Raza Latina - Salsa Suite with Larry Harlow and his orchestra Harlow (1977)
• Fania All Stars Tribute To Tito Rodríguez (1976)
• Jorge Dalto - Chevere (1976)
• Metiendo Mano (1977) - Rubén Blades & Willie Colón
• Fania All Stars Spanish Fever (1978)
• Siembra (1978) - Rubén Blades & Willie Colón
• Fania All Stars Crossover (1979)
• Bohemio y Poeta (1979) - Rubén Blades (Fania compilation)
• Maestra Vida: Primera Parte (1980) - Rubén Blades (produced by Willie Colón)
• Maestra Vida: Segunda Parte (1980) - Rubén Blades (produced by Willie Colón)
• Fania All Stars Commitment (1980)
• Canciones Del Solar De Los Aburridos (1981) - Rubén Blades & Willie Colón
• The Last Fight (Album) (1982) - Rubén Blades & Willie Colón
• El Que La Hace La Paga (1983) - Rubén Blades
• Buscando América (1984) - Rubén Blades & Seis del Solar
• Mucho Mejor (1984) - Rubén Blades
• Crossover Dreams (1985) soundtrack
• Escenas (1985) - Rubén Blades y Seis de Solar
• Doble Filo (1986) - Rubén Blades
• Agua de Luna (1987) - Rubén Blades y Seis del Solar
• Antecedente (1988) - Rubén Blades
• Nothing But the Truth (1988) - Rubén Blades
• Oliver and Company (soundtrack) (1988) - Buscando Guayaba
• With Strings (1988) Rubén Blades
• Live! (1990) Rubén Blades y Son del Solar
• Caminando (1991) - Rubén Blades y Son del Solar
• Best of Ruben Blades (1992) - Rubén Blades (Fania compilation)
• Amor Y Control (1992) - Rubén Blades y Son Del Solar
• Poetry: The Greatest Hits (1993) -
• Poeta Latina (1993) - Rubén Blades (UK Fania compilation)
• Mucho Mejor [Westwind] (1995) - Rubén Blades
• Tras La Tormenta (1995) Rubén Blades & Willie Colón
• La Rosa de Los Vientos (1996) - Rubén Blades
• Greatest Hits (Rubén Blades album) (1996) - Rubén Blades y Seis del Solar (Elektra compilation)
• Sus Más Grandes Exitos (1998) - Rubén Blades ( Fania compilation)
• Tiempos (1999) - Rubén Blades y Editus
• Sembra Y Otros Favoritos Salsa Para Siempre (2001) - Rubén Blades & Willie Colón (Fania compilation)
• Best (2001) - Rubén Blades (Fania compilation)
• Salsa Caliente De Nu York (2002) - Rubén Blades (Fania compilation)
• Mundo (2002) - Rubén Blades y Editus Ensemble
• Joyful Noise (2002) - The Derek Trucks Band (Ka-Ma-Lay)
• rubenblades.com/cd (2003) Rubén Blades etc. (download project)
• Una Decada (2003) - Rubén Blades (Sony compilation)
• Experencia Ruben Blades (2004) - Rubén Blades (Fania compilation)
• Lo Mejor, Vol. 1 (2004) - Rubén Blades (Fania compilation, import as O Melhor Vol. 1)
• Lo Mejor, Vol. 2 (2004) - Rubén Blades (Fania compilation, import as O Melhor Vol. 2)
• Across 110th St. (2004) - Spanish Harlem Orchestra featuring Rubén Blades
• Ganas (2005)
• Maestro de la Fania (2005) - Rubén Blades (Fania compilation)
• Cantares del Subdesarrollo (2009) - Rubén Blades
• Todos Vuelven Live, Volume I & II (2010) - Rubén Blades & Seis del Solar

Filmography[link]

• The Last Fight (1983) - Andy 'Kid Clave'
• The Return of Ruben Blades (1985) - himself
• Crossover Dreams (1985) - Rudy Veloz
• Critical Condition (1987) - Louis
• Fatal Beauty (1987) - Carl Jimenez
• The Milagro Beanfield War (1988) - Sheriff Bernabe Montoya
• Homeboy (1988) - Doctor
• Dead Man Out (1989) (TV) - Ben
• Disorganized Crime (1989) - Carlos Barrios
• Heart of the Deal (1990)
• Mo' Better Blues (1990) - Petey
• The Two Jakes (1990) - Mickey Nice aka Michael Weisskopf
• The Lemon Sisters (1990) - C.W
• Predator 2 (1990) (as Ruben Blades) - Danny "Danny Boy" Archuleta
• The Josephine Baker Story (1991) (TV) - Count Giuseppe Pepito Abatino
• One Man's War (1991) (TV) - Perrone
• Crazy from the Heart (1991) (TV) - Ernesto Ontiveros
• The Super (1991) - Marlon
• Miracle on Interstate 880 (1993) (TV) - Pastor Beruman
• Life with Mikey (1993) (uncredited) - Angie's Dad
• A Million to Juan (1994) - Bartender
• Color of Night (1994) - Lt. Hector Martinez
• Joseph and His Brothers (1993) - Rubén Blades & Strunz & Farah (narrator of animation video)
• Scorpion Spring (1996) - Border Patrolman Sam Zaragosa
• The Devil's Own (1997) - Edwin Diaz
• Chinese Box (1997) - Jim
• Cradle Will Rock (1999) - Diego Rivera
• Gideon's Crossing (2000) TV Series - Dr. Max Cabranes
• All the Pretty Horses (2000) - Hector de la Rocha
• Assassination Tango (2002) - Miguel
• The Maldonado Miracle (2003) (TV) - Cruz
• Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003) - Jorge FBI
• Imagining Argentina (2003) - Silvio Ayala
• Spin (2003) - Ernesto Bejarano
• Secuestro express (2004) - Carla's Father
• Spoken Word (2009)
• Cristiada (2011) - President Plutarco Calles
• Safe House (2012) - Carlos Villar

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website (Spanish)
• Blades/Colón discography and reviews
• Rubén Blades at the Internet Movie Database
• Rubén Blades Discography & Song Reference
• Interview with Paula C in English & Spanish
• Library of over 170 Interviews & Articles in English & Spanish 1978-present

Katy Perry
Katy Perry at the Logie Awards in 2011
Background information
Birth name	Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson
Also known as	Katy Hudson
Born	(1984-10-25) October 25, 1984 (age 27) Santa Barbara, California, U.S.
Genres	Pop, rock, dance, gospel
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, actress
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active	2001–present
Labels	Red Hill, Island, Columbia, Capitol
Associated acts	The Matrix
Website	Katyperry.com

Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson^[1] (born October 25, 1984), known by her stage name Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Perry grew up with gospel music, and during her first year of high school she pursued a music career as Katy Hudson, releasing her first studio album called Katy Hudson which failed to chart. She recorded a solo album later, which was never released. After signing with Capitol Music Group in 2007, her fourth record label in seven years, she adopted the stage name Katy Perry.

She first gained recognition with the release of her first mainstream album, One of the Boys in 2008, which spawned three Billboard Hot 100 top-ten songs—"I Kissed A Girl", "Hot n Cold" and "Waking Up In Vegas". Perry supported the album with her Hello Katy Tour. In 2010, her third studio album, Teenage Dream (2010), which topped the Billboard 200 chart, and spawned five number one singles—"California Gurls", "Teenage Dream", "Firework", "E.T." and "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)"—Teenage Dream was the only album (after Michael Jackson's Bad)—to do so, and the first female in history to achieve this milestone. She embarked on the California Dreams Tour, which grossed nearly $60 million worldwide.^[2] Perry re-released the album under the name of Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection on March 26, 2012, and the re-release has already spawned the number-one single "Part of Me".

Perry is the only artist to spend over 52 consecutive weeks in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100, and has since heightened this to 69 weeks.^[3] As of 2012, Perry has been nominated for eight Grammy Awards. She was named 2011's "Artist of the Year" by MTV.^[4] She has sold 37.6 million digital tracks in the United States and 11 million albums worldwide.^[5] Perry was a guest judge on the seventh series of The X Factor UK and the ninth season of American Idol. She has released fragrances "Purr" and "Meow". She ventured into film, voicing Smurfette in the 2011 film The Smurfs. Perry was married to British comedian Russell Brand from 2010 to 2012.

Early life[link]

Perry was born Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson in Santa Barbara, California^[6] to Keith, a West Coast scenester in the 1960s,^[7] and Mary Hudson (née Perry), an evangelist who grew up in Southern California and had a "tempestuous" first marriage in Zimbabwe.^[7] Perry has Portuguese, German, Irish, and English ancestry.^[8][9][10] She is the second child of two pastors.^[11] She has an older sister named Angela Hudson and younger brother named David Hudson.^[12] Perry's mother's aunt and uncle were screenwriter Eleanor Perry and director Frank Perry.^[7] Perry was incorporated into her parents' ministry^[11] and sang in their church between the ages of 9 and 17.^[13] She grew up listening to gospel music,^[14] was not allowed to listen to what her mother called "secular music",^[13][15] and attended Christian schools and camps.^[11] As a child, Perry learned how to dance in a recreation building in Santa Barbara. She was taught by seasoned dancers and began with swing, Lindy Hop, and jitterbug.^[16] She took her GED after her first year at Dos Pueblos High School and decided to leave school in the pursuit of a career in music.^[17] Perry initially started singing "because [she] was at that point in [her] childhood where [she] was copycatting [her] sister and everything she [would do]."^[17] Her sister practiced with cassette tapes, while Perry took the tapes herself when her sister was not around. She rehearsed the songs and performed them in front of her parents, who suggested she take vocal coaching. She grabbed the opportunity and began taking lessons at the age of nine and continued until she was sixteen. She later enrolled in at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, and studied Italian opera for a short period of time.^[17]

Career[link]

1999–2006: Career beginnings[link]

Perry performing on her guitar, an instrument she learned to play when she was just starting her record career

When Perry was 15, her singing in church attracted the attention of rock veterans from Nashville, Tennessee, who brought her there to polish her writing skills.^[18] In Nashville, Perry started recording demos and was taught by country music veterans how to craft songs and play guitar.^[13][15] Perry signed to the Christian music label Red Hill, under which she recorded her first album at the age of 15.^[19] Performing as Katy Hudson, she released a self-titled gospel rock album in 2001.^[18] She supported this album with The Strangely Normal Tour, accompanied by Phil Joel, LaRue, Luna Halo, Earthsuit and V*Enna.^[20] The album was unsuccessful as the label ceased operations at the end of 2001.^[19] She later changed her surname to Perry, her mother's maiden name, because "Katy Hudson" was too close to film actress Kate Hudson.^[18][21]

Perry performs at the 2008 Warped Tour

At the age of 17, Perry left her home for Los Angeles, where she worked with Glen Ballard on an album for Island Records.^[22] Growing up listening to mostly gospel music, Perry had few references when she began recording songs.^[13] Asked by the producer with whom she would like to collaborate, Perry had no idea. That night, she went with her mother to a hotel. Inside, she turned on VH1 and saw producer Glen Ballard talking about Alanis Morissette;^[13] Ballard produced Morissette's Jagged Little Pill, which had a "huge influence" on Perry.^[18] She expressed interest in working with Ballard to her initial collaborator, who arranged a meeting for her with Ballard in Los Angeles. Perry presented one of her songs to Ballard. Ballard then helped Perry develop her songwriting over the next few years.^[13] The album was due for release in 2005,^[18][19] but Billboard reported it also went nowhere.^[19] Perry was dropped by The Island Def Jam Music Group.^[7] Some of Perry and Ballard's collaborations included "Box", "Diamonds" and "Long Shot", were posted on her official MySpace page. "Simple", one of the songs she recorded with Ballard, was released on the soundtrack to the 2005 film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.^[23][24] "Long Shot" and "I Do Not Hook Up" was later recorded by Kelly Clarkson for her 2009 album All I Ever Wanted.^[25]

Perry signed to Columbia Records in 2004. However, the label was not amenable with her vision, not putting her in the "driver's seat".^[19] Instead, one of Columbia's ideas was to pair Perry with the record production team The Matrix, who was working on an album, to serve as its female vocalist. Although the album was later shelved,^[26] she caught the attention of the music press: Her burgeoning music career led to her being named "The Next Big Thing" in October 2004 by Blender magazine.^[19] With no album project ongoing, Perry began recording her own. Eighty percent completed, however, Columbia decided not to finish it and dropped her from the label.^[19] While waiting to find another label, she worked in an independent A&R company called Taxi Music. In 2006, Perry was featured in the tail-end of the video to P.O.D.'s single "Goodbye for Now".^[27] She made a cameo appearance in Carbon Leaf's video, "Learn to Fly".

[edit] 2007–09: Commercial success with One of the Boys and MTV Unplugged

While in the process of being dropped by Columbia in 2006, the company's publicity executive Angelica Cob-Baehler enthusiastically recommended Perry to Virgin Records chairman Jason Flom.^[28] At the time Flom was leading a complete revival in fortunes at the label and looking to crown recent achievements by breaking a global pop act.^[28] Despite mixed reactions from fellow Virgin executives, Flom became convinced that Perry could be that breakthrough star, and at the start of 2007 extended discussions with Columbia resulted in Perry signing to the newly created Capitol Music Group, a merger between Virgin and Capitol. As part of the deal, the label secured the masters to the unfinished album, recorded while at Columbia, that would go on to form a significant part of her official mainstream debut album, One of the Boys.^[28]

The Columbia recordings were seen by Flom as being "very strong but lacking an undeniable smash or two that would work both at U.S. pop radio and internationally" and so one of the executive's first actions after completing the signing was to set up a collaboration between Perry and the writer-producer Dr. Luke.^[28] The results were the songs "I Kissed a Girl" and "Hot n Cold". Establishing her image was one of the immediate concerns of her management.^[19] A campaign was started in November 2007 with the release of the video to "Ur So Gay", aimed at introducing her to the music market. A digital EP led by "Ur So Gay" was later released to create online buzz and press story.^[11][19][29] This was a successful move that resulted in bringing Perry to the attention of Madonna,^[19] who mentioned her on KISS FM and KRQ's JohnJay & Rich morning show in Arizona. On March 10, 2008, she appeared as herself on the ABC Family television series, Wildfire, on the episode "Life's Too Short".^[30]

Perry during Hello Katy Tour on March 27, 2009

In the next step of promoting the album, Perry undertook a two-month tour of radio stations. The album's official lead single, "I Kissed a Girl", was released on May 6, 2008. Perry's A&R, Chris Anokute, told HitQuarters the song and its controversial theme had met with strong resistance at the label: "People said, 'This is never going to get played on the radio. How do we sell this? How’s this going to be played in the bible belt?'"^[29] Anokute said that they needed the support of one of the label's radio promoters to convince people to believe in the record; otherwise, Perry would have likely been dropped again. Capitol's SVP of Promotions, Dennis Reese, saw the vision and helped push the single on national radio. The first station to pick it up and take a chance was The River in Nashville. After playing it for three days they were innundated with enthusiastic calls.^[29] With the song climbing atop the charts, Perry embarked on the annual Warped Tour music festival, which her management used to "establish her as a credible performer and make sure she wasn't seen as just a one-hit wonder."^[19] The single was a commercial success, peaking at number one for seven weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.^[19] It has since become a major worldwide hit, topping charts in 30 countries,^[26] including Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.^[31] On June 12, 2008, Perry appeared as herself on the daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless,^[30] posing for the cover to the June 2008 issue of the fictional magazine Restless Style.^[32] Perry also performed backing vocals on the song, "Another Night in the Hills" from Gavin Rossdale's 2008 solo album Wanderlust.^[33]

One of the Boys was released on June 17, 2008, to mixed critical reviews.^[34] The album has reached number nine on the Billboard 200,^[35] and has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.^[36] Perry released her second single, "Hot n Cold", which became her second top three single in dozens of countries around the world, including the United States where it reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100,^[19] as well as topping the charts in Germany, Canada, and Denmark. After Perry wrapped up her appearance at the Warped Tour, she went on tours in Europe. She later launched her first headlining tour, the Hello Katy Tour, in January 2009.^[19] "I Kissed a Girl" earned Perry a nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 2009 Grammy Awards.^[37] Perry was nominated in five categories at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards, including Best New Artist and Best Female Video, but lost to Britney Spears.^[38] She won Best New Act at the 2008 MTV Europe Music Awards, which she co-hosted,^[39] and Best International Female Artist at the 2009 BRIT Awards.^[40] On February 9, 2009, both "I Kissed a Girl" and "Hot n Cold" were certified three-time platinum by Recording Industry Association of America for individual digital sales of over three million.^[41] The Guinness Book of World Records recognized Perry in its 2010 version as the "Best Start on the US Digital Chart by a Female Artist," for having her first two singles sell over two million digital copies.^[42]

Perry during the Hello Katy Tour in June 2009

The Matrix's self-titled debut album, which features Perry, was later released via the team's label, Let's Hear It, during Perry's solo tour. When the release date was scheduled, "I Kissed a Girl" had been charting well. Matrix member Lauren Christy spoke to Perry about the decision, but she wanted to hold the release until the fourth single of One of the Boys had been dispatched. Despite their communication, The Matrix was released on January 27, 2009, via iTunes Store.^[43]

In December 2008, Perry apologized to British singer Lily Allen for remarks in which she called herself a "skinnier version" of her, saying she meant it as a joke.^[44] Allen retaliated and told a British radio station that she "happen[ed] to know for a fact that she [Perry] was an American version" of her because their record company needed "to find something controversial and 'kooky'" like her.^[45] In January 2009, Perry embarked on her first headlining world tour, the Hello Katy Tour, visiting North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Beginning on January 23, 2009, and ending on November 28, 2009, the tour consisted of 89 concerts. During that time, Perry also opened select concerts for the band No Doubt, on their Summer Tour 2009.

On May 16, 2009, Perry performed at the opening ceremony of the annual Life Ball in Vienna, Austria.^[46] In June 2009, lawyers acting for Perry opposed the then-recent trademark of Australian fashion designer Katie Perry, who uses her own name to market loungewear.^[47] Some media outlets reported this as a lawsuit, which Perry denied on her blog.^[48] Katie Perry reported on her blog that at a hearing with IP Australia on July 10, 2009, the singer's lawyers withdrew their opposition to the trademark.^[49] During the summer of 2009 Perry filmed a cameo appearance for Get Him to the Greek; her scene, in which she kisses her future fiancé Russell Brand was cut, and does not appear in the final film. Discussing the issue with MTV, Perry hypothesized there may have been some fear that seeing the two make out would have taken viewers out of the experience.^[50] In 2009, Perry was featured on two singles: in August, a remix of Colorado-based band 3OH!3's song "Starstrukk" (the idea for the collaboration having come after Perry's tour that featured 3OH!3 as the supporting act, the song being released by iTunes on September 8, 2009); and, thereafter, in December, on "If We Ever Meet Again", the fourth single from Timbaland's album Shock Value II.^[51] In October 2009, MTV Unplugged revealed that Perry was one of the artists to perform for them, and that she would be releasing a live album of the performance, including two new tracks, "Brick by Brick" and Fountains of Wayne cover "Hackensack".^[52] The album, released on November 17, included both a CD and a DVD,^[53] and debuted at No. 168 on the US Billboard 200 chart.

[edit] 2010–present: Teenage Dream, film debut and The Complete Confection

Perry at 2011 MTV Video Music Awards

Perry appeared as a guest judge alongside Simon Cowell, Cheryl Cole and Louis Walsh during the Dublin audition stage of the seventh series of the British television show The X Factor on June 28, 2010.^[54] She was one of the many celebrities chosen to fulfil the role of judge whilst Dannii Minogue was on maternity leave. In May 2010, Perry released the first single from her second studio album, Teenage Dream entitled, "California Gurls". The single peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for six consecutive weeks.^[55][56] "Teenage Dream" was released as the second single from her album, and it also topped the Billboard Hot 100, becoming her third number one and second from the album. Teenage Dream was released August 24, 2010 and debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart with sales of 192,000 copies in its first week.^[57] The album as since sold over 2 million copies in the US, being certified Platinum by the RIAA. Following the album's release, the third single "Firework" was released and became the third consecutive single from Teenage Dream to top the Hot 100. With this, Perry became the first female in eleven years to have three consecutive number-ones from one album.^[58] In February 2011, Perry released the fourth single, "E.T.", a remixed version featuring Kanye West, that peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for five non-consecutive weeks.^[59] The music video for "E.T." was directed by Floria Sigismondi and features Shaun Ross as the main love interest. With "E.T." at number one on the chart of May 12, 2011, Perry became the first artist to spend 52 consecutive weeks in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100.^[3] In June 2011, Perry released the fifth single, "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)". A remixed version featuring American rapper Missy Elliot was released in early August.^[60] The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 on August 17, 2011, making Perry the first female and second artist (tied with Michael Jackson) ever to have five No. 1 singles from one album. Also, when the song reached number 1 in the Pop Songs airplay chart, "Teenage Dream" became the first album to have 5 number 1's from the same album on that chart. Additionally, when the song reached number one in the Adult Pop Songs airplay chart, the album become the first to have 4 number 1's from the same album on the chart.^[61] In October 2011, Perry released the sixth single, "The One That Got Away". It reached No. 3 on Hot 100, becoming the third album in history to produce six top five hit singles,^[62] and the seventh song from Teenage Dream to reach the top of the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs, the most by any album and setting a new record in the chart.^[63] Perry released a "The One That Got Away" remix featuring American rapper B.o.B. in December 2011. An acoustic version of the song was released in January 2012.^[64]

From February 2011 to January 2012, Perry embarked on an extensive world tour in support of Teenage Dream, the California Dreams Tour, playing 124 shows in Europe, Australasia, Asia, North America and South America and earning over $59 million.^[2] Perry made her perfume debut, releasing a fragrance named "Purr" in November. It is packaged in a cat-shaped bottle, and is available through Nordstrom stores.^[65][66] She followed it up with the fragrance's first flanker, "Meow".^[67][68]

Perry promoting her 2011 fragrance 'Purr'

In July 2011, Perry made her film debut in the 3D family film The Smurfs as Smurfette. The Smurfs earned $557,771,535 worldwide during its theatrical run. Perry appeared at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards on August 28, 2011. She was nominated for ten awards, received the most nominations of the ceremony and was the first singer to have four different music videos shown in various categories, eventually winning three of those, Video of the Year for "Firework", Best Collaboration and Best Special Effects for "E.T.". On September 17, 2011, marked Perry' 69th consecutive week in the Top 10 with single "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)".^[69][70] On September 23, 2011, she performed, along with Elton John, Brazilian Claudia Leitte and friend Rihanna, on the opening day of the 2011 Rock in Rio festival, which was extended to October 2.^[71] Perry performed for 100 thousand people, a show that received high praise from critics and audience alike.^[72]

On December 14, 2011, the annual list Forbes was elected the third singer who earned more than US$44 million, behind Lady Gaga (US$90 million) and Taylor Swift (US$45 million).^[73] On December 15, 2011, Perry was elected the Artist of the Year by MTV, for their performance on the charts worldwide and won the record during the year.^[4] On December 20, 2011, She released a Barbie doll that represents her style in 2012.^[74] On January 8, 2012, Perry was named the sixth best-selling digital artist of all time in the United States, having sold 37,620,00 million singles and albums as of 2011, according to Nielsen SoundScan.^[75]

In the week ending January 15, 2012, Perry became the first artist ever to have five songs sell over 5 million digital copies in the USA.^[76] Perry was once again recruited by EA Games to promote their new expansion pack The Sims 3: Showtime for their The Sims game franchise. The game content was based on Perry.^[77] Perry became the first person to have six songs top the Billboard Adult Pop Songs chart.^[78] In March 27, 2012, she re-released Teenage Dream under the title Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection on March 27, 2012. The lead single from the re-release (and seventh single from the Teenage Dream era overall) was "Part of Me", which released in February, debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart.^[79] Perry has announced that she will release a part-biopic, part-concert film to be shown in 3D titled Katy Perry: Part of Me to be released on the 4th of July weekend of 2012 by Paramount Pictures.^[80][81] In April 2012, Perry performed in India for the first time at the opening ceremony of 5th edition of Indian Premier League, cricket match, in Chennai along with Indian actors Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Prabhu Deva.^[82][83][84] She performed her songs "Teenage Dream" and a remix version of "California Gurls".^{[85][83][86][87]} In April 2012, Perry stated that she was working on new music and changing her musical style, "My music is about to get real f—ing dark. You'd never see my face because my hair would be in it."^[88]

Artistry[link]

Musical style and themes[link]

Perry performing in 2009

Perry has a contralto vocal range.^[89] Perry's first album is of the Gospel music genre.^[11][19] She related that her perspective in music was "a bit enclosed and very strict", and everything she did was church-related.^[11] Her second album, One of the Boys, is described as "secular" and "rock," and reflects a departure from her religious musical roots.^[11] Her next album Teenage Dream featured more pop songs in the vein of Boys.^[16][90] In her childhood, Perry was introduced to the music of Alanis Morissette and Freddie Mercury, the late frontman of the British band Queen.^[26] In her tribute to Mercury on what would have been his 65th birthday, Perry stated; "Without you I wouldn't be making music or doing what I do because your lyrics inspired me as a 15 year old girl."^[91] Queen's song "Killer Queen" has inspired her to pursue a career in pop music after her first album.^[11] She also described that Morissette's album Jagged Little Pill as having influenced her music profoundly; even going on to work with Morissette's collaborator on the album, Glen Ballard because of that.^[18] Influence also came from a number of female pop rock singers, including Cyndi Lauper, Shirley Manson, Pat Benatar and Joan Jett, as "they came out with a vengeance."^[92] Perry also cited Madonna as another big influence, saying "I want to evolve like Madonna."^[93][94]

	"Part of Me" noicon A 22 second sample of Part of Me, a song with a pop rock influence, which is a common genre for Perry's songs.
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

Perry is artistically involved in her projects, especially in the writing process. Since she could play guitar, she would start writing songs at home and present it to her producers. Perry is mostly inspired by specific moments of her life. She said it is easy for her to write songs about heartbreak.^[13] Most of the themes in One of the Boys deal with heartbreak, teen adventure, and "puking into toilets".^[18] Perry's mother reportedly told British tabloid Daily Mail that she dislikes her daughter's music, calling it "shameful and disgusting".^[11][95] Perry said her mother was misquoted and told MTV that it was false information.^[95] Her songs "Ur So Gay" and "I Kissed a Girl" have received negative reactions from both religious and gay sectors.^[95] The songs have been respectively labeled as being homophobic and promoting homosexuality, as well as "lez ploitational".^[11] Musicians Pink, Kathleen Hanna and Beth Ditto criticized "I Kissed A Girl" as offensive to the LGBT community.^[96][97][98] MTV mentioned criticism suggesting that Perry is using "bi-curiosity" as a way to sell records.^[95] Perry responded to the controversy surrounding "Ur So Gay": "It's not a negative connotation. It's not, 'you're so gay,' like, 'you're so lame,' but the fact of the matter is that this boy should've been gay. I totally understand how it could be misconstrued or whatever ... It wasn't stereotyping anyone in particular, I was talking about ex-boyfriends."^[99] Perry has written several songs for other singers, including Ashley Tisdale ("Time's Up"), Selena Gomez & the Scene ("Rock God" and "That's More Like It"), Kelly Clarkson ("Long Shot" and "I Do Not Hook Up"), Jessica James ("Bullet" and "Girl Next Door"), Lesley Roy ("Slow Goodbye"), and Kady Malloy ("Wish You the Worst").

Public image[link]

Perry is known for her unconventional style of dress.^[16] It is often humorous, bright in color, and reminiscent of different decades, and she frequently uses fruit-shaped accessories, mainly watermelon, as part of her outfits.^[92] Perry's transformation into an artist began with fashion, inspired by American film actress Dominique Swain's portrayal in the 1997 film Lolita.^[18] She defines her fashion style as "a bit of a concoction of different things".^[16] Her fashion has caught the attention of designers.^[11][92] In June 2008, a publicity photo that showed Perry posing with a switchblade was criticized.^[100] The picture was defended as only an effort to give Perry a "sexy, harder edge".^[100] The criticism leveled at her was mocked by Perry who subsequently posed with a spoon instead.^[101] She was ranked 7th in Rolling Stone's global Queen of Pop poll in July 2011.^[102] Perry is also a gay activist. According to Dosomething.org, Perry had stated "I am a gay activist and I say that proudly. I voted no on Prop 8 (California’s Nov. 4, 2008, amendment declaring that marriage is defined as a union solely between a man and a woman), of course."^[103]

Personal life[link]

Russell Brand, Perry's estranged husband

Perry has had relationships with Gym Class Heroes frontman Travie McCoy, whom she met in a recording studio in New York,^[21] breaking up in December 2008;^[104] Relient K frontman Matt Thiessen, with whom she worked on her album Teenage Dream^[105] and British comedian Russell Brand.

Perry first met Brand in the summer of 2009 when she filmed a cameo appearance for Brand's film Get Him to the Greek. Although the cameo ultimately did not make it into the final cut of the movie, Perry later noted that the "scene called for me to make out with him...And on the way down the stairs after the scene, I was hopping like a bunny. I hop like a bunny when I'm happy".^[106][107] Perry and Brand began dating after meeting again several months later in September 2009 at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, where Brand, as host, remarked, "Katy Perry didn't win an award and she's staying at the same hotel as me, so she's gonna need a shoulder to cry on. So in a way, I'm the real winner tonight."^[108] The couple became engaged in December 2009 while vacationing in India.^{[109][110][111]} At the time, Perry stated that she had plans to take dual British citizenship. "One of the first things I'll do is apply for dual citizenship. I'm not too sure if I have to take a test as I've not had time to look into it. But England is like my second home".^[112] In an August 2010 interview with Rolling Stone, Perry also noted that, "I am sensitive to Russell taking the Lord's name in vain and to Lady Gaga putting a rosary in her mouth. I think when you put sex and spirituality in the same bottle and shake it up, bad things happen."^{[113][114][115]} Perry and Brand married on October 23, 2010, in a traditional Hindu ceremony near the Ranthambhore tiger sanctuary in Rajasthan, India, the same location where Brand proposed.^[116][117]