Katy Perry Exclusive Interview

Getting name-dropped by Madonna on a hugely popular radio show would probably be the pinnacle of most musicians' careers, but for Katy Perry, it's just the beginning. Madge gushed to Kiss FM's hosts that Perry's debut single "UR So Gay" was her current favorite song. Just in case you aren't familiar with it, Katy encourages a former flame to hang himself with his H&M scarf in the opening line. Might as well start off with a bang, right?

Believe it or not, Katy actually started her career singing gospel in church where she grew up in Santa Barbara, California. She even recorded a Christian gospel album in 2001. But everything changed once she picked up a Queen album and decided she wanted to be the female version of Freddie Mercury. She honed her style as an in-house vocalist for the Matrix production team (the same people responsible for Avril Lavigne's debut), and released a series of songs on her MySpace page. Last spring Capitol Music came knocking, and her music's been popping up everywhere - from various commercials to The Hills soundtrack - since then.

Her super catchy, dance-y single, "I Kissed a Girl" (not to be confused with the Jill Sobule '90s hit of the same name) has already reached the number-one spot on the iTunes Top 100. Her debut album, One of the Boys is out now. You can hear her eclectic range of influences (which includes Queen, Heart, and Joni Mitchell, among others) throughout her sometimes sweet, sometimes saucy tunes.

We caught up with Katy shortly after her big Madonna moment and asked her what it was like being noticed by such a huge star. She also talked about the guy that "UR So Gay" totally rips apart, and you won't wanna miss that! And considering her awesome style (check out the pineapple sweater she's wearing in the interview), we also inquired as to what her fashion inspirations are.

You can catch her this summer on the Vans Warped Tour this year, sharing the stage with the likes of the Gym Class Heroes, Paramore, Against Me! and more.