'American Idol' fans spot an interesting detail after photo of 13-year-old Katy Perry resurfaces

Perry shared a nostalgic snapshot of herself as a 13-year-old on Facebook, captioning it: "Wannabe popstar."
PUBLISHED FEB 17, 2025
Katy Perry wearing Andrew Gn Spring 2005 Collection (Cover image source: Amy Graves/WireImage | Getty Images)
Katy Perry wearing Andrew Gn Spring 2005 Collection (Cover image source: Amy Graves/WireImage | Getty Images)

Katy Perry has always been a larger-than-life pop sensation, known for her ever-evolving style, daring fashion choices, and, of course, her signature dark locks. But a resurfaced throwback picture of the ‘American Idol’ judge has fans convinced she was destined for stardom from an early age. In 2017, Perry shared a nostalgic snapshot of herself as a 13-year-old on Facebook, captioning it: "13-year-old me. Wannabe popstar." Back then, she was known as Katy Hudson, years away from the global fame that ‘I Kissed a Girl’ would bring her in 2008. The image, taken in the late ‘90s, shows a teenage Perry rocking a fitted gray top, a wide white belt, and jeans.



 

But what really caught fans off guard was her hair—a short blonde bob, a stark contrast to the glossy black locks she’s famously known for today. This rare glimpse into Perry’s early years reveals just how much she experimented with her look even before stepping into the limelight. In a 2015 interview, she confessed, "I'm naturally the most boring dishwater squirrel brown." However, intriguingly, the throwback pic suggests otherwise, as her hair features cool ash and blonde tones that highlight her natural beauty. That same interview also revealed that she began coloring her hair at just 15 years old—a habit that would continue throughout her career.



 

Perry’s hair evolution has been nothing short of spectacular. Over the years, she has flaunted a rainbow of hues, from feisty orange to electric blue, bubblegum pink, and neon green. Yet, blonde has always been a recurring theme. She’s rocked platinum pixie cuts, long champagne waves, and plenty of golden wigs. She once shared a behind-the-scenes shot of one of her blonde wigs on Snapchat, insinuating that she might have a soft spot for the shade despite her preference for darker tresses. A while ago, fans got a blast from the past when Perry returned to her iconic brunette look, sparking waves of nostalgia, as reported by Cosmopolitan.


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by KATY PERRY (@katyperry)


 

At the opening gala for The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in LA, she stunned on the red carpet with long, voluminous dark locks, reminiscent of her ‘I Kissed a Girl’ era. Celebrities took notice too—Miley Cyrus commented, "I love…You look sickening." Whereas Olivia Rodrigo wrote, “gorg.” Perry even played up the nostalgia in an Instagram video promoting BEHR and Spotify’s Music in Color campaign. The clip featured her revisiting some of her biggest hits, including a nod to her 2009 classic ‘Waking Up in Vegas,’ as she seamlessly transitioned back to brunette.

Katy Perry arrives at the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards which broadcast live on FOX at Microsoft Theater on March 14, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Image Source: Getty Images | Photo By Axelle/Bauer-Griffin)
Katy Perry arrives at the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards which broadcast live on FOX at Microsoft Theater on March 14, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Image Source: Getty Images | Photo By Axelle/Bauer-Griffin)

As per People magazine, adding to the hairy events, Perry, a while ago fooled fans into thinking she chopped her long locks into a trendy “flippy bob.” She posted a video of hairstylist Jesus Guerrero giving her a short, choppy cut, prompting speculation about her latest transformation. However, she later spilled the beans, “You guys had a lot of strong feelings about my haircut…Let’s see that energy with KP6…cause this is just a wig.”

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