Katy Perry recalls ‘couch surfing’ and getting ‘cars repossessed’ while trying desperately to break into the industry

Katy Perry recalled her early struggles to break into the music industry, including repossessing her car and spending her early 20s couch surfing.

While appearing on Friday’s episode of Good Morning America, the 39-year-old pop star reflected on her own fame when asked if mentoring contestants on American Idol takes her back to her own days chasing her dreams of stardom.

“It feels like yesterday for me,” she enthused as she sat next to Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Ryan Seacrest. “I can smell it, taste it, hear it, everything.”

Before she became one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with more than 143 million records sold worldwide, the Grammy nominee admitted she was barely scraping by.

“I had, you know, cars seized, I had been signed and dropped three times. I was couch surfing. Literal. It’s so visceral to me. That’s the passion that some of these kids have,” she continued.

The artist, who is worth an estimated $400 million, has done so before People that her parents often relied on food stamps and food banks to survive.

Moreover, she said that as a teenager she often walked the streets, “hoping to make twenty dollars.”

During her GMA appearance, Perry pointed out that she sees “the same passion” and talent in many of the contestants on American Idol.

The Teenage Dream hitmaker also spoke about leaving the singing competition series after seven seasons.

“It’s been incredible to be on this journey with them,” she said, before gesturing to her fellow judges and Seacrest.

She then hinted that her departure might not be permanent and that it was just a goodbye “for now.”

‘I feel so connected to America that I want to go back there to sing, play music and hold their hands [tour] and bring my daughter and show her and all that stuff,” said the mother of one, who is engaged to Orlando Bloom.

While appearing on Friday’s episode of Good Morning America, the 39-year-old pop star reflected on her own rise when asked if mentoring contestants on American Idol takes her back to her own days chasing her dreams of stardom; seen in 2006

“It feels like yesterday for me,” she enthused as she sat next to Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Ryan Seacrest. “I can smell it, taste it, hear it, everything.”

Before she became one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with more than 143 million records sold worldwide, the Grammy nominee admitted she barely lived up to expectations.

She also admitted that watching contestants compete made her emotional because she and her fellow judges could “really see themselves in them.”

“They also remind us of the struggle, because we can get a little complacent here and there, but then they give us that energy again,” she said.

As for what she hopes her replacement will bring to the judges’ table, Perry joked “just someone who can put up with Luke and Lionel.”

As for what she hopes her replacement will bring to the judges’ table, Perry joked “just someone who can put up with Luke and Lionel.”

“Keep my seat warm,” she teased.

ABC has not yet announced who will fill Perry’s role, but rumors are swirling that Jennifer Lopez is in the running to take her place.

“I had, you know, cars seized, I had been signed and dropped three times. I was couch surfing. Literal. It’s so visceral to me. That’s the passion that some of these kids have,” she continued; seen in 2021

In February, Perry announced her retirement from American Idol during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live (pictured last year)

In February, Perry announced her retirement from American Idol during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

The multihyphenate had reportedly been plotting her exit from the show since last year, when it was revealed that she repeatedly felt “thrown under the bus by producers” who she believed were purposefully editing her to look like the “annoying judge.”

“I think this will probably be my last show, my last season for Idol. I mean, I love Idol so much,” she revealed on the late night show.

She continued, “It has connected me to the heart of America, but I feel like I have to go outside to feel that heartbeat.”

The Grammy nominee pointed out that this was their seventh season, with former judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson all leaving after seven seasons.

Perry is currently the highest-paid American Idol judge with a reported salary of $25 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.