Katy Perry Announces New Career Development: 'It's an Honor'
Katy Perry is venturing into a career field she's never been before: podcasting. The "Teenage Dream" singer is set to narrate Elizabeth Taylor's new podcast series, Elizabeth the First, which promises never-before-heard stories about Taylor. The 10-part podcast series is slated to premiere later this spring on all major podcast platforms.
"Like most people, I was attracted to her glamour, and in my own life, I continue to find myself referencing her through some of my visuals," the American Idol judge said in a statement to Variety. "I've always felt a kinship towards her – I've even literally bathed in the same bathtub where she made that bar-setting Cleopatra deal! I'm inspired by her bold activism, her constant boss moves in business, and through it all, an unapologetic way of loving – all things I try to live in my own life. It's an honor to be able to share her story in this way."
The podcast about Taylor, who died in 2011, will feature stories from the people closest to her. Topics will include her fight against the male-dominated movie studio system as a young actress, her negotiation for the first $1 million salary to star in 1963's Cleopatra, a record-breaking auction that featured her beloved jewelry, as well as her iconic White Diamonds fragrance empire. Elizabeth the First will also cover her public battle with alcoholism and drug abuse, as well as how she used her platform to drive awareness of social causes like HIV and AIDS.
"We are proud to announce this truly innovative and unique podcast about Elizabeth," House of Taylor said in a statement. "During her lifetime, Elizabeth Taylor was arguably the most famous woman in the world. As such, she was talked about, written bout, photographed, referenced and celebrated ad infinitum. She was also judged, analyzed and lived her life under the constant scrutiny of the press and public. What makes Elizabeth the First extraordinarily special is that this will be the first narrative that explores Elizabeth as the original multihyphenate."
Perry's role as narrator for Elizabeth the First comes as she performs the second leg of shows in her Las Vegas residency, Play, and as her time as a judge on American Idol plays out on ABC. She, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan are working together for the fourth season in a row to find the next singing superstar.