Fabulous fashion and Katy Perry go hand in hand, making her an ideal guest star for Season 3 of Mo Heart’s Amazon Music digital series, “The Walk In.” The concept is simple: the “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alum snoops around the closets of music’s biggest stars to admire their most iconic outfits. In Perry’s case, Heart is akin to that all-denim VMAs tribute to Britney Spears as well as her fruity look from the 2009 Grammys.
“It was inspired by Carmen Miranda, fruit on the head and fruit on the body,” Perry says of the sequined bodice in the glitzy clip. “I haven’t seen this in years.” The hitmaker, 37, then recalls the time she wore it for her very first Grammys performance. “It was just as I was doing it and everything was happening,” she says, “singing ‘I Kissed A Girl’ – my [religious] the parents were deeply ashamed – and I was on the way up.
Perry is visibly touched upon seeing the suit adorned with grapes, which she keeps locked up in a “professional warehouse”. She then riffs on her love of fruit, revealing that it wasn’t just the dominant aesthetic of her debut album, but also the subject of a tattoo on her ankle: a strawberry, which she dubs “Straw-Perry.” . In another teaser for “The Walk In,” Perry tells Heart about the all-denim ensemble she wore to the 2014 MTV VMAs.
“I asked [rapper] Riff Raff to come with me,” Perry says, “and we both wore matching Versaces that actually pay homage to Justin and Britney. She reiterates that the look was meant as a tribute: “That moment that Britney gave us was the moment, and I wanted to pay homage to it.” Holding the outfit in her hands triggers an awareness in the singer. “I spent so much time thinking I was fat,” she admits. “I’ve never been fat.” She turns to the camera: “Girls, you’re not fat!”
Although the experience seems to have been both fun and cathartic for Perry, Heart also had a blast. “It’s Katy Perry! She’s one of the most talented artists, songwriters and performers of our generation and she’s been ditching fashion for years,” Heart says. “She brought so many of her iconic outfits, from the VMA outfit to the ‘California Girls’ bra, it was truly a special time with her.”
Heart will share additional content from “The Walk In” on the Ace of Hearts live radio show via Amazon’s AMP. “It will go deeper into things that you won’t see on the show,” the drag diva explains. “For example, we got an alert that Katy was ready to shoot, and the bow on my outfit came loose. My team ran backstage to fix it in less than five minutes and it was over at the when she came on stage. No one had a clue!”
While Heart has carved out a niche as an in-demand radio and television host, she has many irons in the fire, including a new EP titled “Redemption.” “I really wanted to practice songwriting while leaving the girls gagged and gagged,” she says. “It was amazing to be able to perform my own music in venues all over the country.” Heart and its manager, Cory Andersen, also launched Mo’s Rainbow Library in partnership with GLSEN.
“We have seen attacks on gay spaces and legislation targeting our community being introduced at the state and federal level,” Heart said. “Enough is enough.” Heart’s initiative will raise funds to send books with queer stories, written by queer authors, to libraries across America. “It’s so important to preserve these safe spaces that we’ve created,” she says, “and to foster safe spaces for our children to express themselves and explore their individuality.”
Previous “The Walk In” guests include Lil Nas X, Kim Petras, Rico Nasty and Maren Morris. This new season features Perry, Tove Lo, Gayle and many more.