Cory’s Conversation with Katy Perry

Cory with a young Katy Perry
at SRS Studios

Wikipedia notes that early in her career, Katy Perry started as a gospel music singer. She released her debut album, Katy Hudson, in 2001. The following year she made a bold move to Los Angeles to become the Katy Perry we know today.

It was in 1998 that Katy did her first recording at Santa Barbara’s SRS Studios. There, she met her mentors—recording engineers and producers Ernie and Cory Orosco. Ernie and Cory had established a good track record for recording many local recording artist hopefuls, and their recording studio soon became popular with the local music community. One day, Jewel came in with producer Danny Aauberg to record an early demo. The year was 1992, just before she “made it”.

The early Katy Perry sessions went well and Ernie and Cory were impressed with her talent. They saw her potential and obvious star quality. It was Cory who predicted to Katy,

“You’re going to make it.”

Katy looked at the Jewel poster hanging on the studio wall and replied, “Do you think I’ll ever be as big as Jewel?”

Cory confidently answered, “You are gonna be bigger than Jewel.” He the advised, “Remember that every note counts, keep working at it and never give up your dream.” He then said to Big Brother Ernie Joseph, “Ernie, get your camera out. I missed my opportunity to take a picture with Jewel and I don’t want to miss having a picture with Katy. She’s gonna make it. I just know that she’s gonna make it.”

Ernie went up the recording studio’s spiral staircase and soon returned with his Nikon 35 mm camera to take the photo that Cory didn’t want to miss taking. After that flash and click of the camera, Cory smiled at Katy, got a hug, and again said with a reassuring and confident voice,

“You’re gonna make it.”

Brian