The story that Katy Perry once provided background vocals for a P.O.D. song has recently gone viral, but guest vocals for the rapcore group were not her only involvement with Christian alternative music. In the early 2000s, Katy dated alt rock singer Matthew Thiessen of Relient K.
The two singers dated during the pinnacle of Relient K's time in the spotlight as the era's definitive quirky punk act. Katy Perry even made an appearance on stage with the group a few times, such as in her stage diving moment at a 2003 concert in the video below.
Matthew Thiessen also found his way into Katy Perry's (then known by her birth name Katy Hudson) music. Matt appears in the demo video for her song "Longshot," playing guitar in the background.
The first revelation that has made the internet rounds this week is that Katy Perry served as a backup singer in P.O.D.'s song "Goodbye for Now," also appearing in the video. Her powerhouse voice served as a counter to Sonny Sandoval's grit on the track's bridge.
The involvement in the Christian music community of the first half of the 2000s is a reflection of Perry's childhood growing up in the church, which is also where she first started singing. Katy Perry has gone on to have one of the most successful careers in recent mainstream pop history with songs like "Firework" and "Roar."
