Katy released her first official single in late 2007, a tongue-in-cheek breakup ballad called
"Ur So Gay". Making fun of a pretty-boy ex lover, "Ur So Gay" received mixed criticism, with some regarding the track as edgy and playful while others considered it immature and mildly homophobic. Discriminatory or not, "Ur So Gay’s" over-the-top ambiguosity put Katy Perry on the map, paving the way for her wildly successful second single "I Kissed a Girl", which saw an early 2008 release. Released just in time for her June 2008 mainstream debut
One of the Boys, "I Kissed a Girl" became a hit almost immediately, clogging up the airwaves and receiving heavy rotation on
MTV and
VH1 in the days after its official release.
Though some were quick to once again accuse Katy of gay-bashing and insensitivity in "I Kissed a Girl", the song only caused her popularity to skyrocket, with Katy embarking as a featured artist on the summer long
Vans Warped Tour music festival throughout 2008 alongside her boyfriend
Travis McCoy, lead singer of
Gym Class Heroes. Currently, Katy has released one additional single in support of
One of the Boys (
"Hot n Cold"), which is has sold well over 400,000 copies to date. Hey, controversy sells.