Katy Perry For Vogue US July 2013

Katy Perry looks beautiful gracing her first ever cover for American Vogue – shot by famed photographer Annie Leibovitz – wearing a Rodarte Fall 2013 floral dress.

The 28-year-old singer can be seen in a slew of beautiful looks, including a remarkable red lace Valentino Haute Couture gown (you may remember Adele wore the short version to the Grammys), a floral Dolce & Gabbana gown, a red satin Zac Posen strapless gown, a black-and-red Prada look, plus a Michael Kors floral bustier and ball skirt.

Throughout her shoot, the one thing that remains constant is her Revlon red lip colour, a trend we’ve seen on the red carpet.

In her interview Katy talks about making music, Russell Brand and John Mayer.

On making music: “When I am in between records, sometimes I doubt myself. I’ll be like: Did I just get lucky, or did I mass-manipulate the world into thinking that seven songs were worth a number-one position? And then I go back into the studio and I start writing, and the true essential oil of who I am comes bubbling back up and reminds me that it’s always been inside of me, that nobody can take this away no matter what comment anyone makes. It’s going to be there because it’s what I was born with and it’s what I’ve worked on my whole life.”

On Russell Brand: “He’s a very smart man, and I was in love with him when I married him. Let’s just say I haven’t heard from him since he texted me saying he was divorcing me December 31, 2011. At first when I met him he wanted an equal, and I think a lot of times strong men do want an equal, but then they get that equal and they’re like, I can’t handle the equalness. He didn’t like the atmosphere of me being the boss on tour. So that was really hurtful, and it was very controlling, which was upsetting.”
On what caused their breakup: “I felt a lot of responsibility for it ending, but then I found out the real truth, which I can’t necessarily disclose because I keep it locked in my safe for a rainy day. I let go and I was like: This isn’t because of me; this is beyond me. So I have moved on from that.”

On her on-again, off-again relationship with John Mayer: “I was madly in love with him. I still am madly in love with him. […] Beautiful mind, tortured soul.”