Santa Barbara, CA-bred pop singer Katy Perry [ tickets ] was born Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, released her first album under the name Katy Hudson, and shortly thereafter swapped her last name for her mother's maiden name in order to differentiate herself from the actress Kate Hudson.

Such moniker switches might tend to slow down the public's awareness of a budding singer's career, but this is not the case for Perry. Proving the old adage "There's no such thing as bad publicity," the focus on her has been more about the controversial lyrics of her hit single "I Kissed A Girl," as well as the track "Ur So Gay," than on her rare contralto vocal range.

American concert-goers will have ample opportunity to judge her talent for themselves, since the 24-year-old Perry is currently "making the rounds" on "The Hello Katy Tour." LiveDaily's Tim Mosenfelder attended her show in San Francisco on Wednesday night (1/28), and here are some of his shots.