VivaVibe

On Pushing the Envelope

''Unfortunately, I don't live up to all the wonderful sensationalism that other people do. I mean I'm not like f---ing Doris Day, by any means. I'm just me. I think that I'm the right amount of risqué or the right amount of envelope pushing. Everything is done with a wink; I'm big into innuendo and double entendre. I'm big into wordplay.''

On Body Image

''Rihanna has a fantastic body. Same with Miley — she's got an amazing body and they get away with so much more stuff because it looks so great. Me, honestly, I've got cellulite. I'm just hiding it.''

On Her Role Model

''Gwen Stefani. She's always been a huge influence to me. She's still very relevant, she has great taste, and she has a wonderful balance. I've hung out with her many times. She's so unaffected and cool and has a family life and has a fashion line and has music and is young and hip. I look up to the way she has lived her life so much.''

On Writing About Her Romance With John Mayer on Prism

''I'm a songwriter, and I write from my experiences and I don't really want to edit myself. I think that fantastic songs have come out from my highs and my lows and that's maybe the struggle with being a real songwriter. A lot of the times my peers are just picking songs. I don't shop for songs. They shop for songs like they shop for shoes.''

''Hot N Cool''

Entertainment Weekly Editor Jess Cagle chats with Perry's backup dancers Malik Le Nost, Cassidy Noblett, and Scott Myrick on the set of the cover shoot.

Lunge Capacity

Le Nost stretches before the photo shoot.

Taking a Shine

Noblett gets oiled up by groomer Sara Glick — it's a dirty job, but somebody's gotta do it.

A Close Shave

This just in: Scott Myrick is ticklish.

Katy Perry: The EW Cover

For more on Perry's wild world, pick up a copy of EW on newsstands today or buy it here now.

ncG1vNJzZmidp2OwsLmOoJilpJWnxnC3wK2wZqiVp7%2B6ecSwZKmgn6m8br%2FHqKatZWhir7C61KxkqaGTqHw%3D