Katy Perry couldn't afford to pay her rent before she was famous.

The 'I Kissed A Girl' singer admits money was so tight before she was signed and released her first track, that she barely had enough money for life's necessities.

She said: "I have really gone through an emotional rollercoaster, real hell, you know, I was so broke, I couldn't even pay the rent at the end of the month. So I am glad I was strong enough to hang in there."

The 25-year-old star - who is engaged to Russell Brand - first knew she wanted to become a pop star as a child, when her pastor father Keith Hudson would pay her to perform at his church or in family gatherings.

When asked what her upbringing was like, she revealed to Britain's OK! magazine: "Pretty traditional. I grew up listening to gospel music and singing at church. My father used to give me $10, which was a lot of money for a 10-year-old girl, just for singing at church or at parties.

"So when I turned 15, I decided to pursue a singing career and ended up working in Nashville, Tennessee. It was an incredible experience."