Katy Perry Opens Up About Amy Winehouse's Death, Husband Russell Brand and New 'Smurfs' Movie

July 25, 2011 — -- Katy Perry's star is on a meteoric rise.

More than 20 million digital songs from her last album, "Teenage Dream," have been sold, including the hits "California Gurls," "E.T." and "Teenage Dream."

Perry has several new projects in the works, including a foray into the world of movies.

She'll be the voice of the character Smurfette in the new animated movie, "The Smurfs." The new role will match her new look: she's now a blonde.

The 26-year-old singer said the role brought her the opportunity to "test the waters in the film world."

She may be venturing out into film, but her first love remains music – and it seems like the world of music loves her back.

The singer is in the middle of a hot streak. She's had 2 multiplatinum albums in 3 years and worldwide tour that's selling out arenas. She's also been nominated for a record 9 MTV Video Music Awards.

No one is underestimating the star who shot to fame with the song, "I Kissed a Girl." When the song came out, some people viewed her as a bubblegum pop star, but since then, she's been reinventing herself, musically.

"I have to keep myself interested. And I am all over the place, and I always have been …," she told "Good Morning America."

Perry had a very strict upbringing - her parents are evangelical Christians -- and much of the music she performs today would probably have been forbidden to her when she was growing up.

Those experiences may have influenced her musically.

"I'm sure there was a subliminal part inside of me that was like, 'Well, now I'm going to try this 'cause I can," you know? But even today, I'm bringing my whole family to "Smurfs", which is exciting. Come very full circle," she said, laughing. "I wasn't allowed to watch it growing up, but now we're all showing up to the "The Smurfs" premiere. I think that people change, and I encourage change. I think it's an evolution and it's good for you. And I think with my family and my parents-- they've grown up as well, just like we have."

With so much going on in her professional life, it's hard to imagine how she finds private time with husband Russell Brand, a British actor, comedian and television personality.

"Privacy is really important, especially in my personal life with my husband and I. And we just cherish it so much, and we go to great lengths, whether it means we have to ride in the back of a laundry truck to get out of a place unnoticed, we'll go for it. I just gave that away, I don't know why. Laundry trucks everywhere, we're in them," she said, laughing.

As private as Perry is, she and her husband took to the Internet this weekend to talk about the death of the troubled and talented singer Amy Winehouse.

She told "GMA" how she felt about Winehouse's tragic death.

"My heart felt really sad," she said. "My husband, who's been clean and sober for almost nine years, you know, I -- I see him working a program and working on himself every single day. And I see how much work it takes to be clean and sober when you have, you know, addiction on your hands. So … it gave me a real -- a gratefulness for my husband, who got clean when he was 27. And I feel really sad and I just hope she finds peace."

Dealing with addiction is hard enough without adding the glare of the paparazzi.

"Everything is magnified in this world," she said. "It's very magnified. I mean, whether you're dealing with addiction, or you're just trying to date someone, it's magnified 100 times. So you have to really be prepared and you really have to find your footing."

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