Katy Perry says she needs 'soul surgery' before starting a family

The new "American Idol" judge discusses childhood trauma and more.

“I want to emotionally elevate myself,” she said in an interview with Glamour magazine. “I don’t want to hold on to childhood trauma anymore.”

“I want to grow into becoming an adult," she continued, "and that’s the thing: I want to do a little bit more soul surgery before I have a family of my own so that I don’t transfer any of those lingering feelings.”

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This year, as Perry, 33, prepares for more tour dates and the premiere of "American Idol," she’s all about finding balance between her career and personal life. That includes turning off her phone one day a week, as well as resting, eating well and exercising.

"A lot of my early twenties were really intense, really extreme, and somewhat unconscious," she said. "It was all career focused, which was great, but once you touch the ceiling so many times, it's like, 'Oh yeah, I did that. I touched the ceiling.' Now I want to touch the stars, which has to do with the heart."

Perry has her music to help her along the way.

“I would say that all of my best songs, or what I think are some of my better songs -- ‘By the Grace of God,’ ‘Roar,’ ‘Firework’ -- are basically motivational pep talks to myself," she said. "They’re my soul speaking to me, saying, ‘Come on. We can do this. One foot in front of the other.’”