On Monday, Katy Perry was named Forbes' third-highest-paid celebrity of 2015 with whopping pretax earnings of $135 million over the past 12 months.
That puts the 30-year-old singer just behind boxers Floyd Mayweather ($300 million) and Manny Pacquiao ($160 million), both of whom earned a one-night payday for their highly anticipated fight in May.
So how did Katy Perry beat out tough competition like Taylor Swift ($80 million), Lady Gaga ($59 million), Beyoncé ($54.5 million)?
Perry's success is due to one main factor — her popularity overseas.
"Of the 124 shows she played during our June-to-June scoring period for earnings, 75 of them took place abroad, spanning 27 different countries and four continents," reports Forbes, noting that "All in all, 60% of her total income now flows from outside of North America ... her hits translate."
At the end of 2014, Perry played 23 shows during an Australia tour and five in China, which isn't an easy feat.
"People appreciate when you come," Perry tells Forbes. "They know how hard it is."
Additionally, Perry pulls in a pretty penny on tour merchandise.
"She’s averaged a staggering $20 per head per night in merchandise sales on the tour, according to her managers, about four times the industry’s average," adds Forbes.
Perry is also a savvy businesswoman when it comes to her endorsement deals, only accepting a handful of seven-figure contracts for products she really uses and believes in, like Proactiv, CoverGirl, and Adidas.
"She took a page out of Ashton Kutcher’s book, electing to take ownership positions instead of flat fees for shilling brands like Popchips," explains Forbes.
"One thing I’ve been able to do is know the power of having equity deals," Perry told the magazine. "I don’t ever like to do things unless I’m really a part of them."
And unlike her reported nemesis, Taylor Swift, Perry hasn't complained about streaming-music sites like Spotify or Apple's new music service.
"Music has changed," Perry told Forbes. "The record is that launching pad for all kinds of other creative branches."
And Perry isn't shy to acknowledge her success.
While announcing her Forbes cover to her 23 million Instagram followers, Perry explained in the caption that "there is no shame in being a boss."
Before accepting the offer to be on the cover of Forbes, I was told that a lot of women have previously shied away from doing it. I wondered if it was because they thought socially it would look like they were flaunting or bragging or it wasn't a humble decision. Ladies, there is a difference between being humble and working hard to see the fruits of your labor blossom, and your dreams realized. Hopefully this cover can be an inspiration to women out there that it's okay to be proud of hard earned success and that there is no shame in being a boss. Also... don't think that I didn't celebrate this moment by going straight to Taco Bell and getting my crunch wrap supreme 💁💅#ontourbreak
The singer added: "I like to dress up and be Katy Perry when it’s appropriate, when I’m promoting something, but I’m Katheryn Hudson [her real name] on the business side."
Not bad for the Santa Barbara native who dropped out of high school at 15 (she earned her GED instead) to pursue a music career.
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