Former Katy Perry backup singer Tasha Layton said that after four years with the superstar she had the chance to launch a solo pop career — but she turned it down and instead chose a career serving God.
The 40-year-old Christian music singer and worship leader first got started in the music industry in 2010 when she tried out to be a contestant on Season 9 of “American Idol.” And while she didn’t make it all the way to Hollywood, she did catch the eye of some people in the business — and landed a gig with Perry while still leading worship at her church when she could, Fox News reported.
“I look back at those days and have a new perspective at the weight that Katy was carrying during that time and the pressure that was on her,” Layton said. “Waking up so early for photo shoots and interviews. And then the paparazzi. Fame changes your brain.”
View this post on Instagram
And while she had nothing but praise for Perry as a “really compassionate person,” other stars she met behind the scenes she said were another story.
“We were doing a show and there were some other celebrities involved – I will not name their names,” Layton. “They were unprofessional. She didn’t badmouth them. She didn’t make it a big deal. She was just uber professional, and she made up the difference where they left off.”
“Having experienced that culture and that pressure from being on the road with Katy and seeing it firsthand, I got a bird’s-eye view of how damaging it can be to your soul,” she added. “And I just missed singing songs that directly connected people to God.”
“I’ve always led worship in church,” Layton continued. “And you know, when I’m on my deathbed looking back, I’m not going to care that I built a career. I’m going to care that I helped people. I just didn’t see how a mainstream deal and the music that they wanted me to sing, the kind of thing that they wanted me to do, was going to be helpful for anyone and much less, connect people to who I believe is the creator of the universe.”
Layton said later when “there was a lot of money thrown at me to do that kind of thing, to do that kind of music, a pop album by a big label” it “wasn’t hard to turn it down.”
After touring with Perry, she took some time to deal with her mental health and finally decided what she wanted to do was share with others how God has been a guiding force in her life.