Katy Perry conspiracy theories: from Illuminati to JonBenet Ramsey

Once a wholesome gospel singer, Katy Perry has become a globally renowned pop star – and with her fame has come a host of conspiracy theories.

The California girl has managed to inspire a disproportionate number of bizarre stories about her life, all intensely debated in forums across the internet.

Here are some of the more popular tales:

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Katy Perry is a member of the Illuminati

The theory first emerged after her performance of Dark Horse at the Grammys in 2004. "Illuminati priestess conducts witchcraft ceremony in front of the entire world," declared alternative news website Infowars. Her performance "included a Knights Templar cross emblazoned across her chest, a beast with Moloch horns, dancers in dark robes with devil horns protruding from their heads, and pole dancing with a broom", it said, concluding that all of this "hardcore occult symbolism" could not have been in her performance by accident.

The Wire joined the fray, pointing out the Illuminati references in her Dark Horse video, including birdcages that are apparently "symbols of mind control". In a 2014 interview with Rolling Stone, Perry said: "Listen, if the Illuminati exist, I would like to be invited! I guess you've kind of made it when they think you're in the Illuminati. But listen, I believe in aliens, so if people want to believe in Illuminati, great."

Perry's ex-husband, British comedian Russell Brand, has also been accused of connections with the secretive group, despite his virulent anti-establishment stance.

Katy Perry is JonBenet Ramsey

Some conspiracy theorists are convinced the singer is former pageant queen JonBenet Ramsey, who was murdered in 1996 at the age of six.

JonBenet was found in the basement of her family home, around eight hours after she was reported missing. She had been struck on the head and strangled. The case remains unsolved.

Despite this, the internet is awash with claims the young girl's murder was faked and people have been busy juxtaposing photographs of Ramsey and Perry to "prove" the connection. Some people have pointed out the singer was actually born six years earlier, but deniers are dismissed as "false witnesses of death".

Katy Perry is a robot

This conspiracy theory speculates that Perry is, in fact, a robot who is secretly brainwashing the public. "We know that Katy Perry is actually working for the Communists and has been infiltrating one of the most vulnerable outlets of our society: The Music Industry," quips Conspiracy Wiki, which collates the strangest beliefs from around the world. "Of course, it would be bad enough that Katy Perry is a communist, but, disturbingly, The Truth is, she's also a robot!"