Perry had minor success prior to her breakthrough. One of the songs she had recorded for her album with Ballard, “Simple”, was featured on the soundtrack to the 2005 film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. She provided backing vocals on Mick Jagger’s song “Old Habits Die Hard”, which won the 2005 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song. SIn 2006, Perry also appeared in the music video for “Learn to Fly” by Carbon Leaf, and played the love interest of her then-boyfriend, Gym Class Heroes lead singer Travie McCoy, in the band’s music video for “Cupid’s Chokehold”.
That same year, she recorded background vocals on P.O.D.’s single “Goodbye for Now” and was featured at the end of its music video. Here she is on Jay Leno’s The Tonight Show, where you can spot her in the back.
