Someone posed an interesting question the other day: “Is Katy Perry here to stay?” He wanted to know if there were any other contenders out there besides Katy Perry to be the next Madonna or Britney Spears. Before you balk at putting Perry in the same ballpark as Madge, consider this: at the time, did we realize that Madonna was going to be around this long? Or Britney? We just loved dancing to their music, right? Yet somehow, they just continue to re-invent themselves and we’re fascinated by what they will do next, this bizarre, selective category of stars that are valued for their hijinks and utter spectacle of a performance rather than true talent. I mean, case in point.

So my friend is placing his money on Katy Perry as the star that will be able to reinvent herself and become the next big thing, still popular 20 years from now. I offered Lady Gaga into the mix. She seems to be building the gay icon momentum.

Who do you think will win out? Is there another contender out there? Or is there someone I haven’t given due credit? (MJ did come to mind. R.I.P.)