'Roar' beauty Katy Perry has admitted that iconic rock band Queen are to thank for giving her the courage to share her music with the world.

In the new issue of Cosmopolitan magazine, Perry opened up about how much the Freddie Mercury-fronted outfit inspired her and credited them with giving her confidence and strength:

"Queen's track 'Killer Queen' made me discover music and helped me come into my own at the age of 15."

"The way Freddie Mercury delivered his lyrics just made me feel like a confident woman; I'd say his fingerprint is all over me in general. And I also love the idea of a woman who reigns and has power, like your Queen in the UK."

In the same interview, the superstar added that as a pop star it's important to always look her best although she believes it's important not to be perfect all the time: "I love having fun with my looks. I want to present myself as a human being, with lots of different aspects that aren't necessarily perfect."