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Katy Perry: Billboard Woman of the Year

Truth rating: 10

Carly Rae Jepsen Katy Perry

2:53 pm, December 1st, 2012

PHOTOS

(Billboard)

Katy Perry was named Billboard’s “Woman of the Year” and honored with an event in New York on Friday.

PHOTOS BELOW

In an interview with the magazine, Perry expressed surprise with the honor, explaining, “I’d thought my year was over, that it was time to pass the baton. But I guess I get to hold onto it until the end of the year. It’s truly a lovely compliment.”

Perry’s “Teenage Dream” album was released back in 2010, but has continued to produce hits for the singer, who also released a movie and continued touring this year.

At the Billboard event, Perry declared, “I am not a feminist, but I do believe in the strength of women.”

She added, “I don’t really like to call myself a role model for my fans. I hope that I am an inspiration for them, especially young women. My mantra, especially for the ['Part Of Me'] film, was: If you believe in yourself, you can be anything.”

The magazine also honored Carly Rae Jepsen as the year’s Rising Star.

Jepsen described her breakout hit “Call Me Maybe” as “sort of the key to unlocking the rest of the world for me” and “something that none of us were expecting.”

Check out photos from the event below!

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