Bill Gates and Katy Perry
One dropped out of Harvard to start a software company that put a computer on nearly every desk in the world. The other dropped out of high school to chase music and went on to sell millions of records and even fly to space. Bill Gates and Katy Perry come from totally different worlds, but both turned bold early bets into lasting fame.
There’s no known business deal, project, or personal connection between Bill Gates and Katy Perry. This is a comparison profile that looks at how a tech pioneer and a pop superstar built their careers, and what they’re doing now.
Below you’ll find their ages, education, career timelines, wealth, causes, and 2026 updates.
Bill Gates and Katy Perry at a Glance
| Bill Gates | Katy Perry | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | William Henry Gates III | Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson |
| Born | October 28, 1955 | October 25, 1984 |
| Age (October 2026) | 70, turning 71 on October 28 | 42 (birthday October 25) |
| Birthplace | Seattle, Washington, USA | Santa Barbara, California, USA |
| Education | Lakeside School; Harvard University (left in 1975) | Earned a GED at 15 |
| Known for | Co-founding Microsoft; the Gates Foundation | “I Kissed a Girl,” “Firework,” “Roar” |
| Wealth | About $112.6 billion (Forbes, May 2025) | Estimated in the hundreds of millions |
| Big 2025 moment | Gates Foundation sets 2045 closing date | Flies to space on Blue Origin |
Early Life and Education
Bill Gates and Katy Perry both showed big ambition as teenagers.
Bill Gates
Bill Gates was born in Seattle in 1955. His father was a well known lawyer, and his mother served on several corporate and charity boards.
He went to Lakeside School, a private school in Seattle, where he first used a computer at 13. There he met Paul Allen, his future business partner. Gates entered Harvard University in 1973 but left in 1975 to start Microsoft with Allen. Harvard later gave him an honorary degree in 2007.
Katy Perry
Katy Perry was born Katheryn Hudson in Santa Barbara, California, in 1984. Her parents were pastors, and she grew up singing in church. She wasn’t allowed to listen to much secular music as a child.
She earned her GED at 15 and left school to pursue music. She moved to Nashville and recorded a gospel album under her real name, Katy Hudson, released in 2001. She later took her mother’s maiden name, Perry, to avoid confusion with actor Kate Hudson.
Career Timeline
Bill Gates’s Career
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1975 | Co-founds Microsoft with Paul Allen |
| 1980 | Microsoft agrees to supply an operating system for IBM’s PC |
| 1985 | Microsoft launches Windows |
| 1986 | Microsoft goes public |
| 1995 | Becomes the world’s richest person for the first time, per Forbes |
| 2000 | Steps down as Microsoft CEO; launches the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation |
| 2008 | Moves to part time at Microsoft to focus on charity |
| 2010 | Co-founds the Giving Pledge with Melinda and Warren Buffett |
| 2020 | Leaves Microsoft’s board |
| 2021 | Divorces Melinda French Gates |
| 2025 | Publishes memoir Source Code; foundation sets a 2045 end date |
| 2026 | Continues leading the Gates Foundation and investing in AI, health, and climate |
Katy Perry’s Career
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2001 | Releases a gospel album as Katy Hudson |
| 2008 | “I Kissed a Girl” tops the Hot 100; album One of the Boys |
| 2010 | Teenage Dream, with five No. 1 singles |
| 2013 | Prism, with “Roar” and “Dark Horse” |
| 2015 | Headlines the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show |
| 2017 | Witness |
| 2018 | Becomes a judge on American Idol |
| 2020 | Smile; welcomes daughter Daisy Dove |
| 2021 | Starts her Las Vegas residency, Play |
| 2024 | Leaves American Idol; releases 143 |
| 2025 | Flies to space on Blue Origin; launches The Lifetimes Tour |
| 2026 | Concert film premieres at the Tribeca Festival |
Two Very Different Paths
Gates built the future of computing. He believed early on that every home would have a computer. Microsoft’s software, especially Windows and Office, made that real. He was known as a tough, detail obsessed boss. After leaving day to day work at Microsoft, he turned his focus to global health and education.
Perry built a pop empire. After her gospel album flopped and two record deals fell through, she reinvented herself. “I Kissed a Girl” made her a star in 2008. Teenage Dream then made history: she became the first woman to score five Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 singles from one album.
| Trait | Bill Gates | Katy Perry |
|---|---|---|
| Field | Technology and philanthropy | Pop music and TV |
| Early risk | Left Harvard to start Microsoft | Left school at 15 for music |
| Comeback story | Shifted from business to charity | Rebounded after early record deals fell apart |
| Big stage | World health summits | Super Bowl halftime show |
| Signature product | Windows | Teenage Dream |
Wealth and Giving
Bill Gates is one of the richest people in history. Forbes put his net worth at about $112.6 billion in May 2025. That same month, he announced the Gates Foundation will spend more than $200 billion over 20 years and then close in 2045. He said he plans to give away nearly all of his fortune, which could fall by 99% over that time. The foundation has helped fight polio, malaria, and childhood diseases.
Katy Perry has earned a fortune through music, touring, and TV. She was one of the highest paid judges on American Idol. Her wealth is often estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars, though no official figure exists. She has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and supports causes for children and education.
Personal Lives
Bill Gates married Melinda French in 1994. They have three children: Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe. The couple divorced in 2021. Gates has since been in a relationship with Paula Hurd.
Katy Perry was married to comedian Russell Brand from 2010 to 2012. She was engaged to actor Orlando Bloom, and they have a daughter, Daisy Dove, born in 2020. They ended their engagement in 2025. She now dates former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and the two made their red carpet debut in June 2026.
Where Are They Now in 2026?
Bill Gates is focused on spending down the Gates Foundation’s money before 2045. In 2026, the foundation continues to work on vaccines, maternal health, and farming, and Gates keeps writing about the promise of AI. He turns 71 on October 28, 2026.
Katy Perry turned 42 on October 25, 2026. In June 2026, she premiered Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour, Live from Paris, a concert film, at the Tribeca Festival in New York. Justin Trudeau joined her on the red carpet. In April 2025, she flew to the edge of space on Blue Origin’s all female NS-31 flight.
Fun Facts
- Bill Gates wrote his first computer program, a tic tac toe game, at Lakeside School.
- Katy Perry’s song “Firework” was certified Diamond in the US.
- Gates is a big reader and has shared book recommendations on his blog, Gates Notes, for years.
- Perry once held the record for the most followed person on Twitter.
- Gates and Perry share an October birthday month: Perry on October 25 and Gates on October 28.
Lessons From Their Careers
Bill Gates and Katy Perry both show that early failure doesn’t decide your future. Gates’s first company, Traf-O-Data, didn’t take off before Microsoft did. Perry’s gospel album flopped and two record labels dropped her before “I Kissed a Girl” made her famous. Both also reinvented themselves later. Gates moved from business to giving, and Perry moved from pop to TV, residencies, and even space travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have Bill Gates and Katy Perry ever worked together? No. There is no known business or creative link between them.
When is Katy Perry’s birthday? October 25. She turned 42 in 2026.
When is Bill Gates’s birthday? October 28. He turns 71 in 2026.
What’s Next
Gates plans to spend the next two decades giving away most of his fortune through the foundation, with a focus on global health, education, and farming. Perry is expected to keep touring and releasing music, and her relationship with Justin Trudeau keeps her in the headlines. Both are entering new chapters that look very different from how they started.
Why People Compare Them
Bill Gates and Katy Perry are both people who took big risks young. Gates left Harvard. Perry left school at 15. Both faced setbacks, and both found new purpose later in life. Comparing Bill Gates and Katy Perry shows that fame can come from code or from catchy choruses.
Key Takeaways
- Bill Gates and Katy Perry have no known business or personal link, so this is a comparison profile.
- Bill Gates was born October 28, 1955, in Seattle, and turns 71 on October 28, 2026. He left Harvard in 1975 to co-found Microsoft.
- Katy Perry was born October 25, 1984, in Santa Barbara, and turned 42 on October 25, 2026. She earned a GED at 15.
- Gates’s fortune was put at about $112.6 billion in 2025, and the Gates Foundation plans to close in 2045 after spending more than $200 billion.
- Perry made history with five No. 1 singles from Teenage Dream and headlined the 2015 Super Bowl halftime show.
- In 2026, Gates is focused on philanthropy and AI, while Perry premiered a concert film and is dating Justin Trudeau.
