As a freshman at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, Kalin Goriup’s part-time job is acting like Katy Perry-literally.

She’s the lead singer of the local group Firework, a Katy Perry tribute band that is quickly making its mark on the east coast and even across the globe. They traveled to Myrtle Beach, S.C. March 28 for their biggest show yet- at the House of Blues.

Firework has been working on the project for over a year now, and the House of Blues was only their fifth show. Goriup called it the biggest day of her life.

“Right now, we’re way ahead of the curve. We’re only eight months after our first performance and we’re playing at the House of Blues,” said David Pray, the band manager and bass and keyboard player.

Pray was the mastermind behind the idea of a Katy Perry tribute project.

“Tribute bands are exploding. It’s just another twist in the marketplace,” Pray said. “People love to see and hear great music that is really popular, but Katy Perry is expensive and you only see her once every two years. This is just as entertaining and authentic, for a fraction of the cost.”

He researched the marketability of Katy Perry’s music. She’s kept up with Michael Jackson in terms of hit tracks and records-five number-one songs off of one album, according to Pray. He was searching for the perfect Katy Perry look-alike when he met Goriup in downtown Wilmington when they shared a ride home with mutual friends.

“He asked if I sang, and I said yeah, for seven years,” said Goriup-or Perry, whichever you prefer. “I couldn’t have asked for a more spontaneous and exciting opportunity. I’d be crazy not to. It was lucky when I met him. He changed my life overnight.”

Pray believes that when he met Goriup she immediately displayed the “it” factor.

“Kalin is a real artist. This is the thing that is exciting for me at my age as a musician-the honor and responsibility to nurture younger artists and to find someone like Kalin. To nurture her and let her go is a great honor. Sometimes I like to pretend I’m the Simon Cowell of Wilmington,” Pray said with a laugh.

For Goriup, this is her first band ever, but she’s had years of experience as a center stage performer in choruses and recitals, as well as in dance and figure skating.

“I’ve been singing since I was in diapers… I’d sing in the car, in the bed, or as I was brushing my teeth,” Goriup said. “Then I trained in figure skating through middle school and high school. That was pretty big for me, traveling up and down the east coast. I got a lot of first places. I thought that was my pivotal moment. I thought that was the cool point in my life.”

But obviously, that is not all for this triple-threat entertainer. Now she’s working with impressive musicians like Pray, who is a Bose featured artist with a background in several musical genres. The other musicians in the band are Taylor Mabe, a seasoned touring guitarist, and Will Fassbender, an award-winning symphony drummer. UNCW graduate and friend Jessie Buongiorino sings back-up for Goriup, and performs an additional Adele tribute set for the band.

Although they have fluctuated musicians in the past, Goriup believes that this band has turned into a family. The age difference among the group is especially unique to the band-Goriup just turned 19 and Pray just turned 52. Nevertheless, Goriup said that she feels that there is mutual respect, even if there isn’t mutual experience.

“The point is to reach the crowd. I have my band to back me up. They’re the best support team. It’s easier-I don’t have to do it by myself,” Goriup said. “I can’t stress how much we love our band.”

Even though Goriup has her support team, she still loves the rush and independence of being in the spotlight, especially if she gets to act as Katy Perry.

“I get to change from this to a pop star, and I get to let go of what’s going on in my reality. It’s one of the most positive habits for me in life so far,” Goriup said. “I get into character and my whole point of view changes, and even after [the show] I am happy. [Katy Perry] makes people happy-you can’t not smile.”

The band takes the entire transformation seriously, almost to perfection. According to Goriup and Pray, they’ll try anything to create the perfect set, like painting props in their backyards or buying costumes from the women’s swimsuit department. 

“That’s the difference between a tribute band and a cover band,” Goriup said. “Cover bands just sing the artist’s songs, tribute bands take on their destiny.”

Despite the band’s dedication, not everyone takes the band seriously, according to Pray.

“People don’t always understand what we’re trying to do. From the get-go, this was going to be an act for the stage,” he said.

The band’s very first show was in UNCW’s Kenan Auditorium, in the summer before Goriup became a student.

 “Some don’t think it’s like cool enough or important enough. We’ve run into a couple of instances when people don’t expect the quality we put out and the seriousness. It’s authentic and to a tee,” Pray said. “I think what we’re doing is filling a very small and interesting niche.”

Whether people get it or not doesn’t seem to affect their global popularity. People from China have reached out to them for a show. Pray hopes that the band will turn into a full-time job one day.

But, of course, it’s important to both Pray and Goriup that the band and the audience always have fun. They try to capture that liveliness that Katy Perry brings to her shows, from the music set to her attitude.

“Katy is so fun. I think she inspires a lot of kids and adults. You never know what she’s going to do, what color her hair is going to be,” Goriup said.

According to the tribute band, you can’t see the same show twice, even for their production. They like to throw in a surprise or two just like Katy Perry. Sometimes, Goriup raps next to a cutout of the music-star Snoop Lion, previously known as Snoop Dogg.

But here’s the big question-what would the real Katy Perry think about Goriup?

“I think she would be honored and tickled, just as much as we are honored to play her music that we’ve emulated, recreated and shared,” Goriup said.

But Goriup won’t call herself a Wilmington celebrity, despite the fast-paced success. Their international agent, Scarlet Entertainment and Management, called the House of Blues show “brilliant,” according to Pray.

“I’m not even at the beginning of where I want to reach yet,” Goriup said. “It gives me butterflies when I think about it. It’s better than a new boyfriend.”

The band has toyed with the idea of creating original music, but they definitely want to stick with the Katy Perry tunes for now.

So, as her first year at UNCW comes to a close, Goriup plans to focus on her part-time job paying tribute to Katy Perry and her full-time job as a student.