The singer, who is now mom to daughter Daisy Dove, spoke to L’Officiel about her initial hesitance to become a mother and how the decision has changed her for the better

Before becoming a mom, Katy Perry says she was initially a little unsure about parenthood.

The “Smile” singer, 36, appears on the cover of L’Officiel‘s Summer 2021 issue, where she opened up to the publication about her past hesitance to become a mother before she eventually welcomed her now-9-month-old daughter Daisy Dove.

“I was nervous to be a mom,” admitted Perry, who, according to the publication, went on a “healing journey” to learn why she had that uncertainty about motherhood and got to the source of it.

“Now I get it. Now I realize this is it,” said the American Idol judge, who shares her baby girl with fiancé Orlando Bloom. “This is the living part. Every day I’m like, ‘When can we go for a walk? When can we go for a swim?’ There was a good 12 years where none of that smallness existed.”

“It was amazing to live big and wild,” she added, “but sometimes it’s nice just to throw the ball on the grass and watch your daughter laugh from the simple joys of the dog coming and bringing it back.”

Katy Perry in L'Officiel USA Magazine

Katy Perry. GREG SWALES FOR L’OFFICIEL

Katy Perry in L'Officiel USA Magazine

Katy Perry. GREG SWALES FOR L’OFFICIEL

Katy Perry in L'Officiel USA Magazine

Katy Perry. GREG SWALES FOR L’OFFICIEL

Before becoming a mom, Perry enjoyed over three decades of success. “I had 35 years of calling the shots and doing what I wanted to do, zipping all over the world and taking care of my career,” she told L’Officiel.

But now, the 13-time Grammy nominee is experiencing life much different than the one she did before welcoming Daisy Dove in August — and she’s already gotten used to its perks.

“Now I have this huge responsibility to look after such an incredible gift,” she said. “It makes you quite vulnerable and reminds you of your own childhood that you want to probably do differently. I want to do it differently.”

Perry also told L’Officiel that since becoming a mom, she’s been relishing in the unconditional love she feels from her baby girl.

“As a performer I’ve always relied on the love and acceptance and validation of the outside world and that ultimately can waver at times,” she said. “When you have a child, you have someone who looks at you and doesn’t know anything on your resume, doesn’t know anything about your bank account, doesn’t know anything, doesn’t care, and just loves you.”

“Unconditional love. It’s just … everything I think I was looking for,” the “Daisies” singer added.