Katy Perry Pays Tribute to Angelica Cob-Baehler: ‘One of My Biggest Champions and Realest Friends’

Six days after veteran music executive Angelica Cob-Baehler passed away after a long battle with cancer, Katy Perry paid tribute to her in a long and heartfelt Instagram post, calling her “one of my biggest champions and realest friends.”

The two met when Cob-Baehler was a VP at Columbia Records and Perry had recorded an album for the label that was never released. Cob-Baehler subsequently took a job at the EMI Music Group and played a major role in bringing the young singer to EMI’s Capitol Records. She contributed significantly to the A&R and creative direction of Perry’s breakthrough album, “One of the Boys,” and its multiplatinum follow-up, “Teenage Dreams.”

At the end of the long post, which also includes several photos of them together and a video of Cob-Baehler talking about her role in bringing the singer to Capitol, Perry asked her 73.7 million followers to make a donation to Cob-Baehler’s favorite charity, Generosity.org.

“We had a lot of wins together for over 10 years, and I am incredibly grateful she was a born fighter/no sh—taker because she practically willed me into existence as a young artist when she ‘stole my files’ from limbo at Columbia Records and brought them to life at Capitol Records,” she wrote. “She was like a big sister to me, showing me the ropes and always having my back. She never became a yes-person and was quick to check me when I needed checking – that was family.”

Perry also explained her delay in paying tribute, writing, “I have procrastinated posting this because it makes it feel a little too final, but I don’t believe people ever really die – she just had to leave that body behind.”

Read Perry’s post below; see Variety’s obituary of Cob-Baehler here.

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Six days ago, one of my biggest champions and realest friends, Angelica Cob-Baehler moved on from this place. She was one of the strongest women I have ever known – fighting her cancer like friggin’ Rocky, enduring chemo, immunotherapy, a tracheotomy, feeding tubes for months on end, and experimental cancer treatment trials. I watched her go through many stages for over a year, but a few things remained constant: her sarcastic/wicked sense of humor, her positive outlook, and the incredible love she had for her family. We had a lot of wins together for over 10 years, and I am incredibly grateful she was a born fighter/no shit-taker because she practically willed me into existence as a young artist when she “stole my files” from limbo at Columbia Records and brought them to life at Capitol Records. She was like a big sister to me, showing me the ropes and always having my back. She never became a yes-person and was quick to check me when I needed checking – that was family. I have procrastinated posting this because it makes it feel a little too final, but I don’t believe people ever really die – she just had to leave that body behind. Out of body, and full of spirit now. Sadly, she also left behind two amazing young girls, and an incredible husband who was the definition of ROCK through this whole process. As for me, I’ll never let them forget that Angelica embodied the angel in her name, was a woman of incredible integrity and character, a massive giver, and a DOPE human being. I know today is #GivingTuesday, and if you have been a longtime KatyCat and a friend of mine or Geli’s, let’s honor her by donating to her favorite charity, Generosity.org by clicking the link in bio. She may be gone from this place, but she will never be forgotten. Rest in power, my angel, and don’t worry, we got Chapman and the girls. #RIPGeli

A post shared by KATY PERRY (@katyperry) on Nov 27, 2018 at 4:01pm PST