Katy Perry tells friends she wants to have a baby

Katy Perry arrives at MOCA's 35th Anniversary Gala presented by Louis Vuitton at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 29, 2014 . (Photo by Annie I. Bang /Invision/AP)

Katy Perry reportedly wants to have a baby.

The 'Dark Horse' hitmaker, who split from John Mayer for good in February after two tumultuous years together, has told friends that she is yearning to become a mother and doesn't think she needs to be in a relationship.

A source told gossip website RadarOnline.com: "Katy wants kids as soon as possible. She's not talking about new boyfriends so much as finding a guy who can get her pregnant without expecting marriage."

The 29-year-old singer is due to kick off her The Prismatic World Tour in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 7 but thinks having a baby afterwards would be good for her.

The insider claimed: "If she goes through with this, it will be as much a publicity stunt as anything else in her career. As she admits to her friends all the time, she is addicted to attention!"

Katy split from ex-husband Russell Brand in December 2011 and the Despicable Me 2' star's desire to have kids was one of the reasons their 14-month marriage broke down.

She previously admitted: "Russell really wanted me to have children and I knew I wasn't ready.

"I think it was a way of control. I'd have to be home more."