Katy isn't manufactered, she behind every step of her career, and she's doing what she wants, bubblegum pop. She co-writes every song, comes with the concepts for her tours, she's the boss and everybody who works for her said it.
Most in the industry feel manufactured.
Some pop girls who don't feel manufactured at all are in my opinion Lauryn Hill, Adele, Amy Winehouse, Alicia Keys and Beyoncé.
People mistake Katy as being super manufactured because of the music she makes. But in reality, she really IS in control. She co-writes and visualizes all of her eras. This makes her calculated, not manufactured.