Justin Trudeau Has Been ‘Pursuing’ Katy Perry Since First Date (Exclusive)

Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau’s romance appears to be heating up.

The pop star and the former Canadian prime minister were first romantically linked in July and were seen kissing on a yacht off the coast of Santa Barbara in photos published Oct. 12. Now, a Perry source tells PEOPLE the pair have an “easy connection.”

“When she first hung out with Justin, she wasn’t looking to date, but they stayed in touch. They have many shared interests and a lot of talk about, but Katy was navigating too many things to even think about dating then,” the source says of Perry, 40, whose split from fiancé Orlando Bloom, 48, was confirmed this summer amid her international Lifetimes Tour; the exes share a daughter, Daisy, 5.

After first spending time together in Montreal in July, Trudeau, 53, has “been pursuing her since,” the source adds. “He even flew to California to see her during a tour break. They have an easy connection. She finds him attractive. He’s been very respectful.”

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Neither Perry nor Trudeau has yet commented on the status of their relationship. Reps for Perry and Trudeau did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

The “California Gurls” singer — who is on the road for her Lifetimes Tour through Dec. 7 — and the politician were initially linked in July, when they took a stroll with a dog and grabbed drinks at Taverne Atlantic in Montreal. They also stepped out for a dinner date at Montreal hotspot Le Violon the same night.

Two days after their night out, Trudeau was spotted at Perry’s Lifetimes Tour concert at Montreal’s Bell Centre, according to a picture shared on social media.

At the time of their outings in Montreal, a source told PEOPLE about their “instant connection.”

“They are interested in each other, but it will take a while to see where this goes,” the source said in August. “She is traveling around the world, and he is figuring out his life now that he is no longer prime minister of Canada, but there is an attraction. They have a lot in common … Both are idealists and still live in a world where they think they can make improvements, although it has gotten more difficult.”

In June, PEOPLE confirmed that Perry and Bloom had called off their engagement after nine years of their on-off relationship.

Reps for the pair put out a joint statement confirming the split in July.

“Due to the abundance of recent interest and conversation surrounding Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry’s relationship, representatives have confirmed that Orlando and Katy have been shifting their relationship over the past many months to focus on co-parenting,” the statement read at the time. “They will continue to be seen together as a family, as their shared priority is — and always will be — raising their daughter with love, stability, and mutual respect.”

Meanwhile, Trudeau and his ex-wife Sophie Grégoire announced their separation in 2023. They shared three children: Xavier, Ella-Grace and Hadrian.