TLC Raises Funds for New Album – and Katy Perry Kicks In!

"We wouldn t dream of making our final album with anyone but our fans," says the girl group

Photo: Ross Schultz/Newspix/Getty; Inset: Don Arnold/WireImage

You remember TLC. Everyone remembers TLC: “Waterfalls,” “No Scrubs,” “Unpretty,” “Creep.”

Despite their iconic library of ’90s music, TLC – which has consisted of duo Chilli and T-Boz following Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes’s tragic death in a 2002 car crash – hasn’t released an album of new material for nearly 13 years.

Despite their long hiatus, TLC never officially broke up. On Monday, the group announced plans to make their final album – and took to Kickstarter to raise funds for the project.

“We owe so much of our success to you. Your loyalty and support throughout the past 20 years motivates us to do our best work,” they wrote on their Kickstarter page.

“Without you, we wouldn’t have ten Top 10 singles and four number 1 singles. We wouldn’t have won five Grammy awards or sold 65 million records worldwide. Without you, we wouldn’t have become the most successful girl group of all time! Without you there would be no TLC!!”

And the fans came through. As of Thursday, they have received $173,144 in pledges – much more than their initial goal of $150,000.

And at least one famous fan kicked in some cash: Katy Perry donated $5,000 to the project.

The remaining members of TLC expressed their gratitude on Twitter. T-Boz tweeted, “A BIG Special THANK YOU 2 @katyperry for her pledge to our #Kickstarter Campaign!” Added Chilli: “Wow @katyperry…thanks so much for pledging!”

“Our hearts are overflowing with gratitude for our fans for all of their amazing support. We feel so blessed to know that not only do our fans love us, but they believe in us,” the group said in a statement to PEOPLE. “We have received support from longtime listeners that attended our first concerts, plus new fans who have only just started listening. We were also so humbled by the outpour of support from other artists like Katy Perry, New Kids on the Block, Dev Hynes, Russell Simmons, Soulja Boy, Bette Midler and more!

“Kickstarter has created a way for artists to support other artists. It’s incredibly inspiring! We want to work with the best in the business, so the more we raise means access to the best. We want the best of the best. We cannot wait to make our last album together with our fans. We look forward to continuing the TLC journey with y’all.”

TLC will hit the road this summer with New Kids on the Block and Nelly.