Kesha's breakthrough came in early 2009 after an uncredited appearance on Flo Rida's number one single "Right Round". Her debut single, "Tik Tok," was released in August 2009 to much commercial success. It reached number one in eleven countries and set the weekly records for the most digital downloads of a female artist and of the total Top 40 Mainstream airplay records in the US. The song also became the longest running number-one debut single by a female artist since 1977. Her debut album, Animal, was released in early 2010 and debuted at number one in the US.
Personal Life:
In February Sebert posted a video on her YouTube account.The video contained Sebert accompanied by her freinds,sneaking onto the area around the Famous Hollywood sign. The group brings tarp and spray paint with them. At first they are caught by a security guard for the sign. But they say that they were just visiting. The guard gives the group a warning. After the guard leaves the group jumps over a gate and they go over to the sign. The group throws tarp over the sign and spray paints the tarp. The next morning Kesha is awaken by one of her friends and the sign is shown. Its said "Keshawood".
The video was sinced proven a hoax by many online blogs. A representative for the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has confirmed Sebert's claim to have vandalised the sign was a hoax. Ke$ha insisted the joke was real in a post on Twitter.com, stating, "HwOOD $IgN I$ oFFiciaLLY My bIZnatCH! Look at the sign LA!" But a spokesperson for the LAPD told Life & Style magazine, "If someone had seen the Hollywood sign (had been) vandalised, it would have been called in to the LAPD, but we never received a call."
In early 2010, Kesha had an interview with Scotland's Daily Record talking about Britney Spears's lip-synching. She said
Sometimes it is hard to sing and dance at the same time, but I would rather be off and be real and genuine about it to my fans. I don't want to treat my fans like they are stupid...When I am singing, I may sound s--t [sic] sometimes, but at least you'll know I'm singing
—Kesha,
A recent leaked song called "Styrofoam" features Ke$ha singing the lyric, "In ten years, Britney Spears . . . Britney who?" Kesha clarified the situation during her appearance on "So You Think You Can Dance Australia" stating
I didn't write that bit. That was from when I was 15 – and there is a reason that song's not on my record. I have to admit now I do regret ever singing that, because I have mad respect for her
—Kesha
the New York Daily News quoted her as saying.
Ke$ha also took to Twitter to apologize to Justin Bieber after she gave an interview to Maxim in which she called him a "little baby" and said she would love to "push him around on stage in a carriage."
On her sexual orientation Kesha says she "likes people", "wouldn't say I'm gay or straight", and "don't like labels".
In February Sebert posted a video on her YouTube account.The video contained Sebert accompanied by her freinds,sneaking onto the area around the Famous Hollywood sign. The group brings tarp and spray paint with them. At first they are caught by a security guard for the sign. But they say that they were just visiting. The guard gives the group a warning. After the guard leaves the group jumps over a gate and they go over to the sign. The group throws tarp over the sign and spray paints the tarp. The next morning Kesha is awaken by one of her friends and the sign is shown. Its said "Keshawood".
The video was sinced proven a hoax by many online blogs. A representative for the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has confirmed Sebert's claim to have vandalised the sign was a hoax. Ke$ha insisted the joke was real in a post on Twitter.com, stating, "HwOOD $IgN I$ oFFiciaLLY My bIZnatCH! Look at the sign LA!" But a spokesperson for the LAPD told Life & Style magazine, "If someone had seen the Hollywood sign (had been) vandalised, it would have been called in to the LAPD, but we never received a call."
In early 2010, Kesha had an interview with Scotland's Daily Record talking about Britney Spears's lip-synching. She said
Sometimes it is hard to sing and dance at the same time, but I would rather be off and be real and genuine about it to my fans. I don't want to treat my fans like they are stupid...When I am singing, I may sound s--t [sic] sometimes, but at least you'll know I'm singing
—Kesha,
A recent leaked song called "Styrofoam" features Ke$ha singing the lyric, "In ten years, Britney Spears . . . Britney who?" Kesha clarified the situation during her appearance on "So You Think You Can Dance Australia" stating
I didn't write that bit. That was from when I was 15 – and there is a reason that song's not on my record. I have to admit now I do regret ever singing that, because I have mad respect for her
—Kesha
the New York Daily News quoted her as saying.
Ke$ha also took to Twitter to apologize to Justin Bieber after she gave an interview to Maxim in which she called him a "little baby" and said she would love to "push him around on stage in a carriage."
On her sexual orientation Kesha says she "likes people", "wouldn't say I'm gay or straight", and "don't like labels".
Image and artistry:
Kesha and her music has been dismissed early on by some as lightweight, calculating and crude; perceiving her as a victim in the "cauldron of celebrity culture". She insisted otherwise in an interview,
I have been working on realizing this dream, my path, my mission, for years. I’ve really invested a lot of thought, time and effort into it. The last thing that makes me is a victim. I think it’s a bummer when people don’t represent that properly, when they portray me as purely one-dimensional.
—Kesha,
She has been noted for her party girl image and behavior. The Guardian called her "the degenerate Hannah Montana" and stated that "her whole shtick appears to be predicated on the idea that she's a rebel in American Apparel." She has said that she was on a "fighting a war against pretension" and that she felt people could "take themselves just a little less seriously."
Influences:
Kesha has listed Beck, Queen, Beastie Boys, Madonna, Johnny Cash, The Damned and Aaron Neville as musical influences. Her lyrics are based on her life experiences and are influenced by the storytelling style of country music. She draws from rap music and old-school punk influences as well.
Vocal style:
Kesha uses a sing-song rapping style on a number of her songs, most notably on her debut single "Tik Tok". The New York Times proclaimed that the success of the song represented "the complete and painless assimilation of the white female rapper into pop music." The Los Angeles Times compared this vocal style to that of L'Trimm and Salt-N-Pepa.
Kesha has been criticized for using Auto-Tune on her album Animal.
Themes and genre:
Kesha has writing credits on all of her songs. She described her music as irreverent and defended her decision to make pop music for Animal as opposed to "more serious acoustic stuff", explaining that she wanted to "give people something that brings them joy." Additionally she regards the need for her live shows to be "rowdy and really fun, and hopefully dance-inducing".
Kesha credits her album Animal as having a rock edge, with straightforward lyrics. She has expressed frustration at the double standard for the objectification of women in music. Thus, in songs such as "Blah Blah Blah" and "Boots and Boys", she makes it a point to sing the same way men traditionally sing about women. She has urged critics not to take her lyrics seriously; such as in "Tik Tok", where she has been criticized for referencing brushing her teeth with a bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey. She explained that,
Everyone's really offended by that (the Jack Daniel's lyric). But come on, brushing your teeth with Jack Daniel's: what girl does that? People are like, 'Do you really advocate brushing your teeth with bourbon?' I'm like, 'Yes, actually, I do, every day, for everybody. Especially eight year olds.' I mean, what are you talking about? Of course I don't. Come on.
—Kesha,
Her music is of the dance-pop genre; it incorporates elements of electropop in its production. Animal ranges from high energy pop dance songs, to techno ballads, to songs with guitar riffs. When it comes to her slower ballads, Kesha states; "Even if it is a slower song it’ll still have that four-on-the-floor to keep the heads moving".
Fashion:
Kesha's styling comprises of messy hair, smudged makeup and a wardrobe she describes as "garbage-chic". The look developed from her being poor and trying to brand herself as best she could on a budget. She has named Keith Richards as her fashion inspiration. Her stage makeup is characterized by dramatic makeup at her right eye, inspired by A Clockwork Orange.
Kesha and her music has been dismissed early on by some as lightweight, calculating and crude; perceiving her as a victim in the "cauldron of celebrity culture". She insisted otherwise in an interview,
I have been working on realizing this dream, my path, my mission, for years. I’ve really invested a lot of thought, time and effort into it. The last thing that makes me is a victim. I think it’s a bummer when people don’t represent that properly, when they portray me as purely one-dimensional.
—Kesha,
She has been noted for her party girl image and behavior. The Guardian called her "the degenerate Hannah Montana" and stated that "her whole shtick appears to be predicated on the idea that she's a rebel in American Apparel." She has said that she was on a "fighting a war against pretension" and that she felt people could "take themselves just a little less seriously."
Influences:
Kesha has listed Beck, Queen, Beastie Boys, Madonna, Johnny Cash, The Damned and Aaron Neville as musical influences. Her lyrics are based on her life experiences and are influenced by the storytelling style of country music. She draws from rap music and old-school punk influences as well.
Vocal style:
Kesha uses a sing-song rapping style on a number of her songs, most notably on her debut single "Tik Tok". The New York Times proclaimed that the success of the song represented "the complete and painless assimilation of the white female rapper into pop music." The Los Angeles Times compared this vocal style to that of L'Trimm and Salt-N-Pepa.
Kesha has been criticized for using Auto-Tune on her album Animal.
Themes and genre:
Kesha has writing credits on all of her songs. She described her music as irreverent and defended her decision to make pop music for Animal as opposed to "more serious acoustic stuff", explaining that she wanted to "give people something that brings them joy." Additionally she regards the need for her live shows to be "rowdy and really fun, and hopefully dance-inducing".
Kesha credits her album Animal as having a rock edge, with straightforward lyrics. She has expressed frustration at the double standard for the objectification of women in music. Thus, in songs such as "Blah Blah Blah" and "Boots and Boys", she makes it a point to sing the same way men traditionally sing about women. She has urged critics not to take her lyrics seriously; such as in "Tik Tok", where she has been criticized for referencing brushing her teeth with a bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey. She explained that,
Everyone's really offended by that (the Jack Daniel's lyric). But come on, brushing your teeth with Jack Daniel's: what girl does that? People are like, 'Do you really advocate brushing your teeth with bourbon?' I'm like, 'Yes, actually, I do, every day, for everybody. Especially eight year olds.' I mean, what are you talking about? Of course I don't. Come on.
—Kesha,
Her music is of the dance-pop genre; it incorporates elements of electropop in its production. Animal ranges from high energy pop dance songs, to techno ballads, to songs with guitar riffs. When it comes to her slower ballads, Kesha states; "Even if it is a slower song it’ll still have that four-on-the-floor to keep the heads moving".
Fashion:
Kesha's styling comprises of messy hair, smudged makeup and a wardrobe she describes as "garbage-chic". The look developed from her being poor and trying to brand herself as best she could on a budget. She has named Keith Richards as her fashion inspiration. Her stage makeup is characterized by dramatic makeup at her right eye, inspired by A Clockwork Orange.