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Kesha

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This article is about the singer. For the town in China, see Kesha, Hunan.
Not to be confused with Keisha.
Kesha

Kesha Rose Sebert (born March 1, 1987),[4] better known by her first name Kesha (Template:Pron-en KESH-ə, stylized Ke$ha), is an American pop singer and songwriter and has been an active musician since 2005. Her 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.

Life and career

Childhood and youth

Kesha was born in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles to Pebe Sebert, a singer and songwriter. Her mother, a single parent, looked after infant Kesha onstage while performing.[5] Pebe was struggling financially while supporting Kesha and her older brother, Lagan,[2] at the time and they had to rely on welfare payments and supplemental nutrition assistance to get by.[6] Pebe moved the family to Nashville, Tennessee in 1991 after securing a publishing deal. She often brought Kesha and her brothers, Lagan and Louis, along to recording studios[2] and encouraged Kesha to sing.[6] Pebe also taught Kesha how to write songs[2] and they would often write songs together when she returned home from high school.[7]

The Sebert family was featured in an episode of The Simple Life in 2005. Kesha was already working on her music[8] and giving out demos by then.[9] She described herself in an interview as being "very studious" in high school; she would often drive to Belmont University to listen to Cold War history classes after school and achieved near perfect SAT scores.[7] However, she dropped out at the age of seventeen, after being convinced by Dr. Luke and Max Martin to return to Los Angeles and pursue a music career.[6] She independently earned her high-school diploma.[10] Dr. Luke and Martin had come across her demos and were so impressed[11] that they began flying her to New York and Los Angeles to record music[8] and to sign her to Dr. Luke's label and music publishing company.[12]

Career beginnings: 2005-2009

While in Los Angeles, Kesha had the opportunity to sing background vocals for Paris Hilton's single, "Nothing in This World," which led to a later incident in which she vomited in Hilton's closet.[8] Dr. Luke and Kesha later became estranged, with Kesha eventually signing with David Sonenberg's management company, DAS. She worked with several top writers and producers while at the company and credits the creation of her beat-driven sound to a co-writing session with Greg Wells.[12] She also co-wrote The Veronicas' single, "This Love" with Toby Gad.[13] She had wanted Prince to produce her music, so she located and trespassed into his Beverly Hills home. Once discovered, she was thrown out, but not before she left her demo with Prince, who did not contact her afterward.[6] She later remarked that, "I felt it was harmless at the time, but looking back it was pretty psychotic."[14]

Kesha survived on a low income; she moonlighted as a waitress and a telemarketer[9] to make ends meet while furthering her music career in the studio.[2][6] DAS was shopping a label for her and attracted the attention of Kara Dioguardi, who wanted to sign her to Warner. The deal fell through due to Kesha's existing contract with Dr. Luke's label. She soon left DAS and reunited with Dr. Luke.[12] She later sang background vocals for Britney Spears' song "Lace and Leather"[1] and appeared in the video for Katy Perry's single, "I Kissed a Girl." Her appearance in the video arose due to her friendship with Perry; they met frequently as aspiring pop singers in Los Angeles and shared many musical collaborators.[15]

Kesha gained exposure in the mainstream media in early 2009 after appearing on Flo Rida's number one single, "Right Round."[16] The collaboration was called "an accident" by Kesha;[17] she had walked into a recording session with Flo Rida and Dr. Luke, who was producing the song. Flo Rida had wanted a female voice for the song, Kesha was then suggested for the part by Dr. Luke. Flo Rida liked the end result so much that they did two more songs.[4] Kesha is not credited for her feature on "Right Round"[18][19] and did not collect any money for the part.[16] She also refused to appear in the video because she knew it would not sync with her own image; she explained in an interview that, "[i]f you want to be a legitimate artist, it’s more important what you say no to. I knew he would want me to be some sexpot, shake my booty, and whatever."[20] The song soon achieved success worldwide while Kesha continued to live on a meager income, which inspired the dollar sign in her stage name. She states that it was meant to be ironic, in that she "actually [stood] for the opposite of putting a lot of emphasis on money."[8]

Animal: 2009–present

Soon after, it was announced that Kesha had signed with RCA Records[16] through Dr. Luke, after being sought after by many major labels,[3] and was working on her debut album.[6] On March 27, 2009, she appeared onstage alongside 3OH!3 at a concert at Avalon Hollywood to perform their duet, "My First Kiss". She later made her official stage debut at that year's Lollapalooza as part of the BMI Stage, with Time Out Chicago saying that the set was "cheap, extremely short, and left the audience wanting more. Just like crack."[21] Her debut single, "Tik Tok", had been released digitally in the US in early August,[22] and was sent to radio two months later in October.[23] By then, Kesha had co-written the title song for Miley Cyrus' The Time of Our Lives EP, made appearances on Pitbull and Taio Cruz's albums,[15] and appeared on the cover of Women's Wear Daily.[21]

A number one placing in New Zealand for "Tik Tok" gave Kesha her first number one;[13] this was followed by number one positions ten other countries. It also reached the top of the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the first number one of the decade,[18] and reached top five in several countries.[24] For its second week at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, "Tik Tok" set the female download record and became the second best-selling single in a week, after "Right Round", for shifting 610,000 copies.[19] At its fifth week at the top, it broke the record for the highest weekly plays on the radio airplay chart.[25] Spending eight weeks at number one, the song became the longest running number one debut single by a female artist since Debby Boone's 1977 single "You Light Up My Life".[26]

Kesha had earlier supported Calvin Harris on tour in the UK[15] and toured with Mickey Avalon in the US.[21] She also performed at Madison Square Garden on December 11, 2009 for the Z100 Jingle Ball. Her debut album, Animal, was released on January 5, 2010 in the US to mixed reviews from music critics. Rolling Stone called the album "repulsive, obnoxious and ridiculously catchy."[27] The album sold 152,000 copies in its first week in the US, debuting at number one.[28] She was announced as a performer at the 2010 Wango Tango [29] and one of the acts for the revival of Lilith Fair[30] and presented with singer Justin Bieber at 52nd Grammy Awards.[12] Second single, "Blah Blah Blah" managed to debut on the charts in the US, Canada and Ireland before being announced as the next single due to strong digital sales following the release of the album.

Kesha is scheduled to be on Saturday Night Live[31].

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, [32]

She has been noted for her party girl image and behavior.[33] 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."[34] 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."[16]

Influences

Kesha has listed Beck, Queen, Beastie Boys, Madonna, Johnny Cash, The Damned and Aaron Neville as musical influences.[35][33] Her lyrics are based on her life experiences[9] and are influenced by the storytelling style of country music.[6] She draws from rap music and old-school punk influences as well.[36][35]

Vocal style

"Tik Tok" (2009)
Kesha's debut single and one of many songs in which she raps.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Kesha uses a sing-song rapping style[12] 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."[20] The Los Angeles Times compared this vocal style to that of L'Trimm and Salt-N-Pepa.[37]

Kesha has been criticized for using Auto-Tune on her album Animal.[38]

Themes and genre

Kesha has writing credits on all of her songs.[12] 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."[17] Additionally she regards the need for her live shows to be "rowdy and really fun, and hopefully dance-inducing".[15]

Kesha credits her album Animal as having a rock edge, with straightforward lyrics.[15] 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.[2][39] 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, [32]

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.[40] 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".[15]

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.[41] She has named Keith Richards as her fashion inspiration.[8] Her stage makeup is characterized by dramatic makeup at her right eye, inspired by A Clockwork Orange.[39]

Personal Life

Kesha is open friends with Katey Perry whom she met through Dr.Luke. One of Kesha's close friends is a back-up singer for her at most of her concerts. And her uncle usually plays the guitar at most of the performances.

In Febuary 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".[42]

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."[43]

On the dollar sign in her stage name, Kesha states that she was being ironic, in that she does not believe in placing an emphasis on earning money. It came about after her Flo Rida collaboration achieved success worldwide; and yet she did not receive any money to show for it.[2][8]

When asked about being compared to Lady Gaga and other artists, Kesha said

[a]ny time you want to compare me to a successful woman, I'll totally take that.

[44] She got a dollar sign tattoo on her hand for the same reason.[16] Kesha's first tattoo was that of an anchor given to her in Cuba.[45]

Discography

Main article: Kesha discography

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Sullivan, Matt (August 13, 2009), "KE$HA and the Not-Quite-72 Virgins in Her Own Personal Heaven", Esquire, Hearst Communications, Inc., retrieved October 20, 2009
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Day, Elizabeth (November 29, 2009), She's a walking, talking living dollar, Guardian News and Media Limited, retrieved November 29, 2009
  3. ^ a b "Superstar Producer Dr. Luke Brings Highly Sought After Pop Singer to RCA Records" (Press release). RCA Music Group. Retrieved December 29, 2009.
  4. ^ a b Mazzella, Alysia (March 2, 2009), Ke$ha: Crazy, Sexy & Too Fuckin' Cool, 21–7 Magazine, retrieved November 1, 2009
  5. ^ Axelrod, Nick (August 26, 2009), "Kesha Sebert: Hard Candy", Women's Wear Daily, Fairchild Fashion Group, retrieved October 20, 2009
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Official biography, RCA Records, retrieved January 10, 2009
  7. ^ a b $uper$tar Ke$ha Top$ Chart$, NPR, January 16, 2010, retrieved January 29, 2010
  8. ^ a b c d e f Lynch, Joseph (December 11, 2009), "Ke$ha: A Music Mix Q&A", Entertainment Weekly, retrieved December 12, 2009
  9. ^ a b c Malone, Aibhe (January 8, 2010), All that glitter$, Independent.ie, retrieved January 10, 2010
  10. ^ Paulson, Dave (January 21, 2010). "Ke$ha's mom: My daughter got her high school diploma". tennessean.com. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
  11. ^ Scaggs, Austin (January 26, 2010), "Party Animal: Behind Ke$ha's Big Debut", Rolling Stone, retrieved January 29, 2010
  12. ^ a b c d e f Werde, Bill (February 19, 2010), "Ke$ha: The Billboard Cover Story", Billboard, retrieved February 28, 2010
  13. ^ a b Moses, Hussein (October 26, 2009), Ke$ha Hearts NZ!, MTV Networks, retrieved December 14, 2009
  14. ^ Barracato, Joseph (February 6, 2010), Ke$ha tale, NYP Holdings, retrieved February 12, 2010
  15. ^ a b c d e f WAPS interviews Ke$ha, We Are Pop Slags, October 28, 2009, retrieved October 29, 2009 {{citation}}: |first= missing |last= (help)
  16. ^ a b c d e Gordon, Sandra (November 25, 2009), "Breaking & Entering: Ke$ha", Billboard, Nielsen Business Media, Inc., retrieved November 26, 2009
  17. ^ a b Levine, Nicke (November 13, 2009), Interview – Ke$ha, Digital Spy Limited, retrieved November 13, 2009
  18. ^ a b Trust, Gary (December 24, 2009), "Chart Beat Thursday: Ke$ha", Billboard, Nielsen Business Media, Inc., retrieved December 25, 2009
  19. ^ a b Pietroluongo, Silvio (December 30, 2009), "Ke$ha Sets Female Download Record", Billboard, Nielsen Business Media, Inc., retrieved December 31, 2009
  20. ^ a b Caramanica, Jon (December 23, 2009), "Changing the Face (and Sound) of Rap", The New York Times, retrieved December 26, 2009
  21. ^ a b c "Red-Hot Pop Sensation Ke$ha to Release Debut Album" (Press release). RCA Music Group. December 3, 2009. Retrieved December 4, 2009.
  22. ^ "TiK ToK – Single", iTunes, Apple Inc., retrieved December 14, 2009
  23. ^ FMQB CHR Airplay Archive 2009, Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Inc., retrieved November 16, 2009 10/5 Mainstream
  24. ^ Ke$ha – Music Charts, αCharts.us, retrieved December 24, 2009
  25. ^ Trust, Gary (January 25, 2010), "'TiK' Talk: Ke$ha Breaks Pop Songs Record", Billboard, Nielsen Business Media, Inc., retrieved January 29, 2010
  26. ^ Pietroluongo, Silvio (February 11, 2010), "Ke$ha Holds Atop Hot 100, Pink Glows with 'Glitter'", Billboard, Nielsen Business Media, Inc., retrieved February 12, 2010
  27. ^ Rosen, Jody (January 4, 2010), "Ke$ha Animal", Rolling Stone, retrieved March 29, 2010
  28. ^ Caulfield, Keith (January 23, 2010), "Kesha ends Boyle's 'Dream' with No 1. debut at Billboard 200", Billboard, Nielsen Business Media, Inc., retrieved January 23, 2010
  29. ^ KIIS FM's Wango Tango, Clear Channel Communications, retrieved March 30, 2010
  30. ^ Itzkoff, Dave (December 10, 2009), "Lilith Fair Lineup Is Announced", The New York Times, retrieved December 14, 2009
  31. ^ "Ryan Phillippe to Host SNL, Ke$ha Musical Guest". GossipCop. March 23rd, 2010. p. 1. Retrieved 30 March 2010. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  32. ^ a b Cairns, Dan (March 7, 2010), Ke$ha demands a pinch of respect and mirth, Times Newspapers Ltd., retrieved March 11, 2010
  33. ^ a b Hess, Mike (January 11, 2010), "Ke$ha Can Handle Her Liquor and Success", PopEater, AOL Inc., retrieved March 24, 2010
  34. ^ Lester, Paul (October 2, 2009), Ke$ha (No 640), Guardian News and Media Limited, retrieved December 29, 2009
  35. ^ a b Ke$ha Pop Excess Interview, Pop Excess, August 23, 2009, retrieved January 11, 2009
  36. ^ Collins, Hattie (November 24, 2009), "Ke$ha: Ke$h Money", RWD Magazine, retrieved January 29, 2010
  37. ^ Powers, Ann (January 5, 2010), "Ke$ha is a wisecracking 'Animal'", Los Angeles Times, retrieved January 6, 2010
  38. ^ Keefe, Jonathan (January 8, 2010), "Ke$ha Animal", Slant Magazine, retrieved March 29, 2010
  39. ^ a b Stevenson, Jane (February 1, 2010), "It's not about the money, Ke$ha says", London Free Press, retrieved February 2, 2010
  40. ^ Jeffries, David, "Animal Review", allmusic, Rovi Corporation, retrieved March 24, 2010
  41. ^ Piazza, Jo (February 7, 2010), "Ke$ha's Look: Garbage Chic or Just Plain Trash?", PopEater, AOL Inc., retrieved March 12, 2010
  42. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBxPHUFL7_k
  43. ^ "Ke$Ha's Hollywood Sign Stunt Was A Hoax". ContactMusic. p. 1. Retrieved 30 March 2010.
  44. ^ Cite error: The named reference popeater was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  45. ^ Baron, Ruth (January 7, 2010), "60 Seconds with Ke$ha", Details, Condé Nast Digital, retrieved January 20, 2010

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