Kesha Rose Sebert

Ke$ha – Take It Off

BETTER known by her first name, Kesha Rose Sebert was born March 1, 1987. She is an American pop singer, rapper and songwriter. Her debut single, "Tik Tok", released in late 2009, reached number one in eleven countries and set the weekly records for digital downloads of a female artist and total Top 40 Mainstream airplay in the US. The song also became the first Billboard Hot 100 number one of the decade and 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.

Ke$ha - Blah Blah Blah

At the age of eighteen, Kesha was signed to Dr. Luke's record label and publishing company. Although an active musician since 2005, singing background vocals and writing songs for other artists, her breakthrough only came in early 2009 after appearing on Flo Rida's number one single "Right Round". Before being brought to RCA Records, she had amassed an extensive social media following that was factored in for the promotion of her debut single and album.

Ke$ha – Tik Tok

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. Pebe was struggling financially while supporting Kesha and her older brother, Lagan, at the time and they had to rely on welfare payments and food stamps to get by. 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 and encouraged Kesha to sing.

Ke$ha – Your Love Is My Drug

The Sebert family was featured in an episode of The Simple Life in 2005. Ke$ha was already working on her music by then. Pebe had taught Kesha how to write songs and they would often write together when she returned home from high school. She described herself in an interview as being "very studious" in high school; she would often drive to Belmont University to listen in on Cold War history classes after school and achieved "near perfect" SAT scores. However, she dropped out at the age of seventeen and earned her GED later, after being convinced by Dr. Luke and Max Martin to return to Los Angeles and pursue a music career. They had come across her demos and were impressed.

Ke$ha – Kiss N Tell

Ke$ha and her music have been dismissed early on as lightweight, calculating and crude; she has also been perceived 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."

Ke$ha - I Made Out With A RockStar (Lyrics)

Kesha has listed Beck, Queen, Madonna, Johnny Cash, Aaron Neville, Bob Dylan as well as rap and old-school punk bands such as the Beastie Boys and The Damned as musical influences. Her lyrics are influenced by the storytelling style of country music.

Ke$ha – Boots & Boys (Lyrics)

“I’m pretty sure in my past life I was a dude, because I talk like a dude and act like a dude… My mom always taught me to be tough.”

~ Ke$ha

Ke$ha – Dancing With Tears In My Eyes

“I like to go to the jungle at least once a year, get away from human beings and not use my people voice, just my animal voice… I know it sounds crazy, but I like connecting with the Earth on a real level.”

~ Ke$ha

Ke$ha – Stephen

On her favorite album of all time, Bob Dylan’s Nashville Skyline: “I can put that on no matter where I am in the world and instantly feel OK… His music tells me to do what I do, to be myself and not pay attention to the other bulls$@*.”

~ Ke$ha

Ke$ha – Hungover

On being a real party girl: “That depends. You’ve got to define ‘party girl.’ If you mean I’m a walking good time, then hells yeah. But I’m not wasted and stumbling out of clubs and getting DUIs. I’m not that kind of party girl. I may be blonde and fun as balls, but I’m not a moron.”

~ Ke$ha told Maxim (2010)

Ke$ha – Party At A Rich Dude's House

Ke$ha - Get In Line (Lyrics)