CheekyChicago

I can’t seem to escape hearing about Ke$ha.  Her name appears in my news feeds, in friends’ Twitter mentions, in my dreams… well, not so much my dreams, but you get the idea.  From the witty little dollar-sign trademark in her name to the buzz surrounding that very name, I asked myself one question: who the #$@& is Ke$ha?

Perhaps you too have heard “Tik Tok,” the infectious song about a self-confessed party-girl who brushes her teeth “with a bottle of Jack.”  That’s Ke$ha.  In simple terms, Ke$ha is pop-music’s newest sensation, who, at the tender age of 22, is turning heads with her debut album, Animal (released last week), which has darted to U.S. Billboard’s coveted #1 spot.  But in more precise terms, Ke$ha is the musical blend of Lady Gaga, Kelly Clarkson, and Salt ‘n Pepa… and perhaps the chick from the wrong side of the tracks (remember, she allegedly brushes her teeth with Jack Daniels — so tough!).

The scene has heard its fair share of female rappers, but Ke$ha is considerably different; she sees no boundaries between male and female rappers — and why should she?  Ke$ha expresses aggravation toward the objectification of women in music; it’s no wonder her lyrics in songs like “Boots and Boys” mockingly show a similar objectification of men.  The edgy songstress is also distinguishable in her style, her self-described “garbage-chic” fashion evidently inspired by Keith Richards, while The Guardian was on target with their “rebel in American Apparel” description of the rapper.

For frequent readers of the Sounds section, it’s not hard to tell I am a lover of indie, whiny, and quixotic artists — and here I am kind-of—sort-of endorsing a commercialized pop rebel.  Ke$ha’s songs are undoubtedly catchy, but what reeled me in was her no-nonsense, no-fronts attitude.  I’m tired of so-called “edgy” artists talkin’ tough without delivering (for the record, Adam Lambert is no Gene Simmons).  Nevertheless, Ke$ha unapologetically sings about sex, men, and drunken rants — and this hussy doesn’t care if you think she’s trashy.  Her songs aren’t exactly musical masterpieces, but they’ll effortlessly soundtrack your gym workout or your pre-party.  Sure, Ke$ha may have a hand from her mentor/producer Dr. Luke (who has written songs for Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, and Kelly Clarkson), but this girl lives up to her wild-child reputation onstage and off (she’s even rumored to have — ahem — peed in a sink at a pub with Lily Allen).  With seditious stunts like these, who cares if you’re sportin’ American Apparel?