Wikipedia+: Kesha (Ke$ha)

ABOUT THE BOOK

What do you get when you mix musical talent, trashy-chic style and rebellious attitude? In a word, Ke$ha. Kesha Sebert, known professionally as Ke$ha, has been tearing up the pop music charts with her hit albums, Animal and Cannibal. Noted for her unpolished aesthetic and her anti-establishment attitude, Kesha is an anomaly of the pop scene. The more Kesha rejects societal assumptions on how girls should behave and dress, the more her fans adore her.

Kesha's outrageous lyrics and attitude stem from an equally unconventional childhood. Her mother is a singer-songwriter herself, and encouraged Kesha to live by her own rules. Although she was very poor as a young child, Kesha was fairly comfortable financially as a teenager. She knew from an early age that money does not buy happiness. Instead, she seeks happiness in her individuality by expressing herself through her music.

Though Kesha found success at a relatively young age, she paid her dues by living paycheck to paycheck for four years in Los Angeles before releasing a hit album. Socializing in Hollywood's eclectic bohemian crowd was difficult for Kesha, who was used to being a true hippie in Nashville, Tennessee. Emotionally, she hit bottom when she featured on a number single, but received no money from the song. The contrast between the songs success and her success was staggering. While she was living in her car, she could turn on the radio and hear her voice, but could not see any reward from her work.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Elise O. is an experienced writer and a member of the Hyperink Team, which works hard to bring you high-quality, engaging, fun content. Happy reading!

EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK

Although Kesha achieved success in her early twenties, she was by no means an overnight success. Thanks to her mother's job as a singer-songwriter, Kesha received early artistic development in her home. Kesha knew, though, she would have to strike out on her own to make a name for herself. She began developing a demo tape when she was sixteen that eventually caught the attention of music producers Max Martin and Dr. Luke. The demo featured a country ballad and a hip-hop song, which features Kesha rapping for one minute. Though Martin and Luke agreed the rapping was terrible, they liked her voice and the personality that shone through on the tape. They invited Kesha to work with them in Los Angeles.

Kesha's first few months in Los Angeles were awkward to say the least. Her mother had arranged for her to stay with a man whom Kesha had thought was her father. After living with him a short while, Kesha was certain he was not her biological dad. Kesha recalls, "He said I could stay with him and have this father/daughter thing. Then I met him at the airport and I instantly knew, 'There's no way you're my dad.'" Kesha continued to stay with him for a few months because he was her only contact in Los Angeles.

Kesha's humble, Southern upbringing did not prepare her for the Hollywood scene she encountered in Los Angeles. While she was trying to get her record deal, she bounced around the greater Los Angeles area, living with friends or in her car. Sometimes she lived in a house with as many as seven to ten roommates at a time. She spent most of her time with without money.

CHAPTER OUTLINE

Wikipedia+: Kesha (Ke$ha)

+ Introduction

+ Childhood: Before the $

+ Ke$ha's Early Career: Chasing Dollar Signs

+ From Kesha to Ke$ha

+ ...and much more