# Is there any evidence of actual talent on the part of Ke$ha? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 6, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-talent-on-the-part-of-ke-ha/535195 "2010-04-06T20:27:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-talent-on-the-part-of-ke-ha/535195/1 "2010-04-06T20:27:45Z")
I’ve only heard her hits so I wouldn’t know. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-talent-on-the-part-of-ke-ha/535195/2 "2010-04-06T20:41:58Z")
A sign of getting old: I’ve never heard of this person, and I usually, at least, encounter pop-culture names reliably (through my activities on the internets, if nothing else). ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-talent-on-the-part-of-ke-ha/535195/3 "2010-04-06T20:54:59Z")
I saw a picture of her in a bikini in Rolling Stone magazine. She certainly has _some_ talent! ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-talent-on-the-part-of-ke-ha/535195/4 "2010-04-06T21:00:18Z")
> [@Astroboy14](#): > > I saw a picture of her in a bikini in Rolling Stone magazine. She certainly has _some_ talent! Yeah, shortly after posting I realized I should have specified “musical talent”. ---
**Author:** ![Astroboy14](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/df705f/32.png) [@Astroboy14](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astroboy14)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-talent-on-the-part-of-ke-ha/535195/5 "2010-04-06T21:43:44Z")
I couldn’t care less about her musical talent. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-talent-on-the-part-of-ke-ha/535195/6 "2010-04-06T22:41:02Z")
I’ve only heard her “Don’t Stop” song. It’s pretty fun pop dance music. ---
**Author:** ![Electric\_Warrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Electric\_Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Warrior)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-talent-on-the-part-of-ke-ha/535195/7 "2010-04-06T23:09:40Z")
She does an okay job at what she does, but it kind of annoys me that everyone thinks her style is original. Let me introduce Uffie, who’s been around doing [the](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1v2PtoxwNo) [same](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvXya_fYEUE&feature=related) [thing](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoUj-mfzQ7A&feature=related) since 2006. (Lyrics NSFW.) ---
**Author:** ![Commander\_Keen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@Commander\_Keen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Commander_Keen)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-talent-on-the-part-of-ke-ha/535195/8 "2010-04-07T02:59:02Z")
> [@Electric\_Warrior](#): > > She does an okay job at what she does, but it kind of annoys me that everyone thinks her style is original. Let me introduce Uffie, who’s been around doing [the](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1v2PtoxwNo) [same](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvXya_fYEUE&feature=related) [thing](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoUj-mfzQ7A&feature=related) since 2006. (Lyrics NSFW.) That’s true. [Not that Uffie hasn’t borrowed a bit](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHMtQTgnjyg) ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-talent-on-the-part-of-ke-ha/535195/9 "2010-04-07T03:25:58Z")
I’m only annoyed that her one hit wonder kept Gaga off the #1 spot. GRrr. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-talent-on-the-part-of-ke-ha/535195/10 "2010-04-07T03:32:56Z")
Her wiki article is pretty interesting. Seems like she’s been in and around the business for a long time. It looks like she does the actual writing of her songs unlike a lot of other pop artists. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-talent-on-the-part-of-ke-ha/535195/11 "2010-04-07T06:25:09Z")
[Um,](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zs4jeV9HN5w&feature=related) [no.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9Ydm_JcUtI#t=2m24s) ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-talent-on-the-part-of-ke-ha/535195/12 "2010-04-07T06:48:42Z")
Her [body](http://thesuperficial.com/2010/03/keha_swimsuit_photos.php) really isn’t that nice, considering it looks 40 and she’s only 23. ---
**Author:** ![torie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@torie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/torie)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-talent-on-the-part-of-ke-ha/535195/13 "2010-04-07T17:37:41Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > Her [body](http://thesuperficial.com/2010/03/keha_swimsuit_photos.php) really isn’t that nice, considering it looks 40 and she’s only 23. Seriously? I would kill to look that good in a swimsuit. What’s wrong with her? ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-talent-on-the-part-of-ke-ha/535195/14 "2010-04-07T18:54:00Z")
I think she looks flabby and very un-toned. Could just be the way she’s hiking the suit up by the crotch, but looks weird to me. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-talent-on-the-part-of-ke-ha/535195/15 "2010-04-07T19:05:14Z")
I give her props just for this little episode, from the Wiki article: > [@](#): > > 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] ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-talent-on-the-part-of-ke-ha/535195/16 "2010-04-07T19:05:15Z")
strippers gotta dance to something ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-talent-on-the-part-of-ke-ha/535195/17 "2010-04-07T19:15:18Z")
I heard her interviewed on NPR. She came across as very smart, very savvy and calculated in crafting and marketing her image. I don’t really know her music and her image is clearly not targeting my demographic, but she came across as someone who was successfully executing her plan in a very tough business. So yeah, there is talent there… …I know, not exactly what the OP is looking for, but there ya go. I understand the basic point is “wow, her music stinks” and that’s fine - YMMV and all - but yeah, there is a form of talent there… …as a musician who has relationships with a lot of pro’s, it can be hard to look at some popular act and just dismiss them out of hand, because the craft with which they create their music or the way they manage their image to drive success is something I can really appreciate, even if I don’t like their music…there was a thread a few days ago about how bad Train sucked. Yeah, their music really isn’t to my taste, but to deny their ability to create and execute successful pop songs is blind to the success they have achieved… ETA: [one NPR link](http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=122610692). And [another](http://www.npr.org/blogs/sundaysoapbox/2010/01/keha_dont_judge_a_girl_by_her_cover_.html). I think the second one is the one I heard… ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-talent-on-the-part-of-ke-ha/535195/18 "2010-04-07T20:30:12Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > …I know, not exactly what the OP is looking for, but there ya go. I understand the basic point is “wow, her music stinks” and that’s fine - YMMV and all - but yeah, there is a form of talent there… OK, I was taking a potshot, but there was actually a semi-serious side to the question too. I know that sometimes there is more to an artist than you might think from just their hits… as you say, they may simply be especially good at crafting those hits to appeal to the lowest common denominator. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-talent-on-the-part-of-ke-ha/535195/19 "2010-04-07T20:45:43Z")
Why can’t her single hit (and backup vocal on Flo Rider’s Right Round) be appreciated for what it is? Light pop dance music suitable for listening to while dancing at a night club, lounging by the pool on spring break or driving in a car full of chicks looking to party? I don’t think anyone ever claimed she was the next Joni Mitchell. Also I read that she’s like over 6’ tall, which is pretty freaking tall for a girl. So maybe that’s why she has a sort of Alice the Goon look about her. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2010, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-talent-on-the-part-of-ke-ha/535195/20 "2010-04-07T21:45:15Z")
I kinda like her songs, in a guilty pleasure kind of way. So sue me. I also liked disco when I was a teenager in the 70s. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-evidence-of-actual-talent-on-the-part-of-ke-ha/535195.md?page=2)