Animal

This article is about the album. You may be looking for the song.

Animal
General information
Release Date	January 1, 2010
Genre	Electropop, dance-pop
Length	00:46:18
Label
Producer(s)	Ammo Benny Blanco David Gamson Dr. Luke Greg Kurstin Max Martin Tom Neville Shellback
Discography
Singles from Animal
"TiK ToK" Released: August 7, 2009 "Blah Blah Blah" Released: February 19, 2010 "Your Love Is My Drug" Released: May 21, 2010 "Take It Off" Released: July 13, 2010

Animal is the debut studio album released by Ke$ha. It was released on January 1, 2010. The electropop album was produced by Dr. Luke, Benny Blanco, David Gamson, Max Martin, among others. After appearing on Flo Rida's hit single, "Right Round", Ke$ha was sought out by many major record labels, before signing a multi-record deal with RCA Records.

The album was a commercial success, reaching to number one on the Billboard 200, as well as reaching the top 10 in several other countries. By 2024, the album was certified 4x multi-platinum in the United States, selling over 4 million copies.

Animal spawned four top-ten hit singles, including the chart-topping, "TiK ToK", which became the best selling single in 2010. The subsequent singles, "Blah Blah Blah", "Your Love Is My Drug", and "Take It Off", continued a string of top ten singles in the US, further pushing the album's success.

Background

Kesha had been recording demos for several years, when one of her demos ended up in the hands of Samantha Cox, senior director of writer/publisher relations at BMI. Cox, who had worked with Kesha before, passed along the demos to a friend at BMI, who passed it to the manager of Lukasz Gottwald, known as Dr. Luke. At the age of eighteen, Kesha signed to Dr. Luke's label, Kemosabe Records, and his publishing company, Prescription Songs. Luke was busy with other projects at the time, and Kesha ultimately wound up signed to David Sonenberg's management company, DAS. While at DAS she worked with several top writers and producers, but rarely worked with or even spoke to Luke. DAS searched for a label deal for Kesha despite her still being in a signed contract with Luke. Kara DioGuardi, an artists and repertoire (A&R) representative for Warner, was also interested in signing Kesha but the deal never went through because of the outstanding contract with Luke. Shortly after, Kesha and DAS parted ways and Kesha wound up reunited with Luke.

At the end of 2008, Luke was working on a track with Flo Rida called "Right Round", and the two decided they needed a female hook. Luke decided to have Kesha perform on the song and within two months, it was a number one hit in multiple countries around the world. The event led to Kesha being sought after by many major labels, and she eventually signed a multi-album deal with RCA Records. Kesha explained that she chose to sign with the company due to how well she got along with RCA A&R executive Rani Hancock, explaining that "Rani doesn't ever try to censor me, and I like being surrounded by strong, intelligent women."

Kesha had been working on Animal for seven years prior to its release, and had written over 200 songs for the album. The abundance of material extended it from its originally planned twelve tracks to fourteen. Kesha felt that the album had an empowering, carefree message for young women. "For girls, I think it's an empowering record, it's funny, it's cheeky," she said. "I think people need to have fun with whatever they're doing—makeup, their clothes, music, live shows—anything you don't need to take too seriously, don't take too seriously." When asked how the album related to her life, Kesha explained that the album was completely autobiographical. "I just write about what I live—literally, [...] I think there's a great pop song in anything and everything, any situation."

She cites her songs "Stephen" and "Dinosaur" as examples of this. She explained: "it's about this guy I've been stalking since I was 15. I wrote the song when I was 16 with my mom, and I was like, "This song's so dope, I know it is". "Dinosaur" came "about [when] this old guy who was hitting on me, and his toupee was kind of falling off, and I was like, "Oh my God, you're so old, you're prehistoric, you're like a dinosaur. D-I-N-O-S-A-you are a dinosaur." Talking about the genre of the album Kesha stated "I believe, sonically, the next record might be going. Me and my brother had a silly punk band before, and I loved pop music and I liked catchy music, but I think I also am possessed to be what some critics might deem as silly pop music. I think I have more shit to offer, so I think that "Animal" is a nice segue into the next record, hopefully."

According to Sonenberg, the original tracklist was to consist of "Stephen", "Red Lipstick", "While You Were Sleeping", "Goodbye", "Backstabber", "Dinosaur", "Mr. Watson", "Styrofoam", "Acklin Road", "Boots & Boys", "V.I.P.", and "Fuck Him He's a DJ".

On the twelfth anniversary of the album, Kesha revealed stories behind some of the songs in an Instagram post with the following caption: "Animals. Fuck.12 years.I can't even believe it. I remember dreaming of putting out music since I can remember remembering. Since I can remember talking.I always talked a lot, but I was ALWAYS singing.When I showered, when I did homework, when I was happy, when I was sad. And then I was determined to learn to yodel.lol. That took a while. To the point where my family was like GO OUTSIDE AND YODEL! It's so annoying! And it prolly was. But then there was high school. Hell btw. Then my first love "STEPHEN". there was my first trip to London October 31st (I was the only one dressed up, apparently halloween wasn't a thing there... who knew? "BOOTS & BOYS" was born in a friends guest room after taking the tube 2 hours every day to the countryside. There was the trip to nyc where me n @itsbennyblanco got drunk and took the subway to Harlem to get tattoos instead of finishing "blah blah blah" which was born in his studio apartment. we wrote it sitting on the floor. Backstabber.Wow didn't know that song would be trending 12 years later, on an app named after my first single.DINOSAUR was an idea born in a garage with my bfff @bonerbait after we got hit on by ancient men at the drawing room. The audacity! They were like 80 (good for them in hindsight, u miss all the shots you don't take) ! Your love is my drug, wrote on an airplane missing my first boyfriend (see later song:the Harold song) ANIMAL, writing with my mom. She has always pushed me to show my emotion even when I felt like such a loser for it. Show your heart. Speak the truth. I didn't understand how right she was. I fought so hard to be Tuff. To not care. But the truth is I care so much, I try too hard, I love too deep and thats brought me to all of you. You understand me. U see me. Don't get me wrong, the journey was def not all lovely, fking far from it, but today I'm reminded of our first date, me&u. Animals, the soundtrack of when we first met. When we fell in love. &you stayed through the hard stuff. U have loved through the fun and very fucking ugly.Im so grateful& want to tell you I love you all so much&appreciate not being alone in this life.I have had all of you with me the whole time.thank u4evr"

Singles

"TiK ToK"
(2009)

"Blah Blah Blah"
(2010)

"Your Love Is My Drug"
(2010)

"Take It Off"
(2010)

Track listing

Standard edition

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Your Love Is My Drug"	3:06
2.	"TiK ToK"	3:19
3.	"Take It Off"	3:35
4.	"Kiss n Tell"	3:27
5.	"Stephen"	3:32
6.	"Blah Blah Blah" (feat. 3OH!3)	2:52
7.	"Hungover"	3:52
8.	"Party at a Rich Dude's House"	2:55
9.	"Backstabber"	3:06
10.	"Blind"	3:17
11.	"Dinosaur"	2:55
12.	"Dancing with Tears in My Eyes"	3:29
13.	"Boots & Boys"	2:56
14.	"Animal"	3:57
Total length:		46:18

Bonus tracks

No.	Title	Length
15.	"V.I.P." (UK, Ireland, Japanese and Australian bonus track)	3:57
16.	"C U Next Tuesday" (Japanese and Australian bonus track)	3:52
17.	"Dirty Picture pt. 2" (feat. Taio Cruz) (UK and Ireland bonus track)	3:39
18.	"TiK ToK" (Wolfedelic club mix) (Japanese and Australian bonus track)	6:16
19.	"TiK ToK" (Fred Falke Club Remix) (Japanese and Australian bonus track)	6:42

Japanese limited edition and Australian deluxe edition DVD

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Dinosaur" (live in London)
2.	"Blah Blah Blah" (live in London)
3.	"Party at a Rich Dude's House" (live in London)
4.	"Tik Tok" (live in London)
5.	"Blah Blah Blah" (music video)
6.	"Tik Tok" (music video)
7.	"Your Love Is My Drug" (music video; Australia only)
8.	"Manchester" (Webisode–Kesha on the Road)
9.	"The Showcase" (Webisode–Kesha on the Road)
10.	"London" (Webisode–Kesha on the Road)
11.	"Amsterdam" (Webisode–Kesha on the Road)
12.	"G.A.Y" (Webisode–Kesha on the Road)
13.	"Behind the Scenes at TVC" (Webisode–Kesha on the Road)

Booklet and credits

The photoshoot was done by Shelby Duncan. For lyrics, publishing rights, personnel, and more, see each individual song page.

The gallery below is a digital copy of the booklet.

Back/front cover

Thank you

Tracklist

• Management — Ken Levitan, Jack Rovner, Emily Burton, and Nicki Loranger for Vector
• Legal — Todd B. Rubensttein, Esq.
• Business management — Jeffrey Schwartz for Tribecca
• Booking agents — Matt Galle, Marty Diamond for Paradigm, and Peter Nash
• Executive producer — Dr. Luke for Kasz Money Productions, Inc.
• A&R — Rani Hancock
• All songs mixed by — Serban Ghenea at MixStar Studios (Virginia Beach, VA
• Engineered for mix by — John Hanes
• Assistant engineered for mix by — Tim Roberts
• Mastered by — Chris Gehringer at Sterling Sound (New York City, NY)
• Creative director — Erwin Gorostiza
• Art direction and design — Anita Marisa Boriboon
• Photography — Shelby Duncan
• Stylists — Emily De Groot and Yasmin Than
• Make-up — Sarai Fiszel
• Hair — Ramsell Martinez
• Special thanks — Skinny (David Hache, Marc-Edouard Leon and Dori Oskowitz)

“

i wanna thank. Mom. couldn't have done any of this without you. ur the original. love you. Lagan.ssmartest person i know.louie.ura badass.dr.luke.ura genius. thank you for everything. rani hancock.barry weiss + EVERY person at my AMAZING label around theworldwho is helping me do this.this is mywholelife.thank you.max martin. david gamson..benny blanco.neon.yo! john.tomneville. mim.liv. claude. ammo. gregkurstin. oliverleiber. emilywright. kojak. simon.rexxy. samantha cow + becca calloway.without you.thisworldwouldneverhavehappened. julianne.sybil.phoenix.kerry.hot twin.lauren.best friend everr. sam. my nashville love.kalan+sonia...thanku4being so supportive. thesororitygirls. jimmy harry. tedbruner.such a creativealien. harold.ureverything + your mom. x. emily.x. ken.x. jack.x/ nicki.x. vector.toddrubenstein. mattgalle. marty diamond. peternash. jeffschwartz4everyone at tribecca. laura strayer. all so good at what u do. Skinnies.uguysr BRilliant!stephen.thanks for bein adouche. max bernstein. ur an angel. pauly. first demos. este.danielle.alana. momma+poppahiam. savannah. diana. haroldk. staceyy. jules. anyone who ever listenstothisrecord. thank you to every guy ive ever stalked, made out with,or ran over with my car.. thank you to theanimals.thnk you2my loverrrs. thank you to my family.thank you to every single fan.i hope this record makes you happy.thank you.thank you.thank you.thank you.thank you.thank you.x.$

”

Gallery

"Click, click, snap!" To view the Animal (album) gallery, click here.

Videos

Ke$ha - Animal Promo

Ke$ha - Animal - TV Ad