Ke$ha: "Dead Flowers"

I have a strange fascination with Ke$ha. She's such an odd specimen of a pop star: Her breakthrough was singing the melody on Flo Rida's 2009 hit "Right Round" -- a song I detest more than finding cockroaches in my cereal box. Then she released "Tik Tok" as a single, followed by the full album "Animal" in January 2010. It debuted at number 1.

Her tracks are dance-pop and incorporate spoken rap. (I mean, ugh.) The lyrics are vapid -- usually about sex and/or drinking -- and nothing she does makes any damn sense.

But I just love her. I can't really figure it out; something to do with chutzpa. She's got a Nashville/LA singer-songwriter pedigree, a voice that can handle everything from pop to country to soul, and an attitude. Not all her songs are great, but the ones that are ("Boots and Boys," "Your Love is My Drug," "Stephen," etc.) are great. She's fun, and she doesn't seem to give a fuck what others think. She doesn't sing about crushes or wine coolers -- she'll walk in the room and order a round of whiskey, then take home the hottest guy in the room. (And then stalk him.)

Girl can hold her liquor, that's for sure.

Given her poppiness (and superficial trashiness), I've hidden my love of Ke$ha. Until now. I wish I had some context for this recording; all I know is what you see, which appears to be a house party at which a jam session occurs, and Ke$ha sings the Rolling Stones' "Dead Flowers." (With some help with the crowd at the chorus.) She doesn't start until about 1:20 -- but as soon as she opens her mouth, you stop. You listen. Her inflection is beautiful. And I love the glimpse into, like, what she's actually doing on a Friday night. We'd totally be tight. Enjoy.

"Dead Flowers," performed by Ke$ha
Original on the Rolling Stones' "Sticky Fingers" (1971).