Yesterday I reviewed the secular rap/pop artist, Ke$ha, and found her music to be inappropriate for Christian listeners.  Today, I will be searching for a possible Ke$ha replacement... a Christian artist with a similar sound, honorable lyrics, and a godly lifestyle.  The artist I chose for this week is Britt Nicole. 


While Britt's musical style is different than that of Ke$ha's, most of her songs are considered to be within the pop genre, and "Holiday" features her rapping in a similar style, but minus the explicit cussing and sexual innuendos.  Britt Nicole is focused on bringing people, especially young Christians, closer to God through her music.  Ke$ha has been quoted as saying that she is against pretension, and she wants people to learn how to take themselves less seriously and be unique.  Britt has a similar goal, only hers is pointed towards shining for God.

"It's about stepping out and being who God has called you to be and not being afraid of that.  I believe when we look different and carry something different, people are going to see that and want it too.  They are going to see the love of Christ in us and they'll desire that. I believe people will come to know God if we as Christians do just that."

Britt's lyrics have a similar approach to how she views life as a Christian striving to be an example to a lost and lonely world.  The chorus to one of her well-known singles, "The Lost Get Found", says,

"Don't let your lights go down.  Don't let your fire burn out.  Somewhere, somebody needs a reason to believe.  Why don't you rise up now?  Don't be afraid to stand out.  That's how the lost get found."

"Say It", a song from Britt's first album of the same name, stresses that we don't have much time left to change the world, so we need to use what we have while we have it.

"Life is short and quickly passing by.  Father, will you help me make the most of what is mine?  With eyes open wide, I'm taking You in, making the time mean all that it can.  I don't need a sign.  I just need to begin..."

Britt has struggled with the pain of divorce in her personal life, and she has also felt the strong calling from God for her to reach out to young people across the world.  Britt has moved beyond her comfort zone, eager and prepared to share her faith to the ends of the earth.

"I don't want to be selfish anymore.  I don't want to be safe anymore.  When God tells me to step out and talk to somebody or believe for what seems impossible, I want to do it."   

I have to say that I have a bit of bias when it comes to this artist... I have all of Britt Nicole's songs on my own iPod, and I've met her personally and she seemed to be a remarkably sweet Christian girl with a fire for God.  Her concert was filled with fun music, and yet after the concert ended, I found myself feeling only admiration for the passionate, young artist.  I definitely recommend Britt Nicole's music to Christian listeners who are looking for a role model with fun, modern sounds and a heart for Christ.  

I would like to end this post with a final quote from Britt Nicole.

"My fans want a pop record.  I'm a pop artist and they love fun music.  When they come to my concerts, they want to have fun and I love that.  That's my personality to have fun, but the heart of who I am is to worship and see people's lives changed and to reach those who are hurting.  It's what I believe God has called me to do." 

If you have any comments or opinions, then feel free to comment below.  If you would like to recommend a secular or Christian artist for next week, then you may also comment below or send me an email.  I got the first picture from here.    

Today's secular artist that I will be reviewing is Ke$ha.  The reason I chose this artist to be this week's review is because of her interesting performance on American Idol last St. Patrick's Day.  Singing her new hit, "Blah Blah Blah", Kesha paraded the stage wearing a bedazzled Indian headdress, accompanied by TV-wearing dancers. 

While I can admit that Kesha's pop/rap style is unique, I am not a big fan of her musical style.  I found some of her music on YouTube and Pandora, and then began to research the young artist.


After checking out Kesha's biography, I introduced myself to some of her music through her YouTube account.  I started with the video for "Tik Tok."  Before you check this out, I would like to warn you that the shorts and skirts that Kesha wears in her videos are short, practically nonexistent.  The music video begins with a hung-over Kesha waking up in a strange bathtub in an unfamiliar house.  She proceeds to dress and brush her teeth with a bottle of Jack Daniels, before heading downstairs to frighten the living daylights out of a family with young children, before shrugging carelessly and taking off on a bike.  The rest of the video consists of Kesha partying with random guys who enjoy drunk driving, she gets arrested (and apparently escapes) from the police, and then she falls asleep in yet another strange bath tub, surrounded by empty liquor bottles and an abandoned shoe.  Nice.

Obviously, Kesha's moral values don't quite meet the standards of model Christian behavior, but what about her lyrics?  "Tik Tok"'s lyrics pretty much consist of everything described in the music video.  When I looked up the lyrics to "Blah Blah Blah," I stopped reading at the first verse.  Take a look for yourself:

"Comin' out your mouth with a blah, blah, blah, Zip your lips with a padlock, And meet me in the back with a jack and a jukebox.Don't really care where you live at,Just turn around, boy, let me hit that.Don't be a little ***** with your chit chat.Just show me where your ****s at."

Some of Kesha's other songs talk about getting high in a friend's basement, getting hungover and miserable, and stripping down for sex in a "hole" with several other people.  There may be an "iffy" song somewhere amongst this garbage, but I couldn't even find one song that would meet even my Neutral criteria.

In other words, Kesha's music does not in any way follow the guidelines of Philippians 4:8.  If anything, her songs not only rebel against God's Word, but they run frantically the other way.  Kesha supports drinking, casual sex, and wild partying.  And what does she have to say about her party-girl image and the controversy behind that lyric in her "Tik Tok" song about brushing her teeth with a bottle of Jack?

"Everyone's really offended by that. But come on, brushing your teeth with Jack Daniel's: what girl does that? People are like, 'Do you really advocate brushing your teeth with bourbon?' I'm like, 'Yes, actually, I do, every day, for everybody. Especially eight year olds.' I mean, what are you talking about? Of course I don't. Come on."

Kesha claims that she wishes that people could "take themselves just a little less seriously."  From what I see, Kesha should care a little more about what her lyrics are saying.  If she doesn't want her fans to take her lyrics seriously, then why did she use them in the first place?

If you are considering adding Kesha's music to your playlist, or if you already have, then I would strongly, strongly recommend that you run away screaming from this girl's music.  Kesha's music is practically the opposite of anything Christian.  I have found nothing about her songs that is wholesome and honorable.

When I first decided that I would review Kesha's music this week, I assumed that there would be a few "iffy" songs and maybe one or two "Bad" ones, but I was appalled at the true quality of her music.  Sex, drinking, and cussing runs rampant through Kesha's lyrics.  Honestly, all I have to say about this artist is: RUN FOR THE HILLS.  Seriously.  This is not an artist that I recommend. 

If you have any opinions or critiques about this post, then post a comment below or send me an email.

Stay tuned for tomorrow to read about a Christian music artist that you may want to add to your music library.

Today's photos came from here and here.