Ke$ha, who co-wrote every track on the album, describes Animal as “electro pop magic,” and indeed the album is an edgy collection of hard-hitting electro-pop songs, made all the more irresistible by their high-octane punk energy and Ke$ha’s frank lyrics and irreverent attitude. “I want my music to be fun, unapologetic, rowdy, quirky, humorous, and interesting,” she says, “but with substance behind it. I’m an emotional person underneath all my fronting. I want people to listen to it and feel like they can relate.”

Her first single is “TiK ToK”, —  a playful party anthem she co-wrote with her executive producer Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald (Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears), who discovered Ke$ha and brought her to RCA Records, which signed her in February. Ke$ha came up with the lyrics for “TiK ToK” after waking up surrounded by her many gorgeous, naked, female friends and thinking: “This must be what P. Diddy feels like every morning!”

Since being released to radio in early October, “TiK ToK” is the No. 1 greatest airplay gainer at Top 40, outpacing smash singles by Jay-Z and Taylor Swift and entering into the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The track has sold more than 850,000 copies since its release on iTunes, while its accompanying video was an iTunes “Video of the Week” in early November. So far it has peaked at #2 on the iTunes Singles Chart and the SoundScan Digital Song Chart. People Magazine dubbed "TiK ToK" a "Hot Download;" Rolling Stone added it to its "Hot List;" Entertainment Weekly put it in their “Bullseye” and Ke$ha has already graced the cover of Women’s Wear Daily. Internationally, “TiK ToK" has topped the singles charts in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada and has hit the Top 10 on iTunes in 12 countries and counting.

"Ke$ha is a natural superstar with tons of artistry and personality. She is unique and unlike any of the myriad of other female pop stars in the world. We’re so excited that Rani Hancock was able to get her into the building here," says Barry Weiss, Chairman and CEO, RCA/JIVE Label Group.  “She and Dr. Luke have been working around the clock to bring her unique vision and incomparable talents to fruition and we are thrilled to share Animal with the world.”

Animal, which was co-produced by Dr. Luke and features Ke$ha’s collaborations with veteran hitmaker Max Martin (Pink, Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears) and in-demand songwriter/producer Benny Blanco (Katy Perry, 3OH!3, Spank Rock), showcases the L.A.-born, Nashville-raised 22-year-old’s flair for storytelling. “I’ll go out, have an insane night, stumble home, and scribble down a few words,” she says. “The next morning I’ll wake up and be like, ‘Whoa, this story needs to be told.’” Thus was born “Stephen” (about a guy Ke$ha says she’s been “stalking” since she was 15); “Dinosaur” (about getting hit on by “old dudes”) and “Blah Blah Blah” featuring 3OH!3.