Ke$ha's New, Provacative, and Very NSFW Video "Dirty Love"

Pop artist Ke$ha rang in the New Year with her new music video "Dirty Love." The track, from her 2012 hit album Warrior finally has a music video to go along with it — a music video that also marks the provocative artist's directorial debut. Be warned, it's very NSFW. Another victory for those who work from home.

We are in the midst of a moment where it feels like every music video released by a female artist results in a back and forth about whether or not it's appropriate. "Dirty Love" is not safe for the workplace and that's a-OK. However, there is a distinction between the artistry of "Dirty Love" and a similar nearly-nude, pop star music video like Miley Cyrus' "Adore You." Where "Adore You" literally features four-minutes of pointless between-the-sheets action, Ke$ha's video somehow feels like it has a bit more artistry. It is not just provocative for the sake of being provocative.

Take for example how "Dirty Love" begins and ends. We first get 1950s era footage, something out of a news reel, when suddenly Ke$ha cuts in. She presses play, does her thing, and brings us back to the 50s again at the very end. Reminiscent of "found footage" flicks like Cloverfield or Chronicle and even ABC's Lost, Ke$ha the director plays with this technique to address a conservatism she sees in her critics. She meets it head on. 

At another point in the video, the older footage cuts in: "Smut peddlers do not have the right to contaminate our society ... nothing is left to the imagination." Ke$ha's "Dirty Love" takes the NSFW criticism head on, she nails it — and in doing so, sets herself apart.