Dirty Picture

"Dirty Picture"
Single by Taio Cruz featuring Kesha
from the album Rokstarr
Released5 April 2010
GenreDance-pop
Length3:39
LabelIsland
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Cruz
  • Smith
Taio Cruz singles chronology
"No Other One"
(2009)
"Dirty Picture"
(2010)
"Dynamite"
(2010)
Kesha singles chronology
"Blah Blah Blah"
(2010)
"Dirty Picture"
(2010)
"Your Love Is My Drug"
(2010)
Music video
"Dirty Picture" on YouTube

"Dirty Picture" is a song by British R&B singer Taio Cruz, which features vocals from American singer Kesha and was released from his second studio album, Rokstarr (2009). The song was written and produced by Cruz alongside Fraser T Smith, and later released as the album's third single on 5 April 2010. Originally, Cruz wanted the female vocals to be done by Lady Gaga but opted to switch to Kesha due to heavy influence by Dr. Luke and for finding her voice unique. The song was later re-recorded as an album bonus track for Kesha's debut album, Animal (2010), and dubbed the "Kesha edit" or "Dirty Picture Pt. 2". Lyrically, the song is about sending a dirty picture to a significant other whom you miss.

Critical reception of the song was generally positive. Kesha and Cruz's collaboration and vocal work on the track were generally praised, although some critics noted that Kesha overtook the track, outshining Cruz. The song's simple but effective lyrics were also positively received by music critics. Commercially, "Dirty Picture" fared well on the music charts. The song peaked at number six on the UK Singles Chart, and at number ten in Ireland. The song also reached the top forty in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. The song's accompanying music video was filmed in Los Angeles and London and is presented as taking place in a house party.

A "spanglish version" of "Dirty Picture" was released as a bonus track from Rokstarr Spanish edition features vocals by Mexican popstar Paulina Rubio. It unfolds with "Rubio Latiniz[ing] the half Brazilian R&B singer's track by sensually breathing in her raspy voice."[1]

  1. ^ "Paulina Rubio on Taio Cruz's Spanglish Version of "Dirty Picture"". Fox News. 9 December 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2021.