Kesha Is Free, Fierce, and Finally in Charge
Kesha has always known music had the power to heal. “When I was little, we were on food stamps,” she shared with PEOPLE. “I remember thinking, ‘What makes people really…
Kesha has always known music had the power to heal. “When I was little, we were on food stamps,” she shared with PEOPLE. “I remember thinking, ‘What makes people really happy when they’re having a hard time? Happy songs do that.’”
That simple truth stuck with her. It carried her from a tough childhood into stardom — and now, into total independence. On Friday, July 4, Kesha will release her boldest project yet, titled . (yes, just a period), through her own label, Kesha Records.
“It makes me really emotional,” said Kesha to the outlet. “I have a phone alert that says, ‘You are free. Are you following your joy?’ For so many years I couldn’t say that [I was]. Now I’m reteaching my body how to be a free woman, dance like a free woman, sing like a free woman.”
From Punk House to Pop Queen
Fans first met Kesha in 2009 when “TiK ToK” exploded on the charts, launching her into the pop stratosphere. “I went from being someone that sleeps in a sleeping bag at a punk house… to opening for Rihanna,” she recalls. “It was terrifying, but it was so fun.”
But success didn’t mean smooth sailing. Her second album Warrior had behind-the-scenes creative struggles, and in 2014, Kesha checked into rehab for disordered eating. That same year, she sued producer Dr. Luke, sparking a years-long legal battle. The two settled in 2023.
Through the chaos, Kesha kept writing. Rainbow (2017) was her emotional breakthrough, anchored by the powerful anthem “Praying.”
A New Era: Independent and Unapologetic
Since then, Kesha has dropped two more albums, High Road and Gag Order (recently renamed Eat the Acid), and finally completed her contract with Sony Music. Now she’s fully independent — and fully in control.
She’s already making changes. After abuse allegations against Sean “Diddy” Combs surfaced, Kesha swapped the iconic line in “TiK ToK” from “Wake up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy” to “Wake up in the morning like f--- P. Diddy.”
“I do not stand for abuse in my house,” she explained to PEOPLE.
Looking Back Without Shame
She’s also embracing her past — including the Warrior era she once avoided. Now, performing those songs on her Tits Out Tour has helped her feel proud again.
