Kesha found the process of making new music helped her to “reclaim joy” after her long-running legal battle.
The Tik Tok hitmaker’s career was halted in 2014 amid a series of lawsuits between herself and her former music producer Dr. Luke, also known as Lukasz Gottwald.
Kesha alleged Dr. Luke had drugged and sexually assaulted her in 2005, while the Kemosabe Records founder claimed the singer had breached her contract and defamed him. The case was settled in June 2023.
Reflecting on recording new music during an interview for the November 2024 issue of Elle magazine, Kesha explained how writing the single Joyride helped her heal from the stress of the past decade.
“You know the Buddhist saying that life is pain? I found that to be very true in my life,” she said. “Everybody knows me as a fun human being. My soul is very fun. My name means ‘innocent joy.’ But, you know, there’s only so much somebody can take before just feeling wrecked… My soul needs this album. I need to reclaim my joy. Because I fought so f**king long and hard for it.”
Kesha has not yet landed on a title for her sixth studio album, which is set to drop next year.
However, she indicated the record will be very different to her last effort, 2023’s Gag Order.
“This record is my little wild child. My last record that came out, Gag Order, was me giving the more painful emotions a voice. I was really vulnerable,” the 37-year-old shared. “Now I’m really trying to make way for the bad b**ch. I’m giving her the moment – because we need the space to have all the emotions safely. I capture the empowered emotions, so that I can listen back to it when I’m not feeling that way.”
Elsewhere in the conversation, Kesha admitted that she sometimes forgets she’s an independent artist, having recently launched self-titled label, Kesha Records.
“I’m free and it feels good. I have a reminder in my phone that says: ‘You’re free,'” she smiled.
