Everything We Know About Kesha’s New Feminist Music Label

It seems a new era of independence is on the clock for pop sensation Kesha as she speaks of the legacy she wants to create with her record label, Kesha Records.

The Nashville-born singer-songwriter said “The music industry should be f****ng terrified of me” in an interview with Elle, last week.

This comes after the pop star was recently released from her record deal with Lukasz Gottwald, AKA Dr Luke who she signed with in 2005. Kesha is among a horde of famous pop stars (Katy Perry, Avril Lavigne and Kelly Clarkson to name a few) who have worked with the famous producer and songwriter.

However, Kesha’s years with RCA Records were tumultuous, to say the least. In 2014 the popstar accused Dr Luke of sexually assaulting her, which led to Gottwald filing a counter lawsuit accusing her of defamation. The legal battle went on for many years before being settled in 2023.

 

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Kesha released a slew of hit party songs and five studio albums with Gottwald’s RCA and Kemosabe records. Her album Gag Order released in 2023 brought an end to her attachments with Dr Luke.

In a TED Talk, the superstar stated that, “on March 6th, 2024, I’ve gained back legal rights over my own voice, and with it, a newly found freedom for the first time in 20 years.” Kesha has now regained control of her music and vows to make a positive difference for the future of the industry.

“I really want to dismantle it piece by piece and shine light into every corner. I hope my legacy is making sure it never happens to anybody ever again,” she said.

On August 7th Kesha announced on an Instagram post that she would re-record her smash hit song, Tik Tok when she has the legal rights to do so. The lyrics “Wake up in the mornin’ feeling like P-Diddy” have already been changed permanently to “Wake up in the mornin’ like F**k P-Diddy” (IYKYK).

 

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Since the launch of her very own label, Kesha has released her new song, Joyride, which will be a part of her sixth studio album to be released in 2025 (under her own record label of course).

The star describes her recent independent moves in the industry as a “feminist act of defiance”. Having her voice silenced for so long by such a male dominated industry has led to Kesha becoming a role model for other young female musicians.

Embarking on the journey of creating her record label puts the star on the same path as other talents like Phoebe Bridgers, who set up her label, Saddest Factory Records in 2020.

In an industry where musicians are often exploited, manipulated and stuck in contracts that no longer serve them, Kesha’s example is a breath of fresh air for such a tainted industry.

Such a well-known face in pop taking control of her career and setting up her own label is not just a huge turning point in the music business but also a source of inspiration to her fellow female musicians.

Animal (Kesha’s version) has a good ring to it, no?

• Kesha