Kesha is loving her freedom.
The pop powerhouse has given her passionate Animals (the fandom named after her debut album, Animal) the soundtrack of their lives since her first chart-topper, "TiK ToK," in 2009.
15 years later, Kesha has finally taken her power back by regaining complete legal and creative control over her name, music, and career as a whole. Although the journey to where she is today has had plenty of highs and heartbreaking lows, Kesha stands on her own two feet as one of the most inspirational artists of the modern era.
As a totally independent artist, the talented singer is inviting her closest friends, family, and fans on the journey of a lifetime with The Freedom Tour. The unbelievable spectacle features Kesha in her highest form as she brings her dream show to arenas across the globe. Animals will be transported as the concert serves as the ultimate celebration of a woman who's found her voice and wants to share her unapologetic queer joy.
"We have gone through it and we have made it to freedom! I want to absolutely bathe in the love and goodness. It really has been so healing. My Animals are the love of my life! It's my longest relationship by far. I'm spending time in very cunty outfits with people who I love the most. It's the best," Kesha tells Out.
Kesha has proudly identified with the LGBTQ+ community since the early stages of her career, so it's no surprise that every show of The Freedom Tour acts as a perfect safe space for all queer people to love the skin they're in.
"You are about to be welcomed into this family. We're in this secret club together! We get to be the weirdest, queerest, wildest versions of ourselves. It's pure escapism! The queer community is where I am home. I will always create a home for the queer community. I want my show to feel like queer church! No matter who you are, you are entitled to love yourself and love who you love."
Besides "TiK ToK," OG fans have blasted hits like "Your Love is My Drug," "We R Who We R," and "Backstabber" off Kesha's debut album since 2010. However, one notable track off her first record titled "Take It Off" has a deep connection with her queer fanbase.
The song is based on Kesha's first time attending a drag show, which served as a queer awakening for her at a very young age. Kesha even exclusively tells Out that she attended prom with the only out gay man in her entire high school and promised him that she'd create a more inclusive environment with her music.
"I told him, 'If I ever actually get to do this crazy thing I'm trying to do, I'm going to make a space for people like me and you.' We didn't feel like we belonged anywhere else. We were too magical! We wanted joy, pleasure, sexiness... and I finally found a home for myself when I went to my first drag show. This is where I belong. I wanted to continue that feeling!"
Beyond her love for queer culture, Kesha has always embraced sex positivity in her liberating catalog of hits. In fact, her latest single "ORIGAMI!" taps into her sexual desires that resurfaced after she legally reclaimed her voice on March 6, 2024.
"I have been fighting for this sovereignty and autonomy over myself for a long time. I wrote 'ORIGAMI!' when I was newly free. When I got the rights to my voice back, I got my horniness back! I went through this sexual awakening. This year, I decided to be mostly celibate, except when I'm in Italy. The music video depicts this sensual dream and the live performance is my favorite part of the show. It's super hot! We're just making the world horny one city at a time! Let's manifest big dick energy!"
There's no denying that Kesha's songwriting and performance abilities have helped her carve her own lane in a very saturated and competitive industry. The early 2010s marked as a peak in pop music, especially for women. However, Kesha has kept the momentum going by releasing a string of bangers for nearly two decades.
Even though Kesha admits some of her biggest records remind her of some of the toughest moments in her life, she made it a priority to reimagine her career-defining songs as a love letter to her Animals.
"I'm playing all the hits, but for a long period of time, there was a lot of emotional attachment to some of those songs that wasn't so positive behind the scenes. I wasn't inclined to play them for many years. Part of my healing process was to really fall back in love with these songs that connected me with my Animals. For this tour, I reproduced the songs for me and my fans so we could reprogram positive energy into these songs. Some of these songs I haven't played in 13 years and I love playing them! It's made me fall back in love with my own catalog. My fans have helped me fall back in love with these songs."
Kesha is the definition of a once-in-a-lifetime artist. Her musicality speaks for itself, but the impact she's left on the music industry as a whole has created essential change for a new generation of talent. Artists, especially female artists, are speaking up more than ever before and demanding rights in the complex contracts associated with record labels.
She's also opened the door for more independent artists to work on their own terms. Instead of focusing on numbers, charts, or appealing to the masses, Kesha is making every career decision with her Animals at the forefront.
"I just love and respect artists. I believe everyone out there has an artist inside of them. They have a right to explore their version of expression. People have a right to express themselves. It doesn't have to come with exploitation. It can come with self-respect. If what I've gone through in this industry is somehow helping other people, then I'm around. I really believe in a world where we respect artists and we treat them well."
Kesha is performing all summer long, so fans can get tickets to The Freedom Tour by visiting the official website here. Check out the music video for "ORIGAMI!" below.
