Latest news with #Dr.Luke
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
With her app Smash, Kesha can be whoever she wants – even a tech CEO
Kesha – yes, brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack Kesha – is now a startup founder. But if you think her journey from raunchy pop star to CEO is unexpected, then you haven't been paying attention. Kesha has always embraced contradictions. She exploded onto the pop scene in 2010 with irreverent ear candy like 'Blah Blah Blah' and 'TiK ToK,' stylizing her name with a dollar sign despite throwing shade at the egregious wealth of Hollywood. She didn't let people dismiss her as a one-dimensional, glitter-clad party girl. As beleaguered high schoolers studied for exams amid Kesha's rise to fame, they whispered in frustration about how the world's most famous party girl got a near-perfect score on the SAT, but turned down a full-ride to Barnard College to sing about peeing in champagne bottles. The biggest contradiction of Kesha's story is that despite living the dream of a pop star on the surface, her years in the spotlight were nightmarish behind the scenes. Now, drawing from her own experience suffering at the hands of predatory record contracts, Kesha is building an app called Smash, which is a way for musicians to find one another, make music together, and establish clear, artist-friendly contracts among collaborators. Smash aims to set itself apart by using a built-in system to generate contracts between artists. The terms of the contracts depend on what each artist decides — for example, a musician may decide to license a beat for set fee, or request a percentage of royalties over time. Smash would fund itself by taking a small cut of payments made through the app. 'One of the pieces of leverage, especially over younger music creators, is you need a way into the club,' Kesha's brother and Smash co-founder Lagan Sebert told TechCrunch. 'With Smash, we want to give music creators the keys to get into this club of professionals and other creators without them feeling like they have to sign anything away, or make any large decisions about the rest of their lives.' After establishing herself as a powerhouse pop star, Kesha sued her producer Dr. Luke in 2014 for alleged sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. He immediately countersued her for defamation, sparking a high-profile legal battle and reckoning with the dark side of pop music. Though Kesha sought to get out of her recording contract with Dr. Luke, the court ruled against her, forcing her to release three more albums with him. It was only this month — on July 4, a date chosen very intentionally — that Kesha released an album without Dr. Luke for the first time. But regaining her own artistic agency isn't enough. Now that she is a fully independent artist, she wants to help ensure that other young musicians don't fall victim to exploitative record deals like she did. 'One of the things that really motivated her was when she went through this long legal battle to regain the rights to her voice, regain rights to her music,' Sebert said. 'I think the motivation behind Smash more than anything was to try to give music creators access to the community they need to create music independently.' Building the Band If Kesha and her brother were going to build an app, they were going to need some technological expertise. Years ago, Kesha attended an ACTAI Ventures event and met Lars Rasmussen, who co-founded Google Maps and was one of the first investors in design unicorn Canva. The two stayed in touch, and when it came time to build Smash, Rasmussen introduced her to Alan Cannistraro, who would become the app's CTO. Cannistraro spent over 12 years at Apple, where he worked on products for creatives like Final Cut; he also managed a team of engineers to build the first ever apps for iOS, like Remote, iBooks, iTunes, and Podcasts. He went on to start Rheo, a social video startup, but he has always had an interest in music. 'In the late '90s, when my friends were all using Napster, I was saying to them, 'What the hell, you like this music, why are you screwing the artist?'' Cannistraro told TechCrunch. 'It's always just been in my value system that artists need to be supported.' When Kesha, her brother Lagan, and Cannistraro started working together, Rasmussen became one of their first investors. Kesha even announced the app as part of Rasmussen's Panathēnea festival in Greece. 'Smash is a community platform for music creators. It's a place where you can go to connect, to create, and to hire, all while retaining the rights to what you create,' Kesha said at the festival. 'The goal is to shift the power back to the hands of the creators.' 'The contracting is safe — it's all transparent, and then you get to choose, and you get consent over where your art and where your voice goes, and how it goes into the world, all while retaining the rights to what you have just created,' she added. The Smash app remains a work in progress, intending to open to some artists later this year. But to test some of the tech tools that the company has created thus far, Smash hosted a contest where artists could submit remixes of Kesha's song 'Boy Crazy' — the five winners of the contest will have their remixes released on Kesha's record label for what Sebert calls an 'industry standard remix fee.' 'I regained the rights to my voice back for the first time in my adult life about one year ago, as a 37-year-old woman,' Kesha said at Panathēnea. 'Predatory deals like that are normal.' 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Express Tribune
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Kesha's comeback era: New album, new label, and zero apologies
Kesha is stepping into a powerful new chapter and she's doing it her way. After nearly a decade of legal battles with producer Dr. Luke and years under the creative grip of Kemosabe Records, the pop star is finally free. Her new album, Period, marks her first release under her own label, Kesha Records, and she's calling it her 'real debut.' 'I've never felt so alive and inspired,' she told Vogue. 'This is the first time I've owned the words to my voice as an adult.' The album is filled with wild pop anthems and deeply personal tracks that reflect her healing journey. Lead single 'Joy Ride' was born from an accordion jam in the woods. Other standout songs include 'Freedom,' 'Glow,' and 'Cathedral,' which celebrate liberation, self-worth, and resilience. But Period isn't just about recovery, it's also about having fun again. Songs like 'Boy Crazy' and 'Delusional' embrace her playful, unapologetic side. 'I wanted it to be the ultimate fuck-you album,' she said. 'I'm protective of my space now. If anything gets in the way of my freedom, it's gone.' Kesha also opened up about becoming her 'own sugar daddy' after a breakup, treating herself to luxury dates and rediscovering joy in solitude. 'I listen to my record when I need to feel strong,' she said. 'This album is a reminder to love yourself harder.' With her Freedom Cunt tour launching this summer, Kesha is ready to bring fans into her new world, one that's raw, radiant, and completely hers.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kesha Originally Thought ‘Tik Tok' Was ‘Too Dumb' Before It Became Her Biggest Hit
The party don't stop for Kesha's biggest hit, 'Tik Tok,' which has remained one of the most popular songs from the late 2000s more than a decade later. But according to the pop star, she originally thought the track was 'too dumb' when she first wrote it. While serving as a guest on The Jennifer Hudson Show Tuesday (May 13), Kesha recalled being blown away by the success of 'Tik Tok' after it dropped in 2009. 'No, oh my god,' she said when asked whether she ever expected it to become such a big hit. More from Billboard Kesha Joins Sammy Hagar for This Van Halen Song at Night 1 of Las Vegas Residency Twenty One Pilots Fans Jumped Into Veronica Mars Mode After Someone Took Off With One of Josh Dun's Bespoke Drums Palm Tree Festival to Debut in St. Tropez With Headliners A$AP Rocky & Swedish House Mafia 'When I was writing 'Tik Tok,' it was weird, because the dumber it got, the better it got,' the 'Praying' singer continued. 'Which was confusing, because I like to think of myself as a fairly intelligent human being. But it just got dumber and dumber and better and better.' Kesha added, 'When I listened to the final product, I was like, 'This is too dumb.'' Regardless, there was nothing dumb about what the track would do for her career. 'Tik Tok' would launch the California native to superstar status, becoming not just her first solo Billboard Hot 100 entry, but her first No. 1 on the chart. It would also remain in the top spot for nine weeks, her longest run at the chart's summit, and helped Kesha's first album, Animal, debut atop the Billboard 200. Fifteen years later, the musician is gearing up to release her sixth studio album, . (Period), her first LP under her own label, Kesha Records. Her departure from Dr. Luke's Kemosabe Records — the founder of which also produced much of Animal — comes after a yearslong legal battle with Dr. Luke over Kesha's claims that he drugged and raped her in 2005, after which he sued her for defamation while calling the allegations 'false and shocking.' Their ensuing legal battle continued for nine years before the two parties finally reached a settlement in 2023. Of finally getting to release music fully on her own terms, Kesha told Hudson, 'I'm really excited for the world to hear this, because I've been in control of everything.' 'It's been all of my vision, all of my words, a lot of hard work, a lot of joy,' she continued, tearing up. 'Really coming back home to myself and feeling what freedom really looks like, feels like, sounds like.' Watch Kesha's conversation with Hudson below. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kesha Once Thought ‘Tik Tok' Was ‘Too Dumb' of a Song
Kesha didn't know she had a hit on her hands with 'Tik Tok.' In fact, the singer once thought the song's lyrics were 'too dumb.' After all, she does sing about swapping toothpaste for a bottle of Jack Daniel's whiskey. Kesha recently shared the revelation on The Jennifer Hudson Show. 'When I was writing 'Tik Tok' it was weird because the dumber it got, the better it got,' she said. 'It just got dumber and dumber, and better and better,' she added. The whole thing was confusing for the singer, especially once 'Tik Tok' topped the Billboard Hot 100 and became Kesha's first Number One hit. 'When I listened to the final product, I was like, 'This is too dumb' — and it's, like, 1.5 billion streams at this point,' Kesha continued. The song recently earned its most streams ever on Spotify this past New Year's Day. More from Rolling Stone Kesha Says Writing a Song Led Her to Break Up With Her Ex-Fiancé Did Kesha and Wendy's Just Shade Katy Perry? Doechii, the Marías, Kesha, and Clairo to Headline Jam-Packed 2025 All Things Go Fest 'Tik Tok' went on to catapult the singer into pop stardom back in 2009. Since then, the singer has continued to make music, releasing a range of projects from catchy dance-pop hits to grungey, experimental electronica. Now, Kesha is gearing up to release her sixth album, . (Period) on July 4 via Kesha Records. It's a monumental release for the seasoned pop star, marking the first album since she settled a defamation lawsuit with Dr. Luke in 2023. That suit came years after she filed a suit against the producer in 2014 alleging sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. . (Period) will also be Kesha's first full-length project under her label, after years of being under Dr. Luke's Kemosabe label via RCA. 'I'm really excited for the world to hear this because I've been in control of everything. I've written every song, co-produced everything,' Kesha said on the show. 'It's been all of my vision,' she continued, adding, '[It's] really coming back home to myself and feeling what freedom looks like, feels like, sounds like.' The release date is no coincidence; Kesha dropped her first single under Kesha Records, 'Joyride,' on Independence Day last year. 'This is the first album that I have legal rights to my own voice,' she said. Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
Daily Tribune
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Tribune
Katy Perry offers reassurance to fans
Bang Showbiz | Los Angeles Katy Perry has reassured fans that she is 'OK' amid a wave of online criticism. The 'Firework' hitmaker has faced a backlash, largely due to her participation in Blue Origin's recent all-female space flight, as well as for working with controversial producer Dr. Luke - who has been accused of abuse by Kesha - and also faced mocking over the choreography on her current 'Lifetimes' tour, but as she has thanked her supporters for trying to uplift her, she insisted she simply sends 'love' to her critics. She commented on an Instagram fan account: 'I'm so grateful for you guys. We're in this beautiful and wild journey together. I can continue to remain true to myself, heart open and honest especially because of our bond. 'I love you guys and have grown up together with you and am so excited to see you all over the world this year! Please know I am ok, I have done a lot work around knowing who I am, what is real and what is important to me. 'My therapist said something years ago that has been a game changer, 'no one can make you believe something about yourself that you don't already believe about yourself' and if I ever do have any feelings about it then it's an opportunity to investigate the feeling underneath it. 'When the 'online' world tries to make me a human Piñata, I take it with grace and send them love, cause I know so many people are hurting in so many ways and the internet is very much so a dumping ground for unhinged and unhealed. (sic)'
