Kesha Celebrates Independence with New Single “Joy Ride” – Stream Now

Kesha has released “Joy Ride,” her new single, marking a significant milestone as the first piece of music not associated with a Dr. Luke-related record label. The pop star teased the release on Twitter, posting, “You’re right, I am a bitch” alongside a brief video snippet of the track.

This release is a notable moment in Kesha’s career. Although she had not been directly working with Dr. Luke since her 2017 album “Rainbow,” which was her first album without his production credits, each of her five previous albums had been released under RCA or Kemosabe Records, both linked to Dr. Luke.

With “Joy Ride,” Kesha has fully cut ties with the producer now that her contract with Kemosabe and Dr. Luke has ended. She celebrated the occasion by sharing on social media, “First day I’ve owned my voice in 19 years.” This marks her newfound freedom to release music independently.

In a heartfelt message sent to fans via a newsletter, Kesha expressed her joy and relief: “I’ve waited for this day for more than half of my life. All of my adult life. There is so much more that I have to say, and experiences we have to share. This is the time for our joy ride. We made it… and I wasn’t alone thanks to each of you. Thank you. So much is on the horizon… But for now… Freedom. I’ve been waiting for you.”

Dr. Luke originally signed Kesha when she was 18, around 2005. During this period, Kesha has alleged that Dr. Luke drugged and raped her, subsequently threatening her into continued collaboration. He produced and released her first two albums, “Animal” in 2010 and “Warrior” in 2012, which included hits like “TiK ToK,” “Your Love Is My Drug,” “We R Who We R,” and “Die Young.”

The tension between the two peaked in 2014 when Kesha sued Dr. Luke for sexual assault and battery. Dr. Luke countered with a defamation lawsuit. In 2016, a New York judge dismissed Kesha’s request for a temporary injunction to free her from her recording contract with Dr. Luke, as well as her sexual assault suit. The defamation suit lingered until June 2023, when both parties settled out of court.

Interestingly, the release of “Joy Ride” comes just a week before the debut of Katy Perry’s new single “Woman’s World,” co-produced by Dr. Luke.

Kesha’s latest album, “Gag Order,” was released in 2023. She will also be performing at Lollapalooza 2024, with tickets available for the festival and her official aftershow.

Source: Consequence