Kesha Announces Her Upcoming Album as a Milestone: ‘The First Time I’m Free from Anyone’s Claws’ (Exclusive)
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Grammy-nominated pop star Kesha hints at her upcoming sixth album and shares with PEOPLE how much she’s been enjoying Lady Gaga’s Mayhem.
For the first time, Kesha is steering her career entirely on her own terms.
Fresh off announcing her new single “Yippee-Ki-Yay” featuring T-Pain, set for release on March 27, the Grammy-nominated pop star, 38, is giving fans a glimpse into her upcoming sixth album. She revealed to PEOPLE that this project represents a fresh chapter where she’s fully in control.
After spending over a decade with a major label and enduring a lengthy legal battle that’s now resolved, Kesha is stepping into her new role as an independent artist and CEO of Kesha Records, operating in collaboration with Crush Music and ADA.
Following her recent singles “Joyride” and “Delusional,” Kesha’s latest track, “Yippee-Ki-Yay,” paves the way for her upcoming album — her first since 2023’s critically acclaimed Gag Order.
Shortly after joining Feeld for the dating app’s Fighting Loneliness in Our Digital World panel at South by Southwest in Austin, Kesha spoke with PEOPLE to discuss her upcoming album and share her excitement over Lady Gaga’s Mayhem.
Kesha expressed her excitement, saying, “God, it feels f—ing incredible. I’m so fiercely protective of my freedom now.”
Reflecting on her recent successes, she added, “There’s been a lot of healing in watching Joyride explode, and creating Holiday Road in just a few hours and seeing it take off around the holidays. For a long time, I believed my success was because of everyone else around me, but this past year has proven that it f—ing hasn’t been.”
Kesha went on to share how reclaiming control has been empowering. “I’ve been taking the power back into my own hands with my team. It’s f—ing amazing, really empowering, and I’m incredibly inspired to help other artists feel that too — because artists hold the power. We have the magic.”
Kesha described her upcoming album as a deeply personal and empowering project. “This record really is the first time that I have no one’s claws in my back,” she shared.
The album explores various facets of her personality, ranging from what she called a “psychosis sex demon” to raw, vulnerable, and confessional tracks. “Even though the songs showcase different sides of me, the common thread is empowerment and freedom — liberated both sonically and creatively,” she explained.
“I’m liberated sexually, and I’m just really f—ing devouring life right now,” Kesha added. “It feels incredible to experience this as a free woman, for the first time in my life. Honestly, it feels like my first record.”
Kesha reflected on her early career, saying, “Oh my God. When I first came out, it was an interesting time in music where there were a lot of comparisons, and it felt like you had to pick a side.”
She explained that back then, there seemed to be more pressure for women to compete with one another. “What’s really beautiful about the past year is not only can I collaborate with these f—ing incredible women because I want to, but it also feels like we’re all in this together,” she shared.
“These are my peers. These are people I listen to when I’m getting ready to go out. These are people I admire. These are people that inspire me,” Kesha said. “It’s just been really incredible to also see these women supporting me in my process of rebuilding.”