May 19, 2023 – Kesha has released ‘Gag Order’, her fifth album and the crowning jewel of the GRAMMY-nominee’s eclectic and inspired discography to date.
Called “her most daring music yet” by Rolling Stone, ‘Gag Order’ (produced by Rick Rubin, with Kesha as executive producer), has been self-described as “post-pop” full-bodied collection which flows like a stream-of-consciousness journey through the psychedelic dark depths of the human psyche, followed by basking in the cleansing light when finally reaching the surface.
Pre-release tracks “Eat the Acid” and “Fine Line” have hinted at the pop star’s artistic reinvention, with The Fader calling the former a “cautionary psychedelic anthem” while Bustle complimented the latter’s lyrics as “a jaw-dropper”. Elsewhere on the album, Kesha ruminates on her struggles with panic attacks on “Living In My Head”, finds peace in the fallout of facing one’s fear on “Happy”, and on “All I Need Is You” shares an ode to unconditional true love (aimed at her beloved cat Mr. Peeps).
‘Gag Order’ feels like an emotional exorcism, unearthing and facing the darkness in oneself, brought to life with experimental, otherworldly production and lyrical vulnerability unlike anything the artist has written before. On ‘Gag Order’, Kesha confronts her own reflection and finds empowerment in her own voice, with beautiful, heart-aching results.
In a recent album manifesto (read HERE via Nylon), Kesha shared that “Without the darkness there is no light. So I let my darkness have the light. I can’t fight the truth. Life is difficult and painful. It is for everyone,” adding that “An artist doesn’t exist to make others happy. I believe an artist gives voice, motion, color to the emotions we all have. The good emotions, and the unmanageably fucking miserable ones.”
Kesha has sold more than 14 million total album equivalents worldwide, has approximately 6.9 billion audio streams and 1.7 billion video streams worldwide, and has had 9 Top 10 hits on The Billboard Hot 100, including four # 1 singles at Top 40 Radio – “TiK ToK,” “Your Love Is My Drug,” “Die Young,” and “Timber.”