Last week Kesha took to Instagram to announce a nationwide tour starting next month. While she was initially going to announce it as The Gag Order Tour to coincide with the album, she ultimately decided to name it The Only Love Tour to focus on a more positive message. As she describes it, “Life is too short, and I want to celebrate the freedom and love in my life with all of [my fans].” Her final stop of the tour will be a homecoming of sorts, as she plays the Palladium in Los Angeles on November 18th.
The singer-songwriter was born in Los Angeles, but her family moved to Nashville when she was just four. Her mother, Pebe Sebert, is a famous singer-songwriter in her own right, having penned number-one hits for the likes of Dolly Parton and Pitbull.
So, the apple did not fall very far from the tree as Kesha would go on to sign a multi-record deal with RCA Records.
Her 2010 debut album, “Animal,” was a monster success, hitting number one on the Billboard charts, going triple platinum in the United States, and selling over eight million copies worldwide.
“Animal’s” success was due to songs “Your Love is My Drug,” “Blah Blah Blah,” and of course, the lead single, “Tik Tok.” “Tik Tok” went platinum eight times over in the United States alone, and has sold a mind-blowing 18 million copies worldwide.
Kesha’s follow-up album, “Warrior,” would contain songs “C’mon” and “Crazy Kids,” but it was the lead single “Die Young” that continued to carry over her success from “Animal.” “Die Young” has gone quadruple platinum in the United States, selling over five million copies worldwide.
Unfortunately, as is often the case in the music industry, Kesha’s rise to fame has not been a fairy tale story. A dark cloud has hovered over the singer for the last few years, which she is hoping to exorcise and overcome with the release of her latest album and tour.
In January 2014, Kesha entered rehab for an eating disorder; however, at the time the public did not know what issues lie underneath for many of the problems, including her bulimia nervosa. In October of that year, Kesha sued producer Dr. Luke for sexual assault and battery, sexual harassment, gender violence, emotional abuse, and violation of California business practices which had occurred over 10 years working together. Dr. Luke had produced nearly every song on “Animal” and “Warrior.” In 2016 the New York Supreme Court dismissed her claim because the statute of limitations had run out on the alleged instances. Dr. Luke filed a countersuit for breach of contract and defamation that has been ongoing for several years. The two finally settled out of court in June of this year.
With that, Kesha released the aptly titled “Gag Order” in May, featuring a photograph of her with a plastic bag over her head as the album’s artwork.
This time around Kesha joined forces with legendary producer Rick Rubin, who she describes as making her fall in love with music again. According to her, the record bundles up emotions “of anger, of insecurity, of anxiety, of grief, of pain, of regret.”
While not able to comment about the lawsuit or allegations from her past, Kesha has found a way to transform her experiences and emotions that she’s had to endure and express them through 13 powerful songs.
The tour kicks off next month in Dallas, and as mentioned, will close out in SoCal. Tickets are available now.
