I first learned of the release on Elon Musk’s X. I’m glad I did.
Kesha is marking a new chapter in her career with the release of her latest single “Joyride.” The singer, 37, debuted the track on July 4, marking her first release since parting ways with RCA Records and Vector Management in June 2023.
Kesha will release her first single as an independent artist on Independence Day. pic.twitter.com/vUWWKCQmWd
— Pop Base (@PopBase) June 29, 2024
Celebrating her newfound independence, Kesha shared the news of her single on X (formerly known as Twitter), expressing gratitude to her fans: “I couldn’t have made it through without all of you. Now we joyride.” The lyric video for “Joyride,” which was posted on YouTube, features striking visuals of a truck along with bold lyrics such as “Are you a man? ‘Cause I’m a bitch, I’m already rich, just looking for that (Mm) This party sucks, I’m ’bout to ditch.”
The song, co-written with Madison Love and Zhone, who also produced the track, carries an empowering and rebellious tone. In anticipation of the release, Kesha teased the single on her Instagram, sharing photos of herself posing by a white car at a gas station and holding a 7-Eleven Slurpee cup with “Joyride” written on it. She captioned one post with, “Keep your 👀 on the road…”.
from rainbow, to now!!!! @KeshaRose YOU FUCKING MADE IT!!! WE FUCKING MADE IT!!! #JOYRIDE #Kesha pic.twitter.com/8p1m15l8jG
— jenna (@milfstrash) July 4, 2024
Following the song’s release, Kesha posted a video on Instagram of her singing “Joyride” with friends, captioning it, “MY NEW SINGLE JOYRIDE IS OUT NOW.” This release follows a series of hints dropped by Kesha earlier in the year. In March, she shared a video of herself walking nude outdoors, singing about freedom and directing fans to a new website. On the same day, she wrote on Instagram Stories and X, “March 6, 2024. First day I’ve owned my voice in 19 years. Welcome.”
This period of artistic freedom came after Kesha settled a nearly decade-long defamation lawsuit with producer Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald. She had accused him of sexual, emotional, and physical abuse, including allegations that he drugged and assaulted her in 2005. The legal battle, which began in 2014, concluded with both parties agreeing to resolve the lawsuit out of court in June 2023. Kesha released a statement via Instagram, acknowledging she “cannot recount” the details of the alleged abuse, while Dr. Luke wished her “well” and continued to deny the accusations.
Kesha had previously spoken about her impending musical freedom in an interview with V Magazine, where she hinted at the upcoming changes. “I’ll say … to all my fans, all my animals, this has been a ride. I’ll say that there is a day — although I won’t say the day — but there is a day marked on my calendar when I am free to release music,” she said, hinting at her eventual emancipation from past contractual constraints.
can we talk about how cunty this photoshoot is? even the haters were gagging.
stream joyride by kesha / out now !!! pic.twitter.com/WlQkLNLk5p
— Sean♥️ (@SSNsuxx) July 4, 2024
Major Points:
- Kesha released her new single “Joyride” on July 4, her first since leaving RCA Records and Vector Management in June 2023.
- She shared her excitement and gratitude to fans on social media, emphasizing her newfound independence.
- The song, co-written with Madison Love and produced by Zhone, features bold, empowering lyrics and was promoted with striking visuals on Instagram and YouTube.
- This release follows Kesha’s legal settlement with producer Dr. Luke, concluding a nearly decade-long defamation lawsuit over allegations of abuse.
- Kesha’s recent activities and interviews reflect her journey towards artistic and personal freedom, marking a significant milestone in her career.
Jerome Washington – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
