Following a settlement in a decade-long legal battle with her former producer, Kesha has returned after two years with a feature length album, “Period.” This is Kesha’s first independent record since the start of Kesha Records, her own label, last September.
After previous releases such as “Rainbow” at the peak of her legal battle and “Gag Order” coming only a month before the settlement, Kesha’s previous works have been fueled by the grueling emotions of this process, but “period.” is fueled by the exact opposite: hope and closure.
The album is a testament to this long journey as well as new challenges in becoming an independent artist and gaining control of all aspects of her work.
Kesha fuses her newfound highly produced sound with the vibes and lyrics of her older hits to create a project that is uniquely hers, claiming in the album description on Apple Music that “Kesha has been the architect of her own success all along. With . [period], she finally gets to claim the credit.”
The theme of the album becomes immediately clear with the first track being titled “Freedom” and Kesha declaring through breathy notes and toned back vocals, “Oh, I’ve been waiting for you now.”
Kesha’s new album comes at an interesting time as popular artist Katy Perry has recently dropped an album. Perry and Kesha used to be friends and collaborators until both were involved in a legal battle against the same producer, Dr. Luke. Perry then returned to working with Dr. Luke, and Kesha took to X to share her reaction, “lol.”
These strained relationships have ultimately fueled Kesha to work harder, though, as in her song “Delusional” she sings, “Thanks for the heartbreak, it gets my bills paid.”
Beyond these relationships, Kesha has reestablished her need for fun, and this is present in the lead single “Joyride,” where she sings about looking for a “good time.” In the music video for this song, Kesha pulls inspiration from the “Kill Bill” movie where she, rightfully, plays ‘Mother” as she is being chased by villains, named after other songs on the album.
Through all the fun and controversy, Kesha still manages to pull together an album that revives her style of pop but also continues to share relatable, yet sometimes raunchy, lyrics that are sure to keep listeners entertained.
Every song on this album, even through the pop-style production, reminds us of the pure vocal power that Kesha has. From singing with country influence in “Yippee-Ki-Yay” to emotionally announcing her homecoming with the ballad “Cathedral,” Kesha provides a masterclass in versatility.
Now that Kesha has thrust herself back into the minds of pop listeners everywhere, “period.” serves as a reminder of exactly why she belongs there. As Kesha sings in “Joyride,” she wants listeners to remember that she’s “earned the right to be like this,” and she isn’t going anywhere.
