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Kesha Is Living In A Hard-Fought For Moment Of Power

Meagan Fredette
20 January 2018, 17:45
Photo: Robin Marchant/FilmMagic/Getty Images.
To say that Kesha has had a big year is an understatement. The "Praying" singer has been nominated for two Grammys and a GLAAD award, she performed a dazzling set at the MTV Europe Awards, all after releasing her breakthrough comeback album Rainbow.
Kesha sings eloquently about her pain and her redemption. In an essay for Refinery29, she talks about the process of writing the album's title track. "I know giant pieces of my heart have been held captive in the past," she wrote. "But not anymore. And what's left is fucking pure gold and no one can touch that."
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Yesterday, she also took to Twitter to share her happy memory of writing "Woman," and how Rainbow as a whole represents the kind of music she's always been inspired by. "I would go play huge EDM festivals and then I’d go onto my tour bus and get out my record player and put on Iggy Pop, Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, T Rex, Dolly Parton, James Brown, Beatles, The Sweet; any of those records."
Of writing "Woman," she shares her determination to create an anthem, but one that isn't bound by the pop electronics that she typically works with. "With "Woman," I hope my fans will hear that wild spirit still strong inside me," she writes. "But this time it was created more raw, spontaneously and with all live instrumentation, which I found was a huge reason I loved the records I did love." She adds that "I just really fucking love being a woman and I wanted an anthem for anyone else who wants to yell about being self-sufficient and strong." It's a moment of clear joy for Kesha.
Kesha included the horn section from the late Sharon Jones' legendary backing band, the Dap-Kings. "Once we had that original demo, I had one of many "dream come true" moments on the making of this album when the Dap-Kings invited me into Daptone studio in Brooklyn to put the finishing touches on the track with them." She also worked with Saundra Williams, who was one of Sharon Jones' backup singers, who also appears in the music for "Woman." Kesha also gushes about how she could feel the vibes of Jones in the Daptone studio.
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Ultimately, Kesha arrives at a moment of power. It's a power that has been hard-fought for the singer. "Musically, I really couldn't be more proud of this record. I think that this album sonically sounds more like the music I listen to than anything else I’ve ever done in the past. I love the music I have made before," wrote Kesha, of Rainbow as a whole. "To me, the thing I’m most proud of is that the song and video never lost the pure joy from the day it was birthed. I really hope people enjoy this song because I had the best time making it. I hope that energy passes through people and the fun is infectious."
Her enthusiasm in her own work is so palpable, and it's incredibly inspiring to see a woman stand up and declare her pride. "It’s important for me that people know that there are a lot of emotions on my new album Rainbow - but the wild fun energy that first inspired me to perform has not, and will never, go away. I'm still a motherfuckerrr."
Check out her Twitter story below.
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