Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Kesha
How Kesha built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Kesha Rose Sebert, known as Kesha, is an American singer and songwriter who achieved mainstream recognition in 2009. Her initial breakthrough occurred through her collaboration with rapper Flo Rida on the chart-topping single, "Right Round."
1977: Longest Running Number-One
Kesha's single "Tik Tok" spent nine weeks at number one and became the longest running number-one by a female artist on her debut single since Debby Boone and "You Light Up My Life" in 1977.
2003: "Tik Tok" Broke Record
The 2009 album lead single, "Tik Tok", broke the record in the United States for the highest sales week for a single, with 610,000 digital downloads sold in a single week, the highest ever by a female artist since digital download tracking began in 2003.
2005: Signed with Prescription Songs
In 2005, at age 18, Kesha was signed to the music publishing company Prescription Songs. Kesha later sang background vocals for Paris Hilton's single "Nothing in This World".
2006: Signed with DAS Communications Inc.
In 2006, Kesha signed with David Sonenberg's management company, DAS Communications Inc.
2008: Appeared in "I Kissed a Girl" video
In 2008, Kesha appeared in the video for Katy Perry's single "I Kissed a Girl" and sang background vocals for Britney Spears' "Lace and Leather".
2009: Featured on "Right Round"
In 2009, Kesha had her first major success after being featured on Flo Rida's number-one single "Right Round".
2009: "Tik Tok" Single Release
In 2009, Kesha released "Tik Tok", which became the best-selling digital single in history at the time, selling over 14 million units internationally.
2009: Signed with RCA Records
In 2009, after failing to negotiate with other labels, Kesha signed a multi-album deal with RCA Records and began putting finishing touches on her debut album, having spent the previous 6 years working on material for it. Kesha wrote approximately 200 songs for the album.
June 16, 2010: Benefit Concert for Flood Victims
On June 16, 2010, Kesha held a benefit concert, raising close to $70,000 to aid victims of the 2010 Tennessee floods in Nashville.
November 2010: Cannibal Re-Release
In November 2010, the album 'Animal' was re-released with a companion extended play, 'Cannibal'. The lead single, "We R Who We R", debuted at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States.
2010: Met Alice Cooper at Grammy Awards
After meeting Kesha at the 2010 Grammy Awards and guesting at a number of her concerts, rock singer Alice Cooper asked her to write lyrics for and vocally perform as a devil character on their duet track, "What Baby Wants", on Cooper's album Welcome 2 My Nightmare (2011).
2010: Animal Album Release
In 2010, Kesha released 'Animal', which became a number-one album on the US Billboard 200.
2010: Billboard's Top Artist
In 2010, Kesha was listed as the 26th top artist on Billboard's decade-end charts and received the MTV Europe Music Award for Best New Act.
2010: Promotional Single Release
In 2010, Kesha's promotional single "Cannibal" was released.
February 2011: Get Sleazy Tour
In February 2011, Kesha embarked on her first headlining world tour, the Get Sleazy Tour.
June 2011: Digital Single Downloads
By June 2011, Kesha had sold almost 21 million digital single downloads in the United States alone.
2011: Writing for Warrior
In 2011, Kesha began writing for her second studio album, Warrior, while on her headlining tour.
2011: Co-wrote "Till the World Ends"
In 2011, Kesha co-wrote the song "Till the World Ends" for Britney Spears.
2011: "Tik Tok" Record Broken
In 2011, Kesha's 2009 single "Tik Tok" was surpassed as the best-selling digital single in history.
November 2012: Release of My Crazy Beautiful Life
In November 2012, Kesha released her illustrated autobiography, My Crazy Beautiful Life, through Touchstone Books to coincide with the release of the album Warrior.
November 30, 2012: Release of Warrior
On November 30, 2012, Kesha's second studio album, Warrior, was released. The album featured productions from Max Martin and Wayne Coyne.
2012: Warrior Album Release
In 2012, Kesha released 'Warrior', which reached the top-ten records.
March 23, 2013: Received Wyler Award
On March 23, 2013, Kesha received the Wyler Award presented by The Humane Society at The 2013 Genesis Awards Benefit Gala.
April 2013: Release of "Crazy Kids"
In April 2013, Kesha released "Crazy Kids", the third single from her album Warrior, which under-performed in the US but achieved success in South Korea and Belgium. Also in April 2013, a TV documentary, Kesha: My Crazy Beautiful Life, began airing on MTV.
July 2013: Start of Warrior Tour
In July 2013, Kesha started the Warrior Tour to support her album. The North American leg was co-headlined with Pitbull.
July 2013: The Flaming Lips planned collaboration
In July 2013, The Flaming Lips announced their intention to release a collaborative album with Kesha called Lipsha; however, the project was eventually canceled in the winter of the same year.
October 7, 2013: Release of "Timber"
On October 7, 2013, Kesha and Pitbull released their collaboration, "Timber", which became an international commercial success.
January 2014: Rehabilitation and new album work
In January 2014, Kesha checked into a rehabilitation center for bulimia nervosa and began working on her third studio album. She also started using her birth name, Kesha, rather than Ke$ha.
June 2014: Rising Star expert
In June 2014, Kesha became an expert on the American television singing competition Rising Star.
August 4, 2015: Signing with SESAC Inc.
On August 4, 2015, Kesha signed with American performance rights organization SESAC Inc.
October 12, 2015: Guest starring in Jane the Virgin
On October 12, 2015, Kesha guest starred in the second season of the U.S. television series Jane the Virgin, playing Annabelle.
December 2015: Formation of Yeast Infection
In December 2015, Kesha revealed that she had formed a country music and classic rock-influenced band called Yeast Infection and performed a live show with the band in Nashville on December 23.
April 29, 2016: Release of "True Colors" collaboration
On April 29, 2016, a studio version of Kesha's collaboration with Zedd, "True Colors", was released as a single.
May 22, 2016: Billboard Music Awards performance
On May 22, 2016, Kesha covered Bob Dylan's song "It Ain't Me Babe" at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards.
June 11, 2016: Pride in the Street performance
On June 11, 2016, Kesha performed at Pride in the Street in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
July 23, 2016: Start of Kesha and the Creepies tour
On July 23, 2016, Kesha commenced her third worldwide concert tour, the Kesha and the Creepies: Fuck the World Tour, in Las Vegas.
July 21, 2017: End of Kesha and the Creepies tour
On July 21, 2017, Kesha's third worldwide concert tour, the Kesha and the Creepies: Fuck the World Tour, ended in Aurora, Illinois, after shows in China.
August 11, 2017: Release of Rainbow
On August 11, 2017, Kesha's third studio album, Rainbow, was released. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and received critical acclaim.
September 26, 2017: Start of Rainbow Tour
On September 26, 2017, Kesha began the Rainbow Tour in Birmingham, Alabama, to promote her album Rainbow. The tour visited North America, Europe, Oceania, and Asia.
2017: Last Song to Chart on UK Singles Chart
"Joyride" became Kesha's first song to chart on the UK Singles Chart since 2017.
2017: Rainbow Album Release
In 2017, Kesha released 'Rainbow', which became a number-one album on the US Billboard 200.
June 6, 2018: Start of The Adventures of Kesha and Macklemore tour
On June 6, 2018, Kesha started a co-headlining concert tour with Macklemore named The Adventures of Kesha and Macklemore in North America.
August 5, 2018: End of The Adventures of Kesha and Macklemore tour
On August 5, 2018, the co-headlining concert tour with Macklemore named The Adventures of Kesha and Macklemore ended in North America.
August 10, 2018: Rainbow: The Film release
On August 10, 2018, Kesha's documentary film, Rainbow: The Film, was released on Apple Music. The documentary chronicles her stint in rehab for her eating disorder and the creation of Rainbow.
September 19, 2018: Release of "Here Comes the Change"
On September 19, 2018, Kesha released her song "Here Comes the Change", which served as a single to promote On the Basis of Sex.
October 2018: Collaboration on "Safe"
In October 2018, Kesha collaborated, wrote, and performed on the song "Safe" with her younger brother Sage Sebert and rapper Chika as an homage for the Parkland high school shooting.
2018: Grammys Performance in Support of Time's Up
At the 2018 Grammys, Kesha performed "Praying" with other notable women in music in support of the Time's Up movement.
2018: Protest through "Woman"
Kesha wrote her 2018 single, "Woman" in protest of president Donald Trump's "pussy grabbing comment".
February 2019: Kesha's Weird and Wonderful Rainbow Ride
In February 2019, Kesha hosted a 4-day-long cruise called Kesha's Weird and Wonderful Rainbow Ride, which set off in Tampa, Florida, and ended in Nassau, Bahamas.
October 21, 2019: Trailer release for High Road
On October 21, 2019, Kesha released a trailer to confirm the album's title as High Road, originally slated for December 2019.
December 2019: High Road release originally slated
Kesha's fourth studio album, High Road, was originally slated for release in December 2019.
2019: "Tik Tok" Sales
As of 2019, "Tik Tok" had sold about 14 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling single in digital history and the best-selling digital single in history by a female solo artist.
January 31, 2020: Release of High Road
On January 31, 2020, Kesha's fourth studio album, High Road, was released.
April 18, 2020: One World: Together at Home performance
On April 18, 2020, Kesha performed at the One World: Together at Home benefit event.
November 13, 2020: Announcement of Kesha and the Creepies podcast
On November 13, 2020, Kesha announced the creation of her own podcast, Kesha and the Creepies.
November 20, 2020: Launch of Kesha and the Creepies podcast
On November 20, 2020, Kesha's podcast, Kesha and the Creepies, launched with new episodes premiering almost every Friday.
2020: High Road Album Release
In 2020, Kesha released 'High Road', which reached the top-ten records.
2020: Endorsement of Joe Biden
Kesha endorsed Joe Biden for the 2020 US Presidential Election.
2020: Collaborations
Throughout 2020, Kesha released several collaborations, including "Chasing Rainbows" with Big Freedia.
June 10, 2021: Final episode of Kesha and the Creepies podcast season 1
On June 10, 2021, the final episode of the first season of Kesha's podcast, Kesha and the Creepies, aired.
August 13, 2021: Start of Kesha Live tour
On August 13, 2021, Kesha began her fifth headlining tour, Kesha Live, in Billings, Montana, with Betty Who as the opening act.
August 2021: Kesha as executive producer and star of Electric Easy
In late August 2021, Kesha served as executive producer and starred in the scripted podcast, Electric Easy, a musical neo-noir science fiction show set in a futuristic Los Angeles.
August 30, 2021: Premiere of Electric Easy podcast
The podcast Electric Easy, executively produced by Kesha, premiered on August 30, 2021.
September 12, 2021: End of Kesha Live tour
On September 12, 2021, Kesha Live tour ended with 22 shows in the U.S.
2021: Collaborations
Throughout 2021, Kesha released several collaborations, including "Since I Was Young" with Wrabel, "Stronger" with Sam Feldt, and remixes of "Fancy Like" and "Drop Dead".
March 2022: Cancellation of spring tour dates
In March 2022, the seven tour dates announced for late March 2022 were cancelled due to undisclosed reasons.
April 1, 2022: Cancellation of Kesha's second cruise tour
Kesha's second cruise tour, scheduled to set sail on April 1, 2022, was cancelled due to undisclosed reasons.
June 1, 2022: Release of "Taste So Good"
On June 1, 2022, Kesha provided vocals for the song "Taste So Good", which also featured Hayley Kiyoko, Vincint, and MNEK. The song was released to promote Cann.
July 8, 2022: Premiere of Conjuring Kesha
On July 8, 2022, Conjuring Kesha, a show starring and produced by Kesha, premiered on Discovery+.
February 2023: Kesha Previews New Song and Updates Profile
In February 2023, Kesha previewed a 30-second snippet of a new song during an Instagram Livestream.
April 25, 2023: Kesha Announces "Gag Order" Album
On April 25, 2023, Kesha announced her album's title as Gag Order and revealed its artwork.
May 19, 2023: "Gag Order" Album Release
On May 19, 2023, Kesha's album "Gag Order" was released along with three singles: "Eat the Acid", "Fine Line", and "Only Love Can Save Us Now".
June 2023: Kesha Featured in "Helluva Boss"
In June 2023, Kesha was featured in the season 1 finale of the YouTube adult animated series, Helluva Boss, where she voiced Beelzebub "Queen Bee".
November 2023: Lyric Change in "Tik Tok"
In November 2023, Kesha altered the lyrics to her song "Tik Tok" to remove a reference to Sean "P. Diddy" Combs.
December 18, 2023: Kesha Parts Ways with Kemosabe Records and RCA
On December 18, 2023, Variety reported that Kesha had parted ways with Dr. Luke's Kemosabe Records and distributor RCA as their contract expired. She also split with Vector Management.
2023: Gag Order Album Release
In 2023, Kesha released the album 'Gag Order', fulfilling her five-album contract with Kemosabe Records.
February 2024: Kesha Signs with Crush Management
In early February 2024, it was reported that Kesha had officially signed with Crush Management.
April 2024: Further Lyric Change at Coachella
During a guest appearance at Reneé Rapp's Coachella set in April 2024, Kesha further altered the lyric to "wake up in the morning, like, 'Fuck P. Diddy'".
June 29, 2024: Kesha Announces New Single "Joyride"
On June 29, 2024, Kesha announced her new single, "Joyride", which would be released on July 4 through her self-titled label, Kesha Records.
September 2024: Distribution Deal with Alternative Distribution Alliance
In September 2024, Kesha's independent record label entered a distribution deal with Alternative Distribution Alliance, owned by Warner Music Group.
October 14, 2024: Featured on "Spring Breakers" Remix
On October 14, 2024, Kesha was featured on the remix of Charli XCX's song, "Spring Breakers", which was featured on the latter's album, Brat and It's Completely Different but Also Still Brat.
2024: Endorsement of Kamala Harris
Kesha endorsed Kamala Harris for the 2024 US Presidential election.
January 24, 2025: Release of "Dear Me"
On January 24, 2025, Kesha released the song, "Dear Me", which was written by Diane Warren.
March 27, 2025: Release of "Yippee-Ki-Yay" and Album Announcement
On March 27, 2025, Kesha released the single, "Yippee-Ki-Yay", featuring T-Pain, and announced her sixth studio album, Period.
April 3, 2025: Announcement of "The Tits Out Tour"
On April 3, 2025, Kesha announced "The Tits Out Tour", co-headlined by the Scissor Sisters, with dates in the United States and Canada.
May 16, 2025: Release of "Boy Crazy"
On May 16, 2025, the album's fourth single, "Boy Crazy", was released.
June 20, 2025: Release of "Attention!"
On June 20, 2025, Kesha released "Attention!", a song with Rose Gray and Slayyyter.
July 4, 2025: Release of "Period" Album
On July 4, 2025, Kesha's sixth studio album, Period, was released.
July 8, 2025: Surprise Release of Deluxe Version of "Period" Album
On July 8, 2025, Kesha surprise released a deluxe version of the Period album, with the stylized title . (...), which featured three new songs.
2025: Period Album Release
In 2025, Kesha released her first independent album, 'Period', under her own label Kesha Records.
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