History of Kesha in Timeline
Kesha Rose Sebert, known professionally as Kesha (formerly Ke$ha), is an American singer and songwriter. She gained initial prominence in 2009 through her collaboration with rapper Flo Rida on the hit single "Right Round."
1977: Debby Boone's Number One
Since Debby Boone and "You Light Up My Life" in 1977, Kesha's single spent nine weeks at number one.
1978: Pebe Co-Wrote "Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You"
In 1978, Kesha's mother, Rosemary Patricia "Pebe" Sebert, co-wrote the single "Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You" with Hugh Moffatt for Joe Sun.
1980: Dolly Parton's Version
In 1980, Dolly Parton made the song "Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You" popular on her album Dolly, Dolly, Dolly.
March 1, 1987: Kesha's Birth
On March 1, 1987, Kesha Rose Sebert was born in Los Angeles to Rosemary Patricia "Pebe" Sebert.
1991: Family Moved to Nashville
In 1991, Pebe moved the family to Nashville after securing a new publishing deal for her songwriting.
2003: Digital download tracking began
In 2003, digital download tracking began.
2005: Signed with Prescription Songs
In 2005, at age 18, Kesha was signed to the music publishing company Prescription Songs.
2005: The Simple Life Appearance
In 2005, the Sebert family appeared on an episode of the American reality TV series The Simple Life.
2006: Signed with DAS Communications Inc.
In 2006, Kesha signed with David Sonenberg's management company, DAS Communications Inc.
2007: Influence of "Tthhee Ppaarrttyy"
Kesha's vocal style draws heavily from the song "Tthhee Ppaarrttyy" from the 2007 Justice album Cross.
2008: Appearance in Katy Perry's video
In 2008, Kesha appeared in the video for her friend 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 achieved her first major success by being featured on Flo Rida's number-one single, "Right Round".
2009: Release of "Tik Tok"
In 2009, Kesha released the single "Tik Tok", which became the best-selling digital single in history.
2009: Signed with RCA Records
In 2009, after failing to negotiate with Lava Records and Atlantic Records, Kesha signed a multi-album deal with RCA Records.
May 2010: DAS Communications Lawsuit
In May 2010, Kesha's former managers from DAS Communications Inc. filed a lawsuit against her, seeking $14 million for commissions on her RCA Records deal.
June 16, 2010: Benefit Concert for Flood Victims
On June 16, 2010, Kesha held a benefit concert to aid victims of the 2010 Tennessee floods in Nashville, raising close to $70,000.
November 2010: Animal Re-release
In November 2010, Animal was re-released with a companion extended play, Cannibal. The lead single taken from Cannibal, "We R Who We R", debuted at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States.
2010: Sexuality clarification
In 2010, Kesha made similar statements regarding her sexuality. She clarified that she preferred not to label her sexuality, stating, "I'm not gay. I'm not straight. I don't know what I am. I love people ... I refuse to be anything, really, except for open to it all."
2010: MTV Europe Music Award
In 2010, Kesha received the MTV Europe Music Award for Best New Act.
2010: Release of Animal
In 2010, Kesha released her album Animal, which reached number one on the US Billboard 200.
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: Began writing for Warrior
In 2011, Kesha began writing for the Warrior album 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" Surpassed as Best-Selling Single
In 2011, Kesha's 2009 single "Tik Tok" was surpassed as the best-selling digital single.
2011: Bob Chamberlain claims to be Kesha's father
In 2011, a man named Bob Chamberlain claimed to be Kesha's father.
November 2012: Release of My Crazy Beautiful Life
In November 2012, Kesha released the illustrated autobiography My Crazy Beautiful Life through Touchstone Books.
November 30, 2012: Warrior Album Release
On November 30, 2012, Kesha's second studio album, Warrior, was released.
2012: Release of Warrior
In 2012, Kesha released her album Warrior, which reached the top-ten records.
2012: Settlement of DAS Lawsuit
In 2012, Kesha's lawsuit with DAS Communications Inc. was settled before the release of her second album.
March 23, 2013: 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" and airing of "Kesha: My Crazy Beautiful Life"
In April 2013, Kesha released "Crazy Kids" as the third single from Warrior, and it under-performed commercially. Also in April 2013, her TV documentary, Kesha: My Crazy Beautiful Life, began airing on MTV.
July 2013: Start of the Warrior Tour
In July 2013, Kesha started the Warrior Tour to support her album, co-headlining the North American leg with American rapper Pitbull.
July 2013: The Flaming Lips announce collaborative album with Kesha
In July 2013, The Flaming Lips stated their intention of releasing a full-length collaborative album with Kesha, called Lipsha. The project was eventually cancelled in the winter of the same year.
October 7, 2013: Release of "Timber" collaboration with Pitbull
On October 7, 2013, Kesha and Pitbull released their collaboration, "Timber", which became an international commercial success, becoming Kesha's third number-one and tenth top-ten single on the Billboard Hot 100.
2013: Sexuality clarification
In 2013, Kesha made similar statements regarding her sexuality. She clarified that she preferred not to label her sexuality, stating, "I'm not gay. I'm not straight. I don't know what I am. I love people ... I refuse to be anything, really, except for open to it all."
January 3, 2014: Checking into Rehab for Eating Disorder Treatment
On January 3, 2014, Kesha checked into Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center in Lemont, Illinois, for eating disorder treatment. Her mother confirmed she was suffering from bulimia nervosa and had struggled with it since being signed, partly blaming Dr. Luke for telling her to lose weight.
January 2014: Kesha enters rehabilitation center
In January 2014, Kesha checked into a rehabilitation center for bulimia nervosa and began working on her third studio album. Following rehab, she decided to use her birth name, Kesha, instead of Ke$ha.
March 6, 2014: Completion of Rehab Treatment
On March 6, 2014, Kesha completed her treatment at Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center, after spending two months in rehab for an eating disorder.
June 2014: Kesha Joins Rising Star as an Expert
In June 2014, Kesha became an expert in the American television singing competition, Rising Star, alongside Brad Paisley and Ludacris.
October 2014: Kesha Sues Dr. Luke
In October 2014, Kesha sued producer Dr. Luke for sexual assault, battery, sexual harassment, gender violence, emotional abuse, and violation of California business practices that occurred over a 10-year period.
2014: Legal Dispute with Dr. Luke Begins
In 2014, Kesha's career was halted due to a legal dispute with her former producer Dr. Luke. A series of lawsuits, known collectively as Kesha v. Dr. Luke, were exchanged between the two parties.
August 4, 2015: Kesha signs with SESAC Inc.
On August 4, 2015, Kesha signed with American performance rights organization SESAC Inc.
October 12, 2015: Kesha guest stars 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 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.
February 19, 2016: Kesha's request to be released from Kemosabe Records denied.
On February 19, 2016, New York Supreme Court Justice Shirley Kornreich ruled against Kesha's request for a preliminary injunction to release her from Kemosabe Records.
April 6, 2016: Kesha's case dismissed by Kornreich.
On April 6, 2016, Kornreich dismissed Kesha's case, stating that the statute of limitations had expired on the sexual assault allegations.
April 29, 2016: Release of "True Colors" collaboration with Zedd
On April 29, 2016, a studio version of Kesha's collaboration with Zedd, "True Colors", was released as a single.
May 22, 2016: Kesha covers Bob Dylan at Billboard Music Awards
On May 22, 2016, Kesha covered Bob Dylan's song "It Ain't Me Babe" at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards.
June 11, 2016: Kesha Performs at Pride in the Street
On June 11, 2016, Kesha performed at Pride in the Street in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
July 23, 2016: Start of the Kesha and the Creepies: Fuck the World Tour
On July 23, 2016, Kesha commenced her third worldwide concert tour, the Kesha and the Creepies: Fuck the World Tour, in Las Vegas.
August 11, 2017: Release of Rainbow
On August 11, 2017, Kesha's third studio album, Rainbow, was released, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and receiving universal acclaim from music critics.
September 26, 2017: Start of the Rainbow Tour
On September 26, 2017, Kesha embarked on the Rainbow Tour in Birmingham, Alabama, to promote her album, visiting North America, Europe, Oceania, and Asia.
2017: Records Sold
As of 2017, Kesha had sold over 100 million records worldwide, including 87 million tracks and streams.
2017: Release of Rainbow
In 2017, Kesha released her album Rainbow, which reached number one on the US Billboard 200.
January 2018: Release of "Woman" as a single
In January 2018, Kesha released "Woman" as the second single from the album Rainbow.
June 6, 2018: Start of The Adventures of Kesha and Macklemore tour
On June 6, 2018, Kesha began 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, Kesha ended a co-headlining concert tour with Macklemore named The Adventures of Kesha and Macklemore in North America.
August 10, 2018: Release of Rainbow: The Film
On August 10, 2018, Kesha's documentary film, Rainbow: The Film, was released on Apple Music.
September 19, 2018: Release of "Here Comes the Change"
On September 19, 2018, Kesha released her song "Here Comes the Change", as a single to promote the biographical film about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, On the Basis of Sex (2018).
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, an advocacy group against sexual harassment.
2018: Protest of Donald Trump with "Woman"
Kesha wrote her 2018 single, "Woman" in protest of Donald Trump's "pussy grabbing comment".
February 2019: Kesha's Weird and Wonderful Rainbow Ride Cruise
In February 2019, Kesha hosted a 4-day-long cruise called Kesha's Weird and Wonderful Rainbow Ride. The cruise set off in Tampa, Florida, and ended in Nassau, Bahamas.
October 21, 2019: Kesha confirms the title of her new album as High Road
On October 21, 2019, Kesha released a trailer to confirm the title of her album as High Road.
2019: "Tik Tok" Sales
As of 2019, "Tik Tok" had sold about 14 million copies worldwide, becoming the best-selling single in digital history.
2019: Album Units Sold
As of 2019, Kesha had sold 14 million album equivalent units.
2019: Discussion of Sexuality in Attitude Article
In her 2019 Attitude article, Kesha discussed her sexuality, saying: "I have always been attracted to the soul behind a person's eyes. It has never occurred to me to care about a specific gender, or how someone is identifying, to make me wonder about whether or not I'm attracted to them."
April 18, 2020: Kesha performs at One World: Together at Home benefit event
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, with an announcement video.
November 20, 2020: Launch of Kesha and the Creepies podcast
On November 20, 2020, Kesha launched her podcast, Kesha and the Creepies, exploring supernatural subjects and alternative lifestyles with pop culture guests and supernatural experts.
2020: Release of High Road
In 2020, Kesha released her album High Road, which reached the top-ten records.
August 13, 2021: Start of Kesha Live tour
On August 13, 2021, Kesha embarked on her fifth headlining tour, Kesha Live (2021) with Betty Who serving as the opening act. The tour started in Billings, Montana.
August 30, 2021: Premiere of Electric Easy podcast
On August 30, 2021, the scripted podcast, Electric Easy, premiered. Kesha served as executive producer and starred in the musical neo-noir science fiction show.
September 12, 2021: End of Kesha Live tour
On September 12, 2021, Kesha ended her fifth headlining tour, Kesha Live (2021).
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, and was used to promote the cannabis infused drink, Cann.
July 8, 2022: Premiere of Conjuring Kesha
On July 8, 2022, the show Conjuring Kesha, which Kesha starred in and produced, premiered on Discovery+. In the show, Kesha and her guests explore paranormal hotspots.
2022: Sexuality clarification
In 2022, Kesha clarified that she preferred not to label her sexuality, stating, "I'm not gay. I'm not straight. I don't know what I am. I love people ... I refuse to be anything, really, except for open to it all."
2022: Diagnosis of Common Variable Immunodeficiency
In 2022, Kesha was diagnosed with common variable immunodeficiency, which made her feel fatigued every day.
January 2023: Near-Death Experience After Egg Freezing Complication
In January 2023, Kesha almost died after a complication with freezing her eggs, and a few weeks later, she felt weak after a performance and was sent to the hospital for nine days.
April 25, 2023: Gag Order Album Title Announcement
On April 25, 2023, Kesha announced the title of her album as Gag Order and unveiled its artwork.
May 19, 2023: Gag Order Album Release
On May 19, 2023, Kesha's album Gag Order was released, featuring the singles "Eat the Acid", "Fine Line", and "Only Love Can Save Us Now". The album, produced by Rick Rubin, explores themes of overcoming trauma and depression related to her lawsuit with Dr. Luke.
June 2023: Gag Order Acoustic EP and Helluva Boss Feature
In June 2023, Kesha expressed gratitude to her supporters and announced her extended play, Gag Order (Live Acoustic EP from Space). Also in June 2023, she voiced Beelzebub "Queen Bee" in the season 1 finale of the YouTube animated series, Helluva Boss.
June 2023: Settlement of Legal Dispute
In June 2023, the legal dispute between Kesha and Dr. Luke was settled out of court.
June 22, 2023: Settlement with Dr. Luke
On June 22, 2023, Kesha and Dr. Luke announced the official settlement of their case, a month before it was to go to trial. Kesha expressed her desire to move on and wished peace to all involved, while Dr. Luke continued to deny the original claims. Details of the settlement were not revealed.
November 2023: Lyric Change in "Tik Tok"
In November 2023, while performing, Kesha altered the lyrics to her song "Tik Tok" from "Wake up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy" to "Wake up in the morning feeling just like me" to remove a reference to Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, a response to a lawsuit from Cassie Ventura.
December 18, 2023: Parting Ways with Kemosabe Records and Vector Management
On December 18, 2023, Kesha parted ways with Dr. Luke's Kemosabe Records and distributor RCA, as well as amicably splitting with Vector Management, upon the expiration of their contract.
2023: Release of Gag Order
In 2023, Kesha released the album Gag Order, fulfilling her five-album contract with Kemosabe Records.
February 2024: Signing with Crush Management
In early February 2024, it was reported that Kesha had officially signed with Crush Management.
April 2024: Further Alteration of "Tik Tok" Lyrics at Coachella
During a guest appearance at singer Reneé Rapp's Coachella set in April 2024, Kesha further altered the lyrics of "Tik Tok" to "wake up in the morning, like, 'Fuck P. Diddy'" in response to additional lawsuits filed against Combs.
June 29, 2024: New Single "Joyride" Announcement
On June 29, 2024, Kesha announced her new single, "Joyride", which was released on July 4 through her self-titled label, Kesha Records, marking her first release after parting ways with Kemosabe and RCA Records.
September 2024: Distribution Deal with Alternative Distribution Alliance
In September 2024, Kesha's independent record label, Kesha Records, 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", featured on her album, Brat and It's Completely Different but Also Still Brat.
2024: Kesha Contradicts Past Statements
In a 2024 interview, Kesha contradicted past statements, saying that she never earned her GED.
2024: Teaching Songwriting Course
In early 2024, Kesha taught a songwriting course called 'The Alchemy of Pop Music' at the Esalen Institute.
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 Announcement of "Period" Album
On March 27, 2025, Kesha released the single "Yippee-Ki-Yay", featuring T-Pain, and announced her sixth studio album, Period, which will be released on July 4, 2025.
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, touring the United States and Canada in support of the album Period.
May 16, 2025: Release of "Boy Crazy"
On May 16, 2025, Kesha released "Boy Crazy", the fourth single from her upcoming album Period.
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
On July 4, 2025, Kesha is set to release her first independent album, Period, under her own label Kesha Records.
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