Kesha Releases Her First Single as an Independent Artist: 'Now We Joyride'
“I couldn’t have made it through without all of you," said the singer as she released 'Joyride' on Independence Day, marking her first single since parting ways with RCA Records in 2023
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Kesha at the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 31st Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party on March 12, 2023 in West HollywoodKesha released her new single 'Joyride' on Thursday, July 4
'Joyride' marks the singer's first song since becoming an independent artist
Kesha parted ways with record labels Kemosabe, RCA Records, and Vector Management in June 2023
Kesha is celebrating her independence.
On Thursday, July 4, the singer, 37, released her new single “Joyride” — her first since she parted ways with RCA Records and Vector Management in June 2023.
“I couldn’t have made it through without all of you. now we joyride,” Kesha wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter) as she posted news of “Joyride” ahead of its release.
The lyric video for the single also posted on YouTube and showcased a selection of fiery visuals of a truck and the words “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."
“Don't, don't, don't, don't even try to gi-give me s---, I've earned the right to b-be like this, Oh, you say you love me? (That's funny), Well, so do I.”
According to Rolling Stone, the “TiK ToK” artist co-wrote “Joyride” with Madison Love and Zhone. Zhone also served as producer.
Ahead of the track's release, Kesha shared several snaps to tease the single on her Instagram page, including multiple photos of the songwriter posing by a white car at a gas station.
She also shared more snaps of her holding a 7-Eleven slurpee with the song title “Joyride” written on the cup.
“Keep your 👀 on the road…,” her caption read.
Sarah Morris/WireImage
Kesha performs at OUTLOUD Music Festival at 2024 WeHo Pride on May 31, 2024Following the song’s release on Thursday, Kesha also shared a video of herself singing the song with some friends on Instagram.
“MY NEW SINGLE JOYRIDE IS OUT NOW,” she wrote under the clip.
Back in March, Kesha hinted that she would be releasing new music by sharing a video of herself walking nude outdoors.
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“Freedom, I’ve been waiting for you. Everything’s changed now, we haven’t talked in a while," she sang in the clip shared on Instagram at the time, while directing fans to a new website.
She then wrote on her Instagram Stories and on X, "March 6, 2024. First day I've owned my voice in 19 years. Welcome."
This came after the star told V Magazine in an interview that she would soon be “free to release music.”
"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 when asked what she wanted to "put out there into the world."
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Kesha settled a nearly 10-year-long defamation lawsuit with producer Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald last year after she sued him in 2014 for sexual emotional and physical abuse, alleging that he drugged and sexually assaulted her in 2005.
After agreeing to resolve the lawsuit out of court, both parties released public statements via Instagram in June 2023. Kesha claimed she "cannot recount" the details of the alleged sexual abuse, while Dr. Luke wished her "well" and continued to deny the accusation.
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