Kesha Rose Sebert was born on March 1, 1987, in Los Angeles, California. Her mother, Pebe Sebert, is a singer-songwriter who struggled financially while raising Kesha and her older brother, at times relying on welfare and food stamps. In 1991, the family moved to Nashville, Tennessee, after Pebe secured a songwriting deal. Kesha's interest in music was nurtured by her mother, who taught her how to write songs. At 17, she dropped out of high school to pursue her music career in Los Angeles at the encouragement of producer Max Martin.
Career Breakthrough and Success
In 2005, at the age of 18, Kesha signed with producer Dr. Luke's record label, Kemosabe Entertainment. Her breakthrough came in 2009 when she was featured on Flo Rida's number-one single "Right Round". Her debut single, "Tik Tok," released the same year, became a massive international hit, reaching number one in numerous countries and selling over 14 million copies worldwide. Her debut album, "Animal" (2010), topped the charts and produced other top-ten singles like "Your Love Is My Drug" and "Take It Off". She continued her success with the EP "Cannibal" (2010), which included the number-one hit "We R Who We R". Her second studio album, "Warrior," was released in 2012, featuring the hit single "Die Young".
Musical Style and Image
Kesha became known for her electropop and dance-pop music, often incorporating a rap-singing style. Her early image was characterized by a party-girl persona and a distinctive use of a dollar sign in her name (Ke$ha), which she later dropped in 2014.
Legal Battle and Career Hiatus
Kesha's career was significantly impacted by a lengthy legal battle with her former producer, Dr. Luke. In 2014, she sued him, alleging sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. Dr. Luke denied the allegations and countersued for defamation. The legal dispute led to a halt in her music career between her "Warrior" and "Rainbow" albums. The lawsuits were settled out of court in June 2023.
Return to Music and Recent Work
Kesha made a powerful return to music with her third studio album, "Rainbow" (2017), which debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200. The album's lead single, "Praying," earned a Grammy Award nomination. She has since released the albums "High Road" (2020) and "Gag Order" (2023), her final album with Kemosabe Records. She is set to release her first independent album under her own label, Kesha Records.