Kesha is back and better than even, but that does not mean that it wasn't thanks to a hell of a fight on her part. Kesha's new album Rainbow is finally here and I can honestly say it is everything I wanted and more. You get the real Kesha, the Kesha that the record labels seem to have been hiding from us all this time. For the first time ever, you get to hear the heart and soul of her as an artist and it is the most beautiful thing. Her name no longer has a dollar sign and she is back in the industry refusing to let them walk all over her.
Kesha has a contract with Dr. Luke who signed her at the young age of 18, she now is 30. Kesha has filed claims saying that Dr, Luke has sexually, physically, and mentally abused her throughout the years and took legal action to try to get out of the contract to avoid working with her abuser any longer. However, a judge denied her that opportunity. Leaving Kesha with no choice but to work for the label of her abuser or stop making music. Imagine going through something so awful and not being allowed to express your pain in the only way you know how as a singer and song writer.
Kesha decided to go ahead and make Rainbow, but Sony says that Dr, Luke did not have involvement with the album, but he still technically is a producer of the album and it is unknown if he is gaining profit from the album that was inspired by his abuse.
The album Rainbow is full of songs about empowerment from Bastards, Woman, Hymn, to Rainbow. Then about two thirds of the way through the album, it takes a turn that I would call a Joanne twist like Lady Gaga's last album. It is country and spunky and is about Kesha falling in love. The album begins with the typically IDGAF attitude but in a more classy and subdued way than her previous songs like TiK Tok. Then you get into her heartbreak of the trials with Dr. Luke. Praying being the song that really shows you all the pain in her heart with lyrics like, " I am proud of who I am. no more monsters, I can breathe again, and you said that I was done, but the best is yet to come." Then in my opinion, the best song, Rainbow, tells a story about letting go of depression and accepting the fact that it is ok to not be ok and that you deserve to want to see the world in colors despite what you've been through. Rainbow seems to be the remergence of Kesha herself in the album and that is when the country music takes over, like she is recreating herself in the image that she wants. And don't worry there still are those fun bops like Woman and Boogie Feet to get your fun Kesha fix.
Overall, I love this album. It shows that Kesha has overcome her past and is inspiration to all girls who feel that their abuser has won. Just because a court says that they won, does not mean that they won you or your story. Kesha shows us that it is ok to hurt and to need time to recover, but that it is possible and we have to keep fighting.
