The Five Best Kesha Songs

Pop star Kesha has long been the subject of intense media coverage, but a new Kesha song has not been released in months. In the wake of today’s New York Times profile on Kesha entitled “Kesha, Interrupted,” many revelations have come out about the singer and her relationship with her record label, Kemosabe Records. Kesha, who is currently locked in a legal battle with producer and alleged rapist Dr. Luke, has struggled to release new music and claims she has been thwarted by the label.

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During the interview, Kesha revealed that she has provided Kemosabe with 22 potential new songs. The songs were part of a cohesive new album, and Kesha “gave Sony and [Dr.] Luke a list of producers and a budget for the album back in April.” However, little progress has been made on releasing the new Kesha songs or putting them together in an EP or album.

The last time a Kesha song hit airwaves was in April of this year when electronic musician Zedd offered Kesha a feature on his previously-recorded song “True Colors.” The song, however, failed to gain any traction: no music video was released, and the song only peaked at No. 74 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Because Kesha has been embroiled in legal disputes and tabloid controversies, the public has generally lost sight of the fact that she is a talented musician. In addition to being a vocalist, Kesha also plays guitar and is a prolific songwriter for both herself and other pop stars.

Kesha’s music needs to be celebrated, now more than ever. Upon revisiting Kesha’s song catalog, five songs stand out as clear frontrunners that deserve note.

5. “We R Who We R”

“We R Who We R” was one of Kesha’s biggest radio hits, and for good reason. The video and lyrics celebrate Kesha’s trash-pop aesthetic: “Got that glitter on my eyes / Stockings ripped all up the sides.” Most importantly, the song was a self-empowerment anthem and an ode to feeling forever young.

4. “Sleazy”

The best Kesha songs are the most fun ones, and “Sleazy” has Kesha full-on rapping over a booming trap beat. The rat-a-tat of the drums is infectious, and Kesha’s staccato verses complement the percussion well. The syncopation of the verses contrasts nicely with Kesha’s softer vocals on the chorus, in which she sings “I don’t need you or your brand-new Benz / Or your bougie friends / I don’t need love lookin’ like diamonds.” Only Kesha could make a trap song about anti-consumerism.

why is sleazy by kesha the best rap song of all time

— ? (@yuiphy) October 25, 2016

3. “Cannibal”

“Cannibal” is certainly Kesha’s kookiest track. Kesha manages to name-check Jeffrey Dahmer and threaten to literally devour her male admirers. The combination of dark, disturbing lyrical content with the pulsating club beat makes “Cannibal” a track unique to Kesha – Katy Perry or Taylor Swift certainly couldn’t pull off such a strange combination.

2. “Only Wanna Dance with You”

Kesha’s third (and sadly final) album Warrior marked a musical turning point for the singer. Kesha incorporated more rock elements into her songs, and the opening electronic guitar chords on “Only Wanna Dance with You” illustrate this musical transition. The song departs from Kesha’s typical song structure: the bridge is an electric guitar solo, and the modulation of the final chorus makes the song’s finale that much more explosive.

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1. “Gold Trans Am”

“Gold Trans Am” is another cut from Warrior and undoubtedly the best Kesha song. The song cribs the footstomp beat from “We Will Rock You” to great effect, and Kesha utilizes plenty of rock tropes by singing about Daisy Dukes, southern highways, and classic cars. In typical Kesha fashion, she subverts gender expectations by objectifying men instead of the other way around. “Gold Trans Am” is an over-the-top, totally decadent ode to freedom, free love, and America.

While those are the best Kesha songs so far, hopefully, we’ll be hearing new music from the singer any day now.

[Featured Image by Robin Marchant/Stringer/Getty Images]