Kesha

Kesha is a member of the LGBT community and has described her romantic attraction as open and independent of gender. She is an ordained minister and has officiated legal commitment ceremonies for same-sex and opposite-sex couples.

She began dating Brad Ashenfelter in 2014, and the couple separated in 2023. She has also been linked to entrepreneur Michael Gilvary and producer Riccardo Maddalosso. In 2025, she revealed that she had previously been quietly engaged, but realized through her songwriting that she was not ready for marriage.

Kesha has spoken openly about her physical and mental health challenges. In January 2014, she entered the Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center in Illinois for treatment of bulimia nervosa, completing a two-month programme that March. In 2022, she was diagnosed with common variable immunodeficiency, a condition causing chronic fatigue, and was hospitalized for nine days in early 2023 following complications from an egg-freezing procedure. She has also shared that she was diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder in 2023.

Kesha Rose Sebert was born on March 1, 1987, in Los Angeles, California. She was raised by her single mother, Rosemary Patricia "Pebe" Sebert, a singer-songwriter who co-wrote the 1978 country hit "Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You". The family experienced severe financial hardship, relying on food stamps and welfare assistance to support Kesha and her older brother Lagan.

In 1991, the family relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, after Pebe secured a publishing contract. Growing up around recording studios, Kesha was taught songwriting by her mother and often collaborated with her on demos. While attending Franklin High School and Brentwood High School, Kesha played trumpet and saxophone in the marching band. Despite earning high marks and receiving a scholarship offer to Barnard College, she chose to pursue music professionally, leaving high school at age 17 to return to Los Angeles.

During her early years in Los Angeles, Kesha signed with Prescription Songs in 2005 and worked as a waitress to support herself while recording demos and writing tracks for other artists, including "This Love" by The Veronicas. She provided background vocals for Paris Hilton's single "Nothing in This World" and Britney Spears's "Lace and Leather", and appeared in the music video for Katy Perry's 2008 hit "I Kissed a Girl". In early 2009, she gained significant industry attention when she made an uncredited vocal contribution to Flo Rida's chart-topping single "Right Round".

In 2009, Kesha signed a multi-album contract with RCA Records. Her debut single, "Tik Tok", was released in August 2009 and rapidly ascended global music charts, spending nine weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The track broke the record for the highest single-week digital sales by a female artist with 610,000 downloads and eventually sold more than 14 million copies worldwide.

Her debut studio album, Animal, arrived in January 2010 and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Supported by subsequent top-ten singles including "Blah Blah Blah", "Your Love Is My Drug", and "Take It Off", the album established her distinct dance-pop style, characterized by talk-singing, processed vocals, and irreverent lyrics. That same year, she won Best New Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards.

Later in November 2010, Kesha issued a companion extended play titled Cannibal. Its lead single, "We R Who We R", debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, followed by the top-ten success of "Blow". In February 2011, she launched the Get Sleazy Tour, her first headlining worldwide concert run. Around this time, she also co-wrote Britney Spears's single "Till the World Ends" and appeared on its official remix alongside Nicki Minaj.

Kesha released her second studio album, Warrior, in November 2012. The project embraced broader rock influences alongside electropop productions and featured collaborations with artists such as Iggy Pop, Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips, and Alice Cooper. The lead single, "Die Young", reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100, followed by singles "C'Mon" and "Crazy Kids". Alongside the album, she published an illustrated autobiography, My Crazy Beautiful Life, and starred in an MTV documentary series of the same name. In late 2013, she achieved another Billboard Hot 100 number one as the featured artist on Pitbull's single "Timber".

In October 2014, Kesha initiated a lawsuit against producer Dr. Luke, alleging years of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, as well as employment discrimination, seeking release from her recording contracts. Dr. Luke denied the allegations and filed countersuits alleging defamation and breach of contract. A lengthy legal standoff ensued, during which Kesha was unable to release solo music for several years.

The prolonged litigation drew widespread public attention and ignited the fan-led #FreeKesha movement, with numerous prominent musical peers publicly expressing support. In June 2023, after nearly a decade of legal proceedings and shortly before the dispute was scheduled to go to trial, Kesha and Dr. Luke announced that they had reached an out-of-court settlement.

Kesha returned to music in July 2017 with the emotional ballad "Praying", the lead single from her third studio album, Rainbow. Released in August 2017, the album departed from her earlier party-centric dance sound in favor of pop rock, country, and soul influences. Rainbow debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, earned widespread critical acclaim, and garnered Kesha her first Grammy Award nominations for Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Solo Performance.

In January 2020, Kesha released her fourth studio album, High Road, blending reflective songwriting with the energetic dance-pop of her earlier work. The album featured singles such as "Raising Hell" featuring Big Freedia and "Resentment", featuring Brian Wilson, Sturgill Simpson, and Wrabel. During this era, she also launched a beauty brand, Kesha Rose Beauty, and hosted the podcast Kesha and the Creepies.

Her fifth studio album, Gag Order, was released in May 2023. Produced by Rick Rubin, the experimental art-pop project explored heavy themes of trauma, vulnerability, and the emotional toll of her prolonged legal battle, featuring tracks such as "Eat the Acid" and "Fine Line". The album fulfilled her five-album contractual obligation to Kemosabe and RCA Records, allowing her to conclude her major-label tenure later that year.

Following her departure from Kemosabe and RCA Records in late 2023, Kesha established her own independent imprint, Kesha Records, which secured a global distribution agreement with Alternative Distribution Alliance in 2024. She inaugurated this independent chapter on July 4, 2024, with the release of the single "Joyride".

Her sixth studio album, Period, was released on July 4, 2025, celebrating her artistic independence and returning to an experimental pop and disco sound. The album spawned singles including "Delusional", "Yippee-Ki-Yay" featuring T-Pain, "Boy Crazy", and "Attention!" with Rose Gray and Slayyyter. To promote the record, Kesha embarked on The Tits Out Tour in 2025, co-headlined with the Scissor Sisters, followed by The Freedom Tour in 2026.