Kesha told a rapt crowd at Hersheypark Stadium that she had songs “taken from” her and asked fans to help her reclaim them as she performed on the opening leg of her Freedom tour.
The pop star, who reached multi-platinum success with hits such as “TikTok” and “Blow”, repeated during the show that she is a “free woman”, thanking fans for supporting her through a protracted legal dispute that was widely reported in the US press. The case, which pitted the singer against her former producer Dr. Luke, ended in a settlement in 2023 after nearly a decade of litigation, according to coverage by PennLive and NPR.
Re-recordings and revised lyrics
Onstage in Hershey, Kesha performed several of her best-known songs with updated arrangements, reflecting that she has since re-recorded material under her own imprint, Kesha Records. Some lyrics were altered during the performance to remove references she no longer wishes to vocalise; during “TikTok” she also made a pointed remark about abuse in the industry before changing a line that originally named a music figure.
Her set included interactive moments: at one point Kesha sang while riding on a background dancer’s shoulders, toured the stadium greeting fans, kissed a fan’s cheek and gave high fives as she moved through the audience.
“I’ve had these songs taken from me, but I wrote them for you,” she said. “Will you help me take back my songs tonight?”
Guests and notable moments
Late in July, Kesha posted on Instagram that she and Pitbull performed “Timber” together for the first time as independent artists, an event she framed as part of her newfound independence. In Hershey she brought Canadian electro-funk duo Chromeo onstage for “Red Flag”, further underscoring the collaborative tone of the tour.
- Tour name: Freedom tour
- Label: Kesha Records (re-recordings released under this imprint)
- Notable performances: reworked versions of “TikTok”, “Blow”, “Take It Off”; guest appearance by Chromeo for “Red Flag”
Fans responded enthusiastically when familiar choruses returned, even with altered beats and lyrical tweaks. Reports say the audience frequently sang along, evidencing the enduring popularity of the material despite its complicated history.
Context and consequences
Kesha’s public reclamation of her catalogue adds to a growing trend of artists re-recording work after disputes over ownership and control. By performing newly produced versions of her songs, she is asserting creative and commercial control over output she says was previously out of her hands. The settlement in 2023 allowed her greater freedom to reproduce and release material through her own label, a move that aligns with similar strategies used by other international artists seeking autonomy over masters and royalties.
For South African music fans and industry observers, the tour is another high-profile instance of an artist leveraging public performance and direct fan engagement to reshape a narrative about ownership and agency. It also highlights the ongoing conversations about power dynamics in the global music business and the practical steps artists can take to regain rights over their work.
While details of the settlement remain a matter of public record in the United States reporting, the artistic outcome is apparent onstage: Kesha is presenting versions of her hits she controls and is inviting audiences to participate in that new chapter.
As the Freedom tour continues, it will be watched closely by fans and industry commentators alike as an example of how pop stars can navigate legal settlements, reissue material and use live performance to reaffirm authorship.
