Kesha Opens Up About Spiritual Journey And Overcoming Anxiety In Candid Interview
Kesha got candid about her personal struggles with anxiety during a recent interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe. The 36-year-old singer, who celebrated the release of her fifth studio album, Gag Order, last week, revealed that she had initially mistaken her anxiety for a “psychotic break.” However, Kesha shared that embracing her spirituality had been instrumental in helping her through that challenging time.
Speaking to Zane Lowe, Kesha stated, “I went through this crazy psychedelic spiritual experience in the midst of the anxiety. It was pure anxiety, and my brain felt like… I thought maybe it was the process of having a psychotic break or something. But then once I just started leaning into it, I was like, ‘Well, it’s happening, so what am I going to do about it?'”
The chart-topping singer disclosed that she had a profound psychedelic trip while being sober, which became the inspiration for one of the tracks on her album, titled Eat The Acid. Kesha, a triple Pisces, also shared her fascination with the paranormal and various spiritual beliefs, delving into the subject matter on her podcast, Kesha And The Creepies, and her Discovery+ series, Conjuring Kesha.
In her conversation with Lowe, she spoke about her quest for true joy and happiness, explaining how she had to confront her deepest fears and traumas before reclaiming her joy. One of the songs on the album, Happy, reflects her desire to let go, trust the process, and find freedom.
“I want to be happy, I want to let go. I want to be free. I want to trust the process, trust the universe, all of those things,” Kesha movingly said to Zack, adding, “And I do feel like I cannot just remain in my childlike self. So there’s an element of having to grow up.”
Collaborating with creative director Brian Roettinger, Kesha created the album cover and visualizers for several songs on Gag Order. She also worked alongside renowned producer Rick Rubin to craft the album’s 13 tracks, which allowed her to rediscover her love for music.
Reflecting on her experience with Rubin, Kesha revealed, “The whole process with Rick that blew my mind was being present in how I feel and making it come out into the song in a way that felt like it’s reflective of the feeling, a sound that reflects a feeling.” She emphasized that for the first time, she made art for the purpose of expressing her emotions sincerely, without the pressure of commercial success.
Discussing her highly personal album, Kesha acknowledged the vulnerability it entailed. “I really dug into some of my uglier emotions and sides of myself that are less fun. It’s scary being vulnerable,” she confessed. However, she viewed the compilation of these raw emotions as a healing process.
Amid her musical endeavors, Kesha has been entangled in an ongoing legal battle with record producer Dr. Luke, known as Lukasz Sebastian Gottwald. The singer has accused him of sexual and emotional abuse, while he has countersued for defamation. A court date has been scheduled for July later this year.Prior to the album’s release, Kesha unveiled three singles from Gag Order – Eat The Acid, Fine
Line, and Only Love Can Save Us Now. For the Die Young star, her latest album feels like “the most intimate thing” she has ever done.
