Kesha just announced the release of her new album, Gag Order, and simultaneously revealed the cover art and lead singles produced by Rick Rubin.
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The album’s title, Gag Order, is a term that typically refers to a court-enforced order banning someone from publicly disclosing and discussing particular information. No doubt, this references her ligation against Sony Music and producer Dr. Luke, in which she sought to void all business contracts due to alleged abuse. That suit was dismissed, but Dr. Luke’s countersuit in response remains active. In fact, it is scheduled to go to trial this summer. All the litigation and scrutiny leaves Kesha unable to address the suits directly. Available on May 29, “Gag Order” seems to promise that Kesha will be able to tell her side of the last few years, in one way or another.
Even with the announcement alone, the 36-year-old singer is speaking her truth. The cover art depicts Kesha under a clear plastic bag, which distorts her face and any perceivable emotions. The single “Fine Line” was reported by Rolling Stone as a fiery rant in which she yells, “the doctors and lawyers [who] cut the tongue out of my mouth,” and “But hey, look at all the money we made off me.” The irony is that this song could give her the final word, as “Fine Line” may be the last song under her contract with Dr. Luke, and will be released before the July 19 trial.
As for her collaboration with producer Rick Rubin, Kesha told Rolling Stone that they had worked and written together over Zoom during the height of the COVID pandemic. This led to Kesha recording her singing with just her phone, yet Rubin purposefully kept those tracks in the fully mixed singles. “Rick Rubin has access to the nicest microphones known to mankind,” she told the publication. “But the purity and genuine nature of just recording something with what you are holding in your hand on the fly, in the moment, it just captures the magic that was not re-creatable.”
Rubin also encouraged Kesha to dive deeper into her feelings and to be more than her perception as a symbol of partying and positivity. “We live in a culture where I feel like we always show our best side,” she said, "but Rick Rubin created the most beautiful, safe space for me to really dive into these emotions.”
Gag Order will be fully released in May, while the album’s first two singles, “Fine Line” and “Eat the Acid,” will both be released this Friday, April 28.
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