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Kesha Shares The Alchemy of Pop at Her First Ever TED Talk; Reveals 'Songwriting is Something Sacred to Me'
In her first-ever TED Talk, Kesha opens up about how songwriting helps her through hardship, saying, "Songwriting is something sacred to me and I'm so excited to share why."
The 37-year-old pop star revealed how songwriting has been a way of life for her since she delivered her first TED Talk, titled "The Alchemy of Pop Music," at the Vancouver Convention Centre in Canada on April 29. Fragments of the talk can still be watched online, but the full video is also available.
Kesha said that writing songs is very dear to her and she was glad to speak about its role. She had never anticipated that she would deliver a TED Talk; however, she felt the need to depict why and how she composes music, the things she notices during the process, and the lessons she has acquired from it.
Kesha on songwriting's personal impact at TED talk
Kesha illustrated during the talk how songwriting has personally impacted her at various points in her life. She described pop music as a transformative process where, within the span of a song or two, one's mindset, mood, and entire energy can undergo a profound shift, akin to alchemy.
She stated that songwriting is like one of her favorite activities, which is scuba diving, though the two are different. Both activities allow her to delve deep and explore, whether it's the depths of a body of water or the recesses of the mind.
Kesha emphasized that through music, particularly through songwriting, she finds a way to express truths that she may struggle to articulate verbally to others, including friends, therapists, or maternal figures. She expressed that writing a song is her go-to method for channeling strong emotions effectively.
Kesha discusses legal battles, emotional struggles, and new independence at TED Talk
Kesha also discussed her singing career, which began with her breakout hit Tik Tok in 2009. She later faced a legal battle with her producer, Lukasz "Dr. Luke" Gottwald, spanning almost a decade and culminating in a resolution the previous year.
During this emotionally charged and highly publicized trial, Kesha felt she lost her voice, both literally and figuratively, and her autonomy as an artist.
Driven by these intense emotions, Kesha found solace in creating music and penned a song titled Praying.
Despite concerns about how her audience would perceive such a departure from her earlier party-girl image, Praying became a significant success, selling millions and earning a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance.
"I dove deep into the pain. I didn’t hide from it. I alchemized it into something healing, not only for me but inadvertently for other people," explained Kesha.
At the time of her TED talk, Kesha had recently parted ways with RCA Records, a Sony Music subsidiary, to regain control over her artistic voice. She became an independent artist, reclaiming her rights and creative direction.
In her latest independent release, Kesha titled her song Joyride and expressed deep gratitude to her fans on social media, acknowledging their unwavering support through her journey.
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