Kesha says artists ‘don’t exist to make others happy’

Kesha has insisted artists don’t “exist to make others happy”.

The 36-year-old singer has announced her new album ‘Gag Order’ – her fifth record and the follow-up to 2020’s ‘High Road’ – will be released on May 19 and with singles ‘Fine Line’ and ‘Eat the Acid’ set to drop later this week.

Writing in an album manifesto she said: “Without the darkness there is no light. So I let my darkness have the light.

“I can’t fight the truth. Life is difficult and painful. It is for everyone.

“An artist doesn’t exist to make others happy, I believe an artist gives voice, motion, colour to the emotions we all have. The good emotions, and the unmanageably f****** miserable ones.”

The record’s title comes amid the star’s longrunning legal battle with her ex-producer Dr. Luke, who sued the singer in 2014 after she accused him of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse.

The week-long trial – which has been delayed – is set to start on July 19.

The ‘Woman’ singer – who has worked with producer Rick Rubin on the new collection – has hailed the record as “the most intimate thing” she has “ever created”.

She added: “I really dug into some of my uglier emotions and sides of myself that are less fun.

“It’s scary being vulnerable. “The fact that I have compiled an entire record of these emotions, of anger, of insecurity, of anxiety, of grief, of pain, of regret, all of that is so nerve-racking — but it’s also so healing.”

Kesha also thanked Rubin for creating a “safe space” for her to unload her feelings.

She said: “I wrote ‘TiK ToK,’ and ‘the party don’t start ’til I walk in,’ so I almost felt like I was becoming a caricature of this toxic positivity.

“We live in a culture where I feel like we always show our best side. But Rick Rubin created the most beautiful, safe space for me to really dive into these emotions.”