Gag Order (stylized as GⱯG ORDƎR and GA⅁ OꓤDER, and also known as Eat the Acid) is the fifth studio album by Kesha. The album was announced on April, 25, 2023 and released on May 19, 2023. This marks Kesha's third album where she takes the role of executive producer, following her two previous albums. She enlisted producer, Rick Rubin to create a more vulnerable album, one that touched on much darker themes such as depression, death, emotional exploitation, and a fight for the truth. The title serves as a reference to the lawsuit between Kesha and Dr. Luke, the latter being accused of sexual assault and battery by the singer, and her inability to speak on it. Musically, it is primarily an art-pop, psychedelic, electronic, and experimental record, but there are influences of genres such as: gospel, soul, lo-fi, dark wave, hyperpop, and country.
Ahead of the album's release, three singles were released "Eat the Acid", "Fine Line", both released as a dual single, and "Only Love Can Save Us Now".
Background
Before the release of High Road, it was reported that Kesha had a "gorgeous folk album that is just waiting for its moment to shine," but the release would depend on the lawsuit. [1]
Kesha said her new music was inspired by her introspect and reflections on world issues. In 2021, she described the sound of the album being a culmination of all the genres of music she likes.[2] Her show, Conjuring Kesha, also served as a large influence of the project. Throughout 2021–2023, Kesha was seen in the studio with producers such as Stint, Rick Rubin, Hudson Mohawke, Kennedi and more. [3][4] [5] On February 28, 2023, a day before her 36th birthday, the singer blacked out her Instagram, a common tactic used by artists when they're about to release new material. Kesha posted a video for her birthday, that included an instrumental snippet.
Kesha appeared in an episode of 60 Minutes, where she was working with Rubin and a church choir on a song called, "Only Love Can Save Us Now". After the episode aired, she went on Instagram Live to preview the track.
In an interview with ZEIT magazine, music producer Rick Rubin announced that he had worked with Kesha on the album and said that he believed the album was complete 6 months before she did.[6]
The album title reflects the situation she has been under due to the legal case against producer Dr. Luke, leaving her unable to speak or comment on it. Labeled "post-pop" and "emotional exorcism", the project finds Sebert at her most vunerable. In an Rolling Stone interview, she revealed that releasing the album feels like "giving birth to the most intimate thing" she has ever created, citing anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic and spiritual experiences of the previous three years as main influences. According to her, the record bundles up emotions "of anger, of insecurity, of anxiety, of grief, of pain, of regret". Guest appearances include her mother Pebe Sebert, Ram Dass on "Ram Dass Interlude," Luna Sebert (Kesha's 8-year-old niece) on "Only Love Reprise", and Oberon Zell on "Happy."[7]
On May 16, 2025, the album artwork was changed to have a glitchy pink filter on it, as well as the name being changed to "Eat the Acid", which was the album's original title. On the album's 2nd anniversary, Kesha released the demo versions of "Fine Line" and "Happy". On her Vault chat, she stated the name change is because "[the album] doesn't deserve that energy anymore" and that it "led [her] to freedom". She posted a longer statement on Twitter about the switch:
| “ | Sometimes you’re doing the magic and sometimes the magic is doing you, it’s just one of those things…
Making this album with the greatest living producer, Rick Rubin was the highlight of my artistic career and also of my personal life. He listened to me, he cared about me, he believed in me and he respected me. It just took one good man. He was the second executive producer I had worked with. He made me feel safe enough to be honest with the emotions I was going through at the time. He held the space, so I could break. I cried and sang vocals amongst Neil young tapes in the infamous Chappel at shangri la. I lived alone in Hawaii and became my friend and ally again. time stood still, and this was and still is the most surreal and life changing experience of my life. He always saw this album being called Eat the acid, but I just couldn’t see the light yet. Still in the midst of my pain, I could not see the forest through the trees. God blessed me with an album that performed on the charts in a way that led me to my freedom. I couldn’t see it when I was in it, and now I see it clearly. It all does happen for a reason. Trust the process. Relinquish control. Let go. Find God where you can. Believe in magic. Eat the acid. “then there comes a PERIOD when you’ve just gone through enough, when the space start to, that little blue sky starts to open up and you start to identify with the blue sky instead of the cloud. You flicker at first, and then you start to release. And often in the release, there is a closing of the heart because you don’t wanna get hurt again And you’ve got to allow that, it’s still part of the grief reaction. And a lot of you are holding on to grief from previous hurts And then comes the time you start to realize that you would rather be hurt than be living dead” -Ram das Animals, Thank you for being with me throughout my journey to freedom. I see it now. Thank you god. I love you. -Kesha |
” |
Recording
The following is a list of known dates on which Kesha was in the studio:
- February 18, 2021, with Stint[8][9]
- February 24, 2021, with Heavy Mellow, Hudson Mohawke and Kennedi[10]
- March 3, 2021, with Sad Pony[11][12]
- March 18, 2021, with Stint and Dayyon Alexander[13]
- April 14, 2021, with Pebe and Hudson Mohawke[14]
- April 15, 2021, with Pebe and Stint[15]
- May 28, 2021, with Tom Kahre[16]
- June 1, 2021[17]
- July 15, 2021, with Pebe[18]
- July 17, 2021, with Stint, Kennedi, and Pebe[19]
- January 13, 2022, with Pebe and Stuart Crichton[20]
- February 3, 2022[21]
- February 18, 2022 with Hudson Mohawke and GiGi Grombacher[22]
- June 7, 2022 with SOUNDSLIKEMYLIFE[23]
- December 18, 2022 with Scott Stevens and Marti Frederiksen[24]
- February 28, 2023 with Pebe, Carol Ades, and Petey Martin[25]
Promotion
In months leading up to the album's release, Kesha hosted a couple of Instagram livestreams where she revealed track names and more snippets. She described the album to be “raw, uncomfortable, and liberating.” On March 30, 2023, Kesha posted studio snippets of "Fine Line" and "Eat the Acid" for 24 hours only on a new SoundCloud account called "Kesha19523". Fans deciphered that the numbers in the username correlated to 5/19/23, Gag Order's release date. Kesha continued to post song snippets as Instagram Reels, TikToks, and YouTube Shorts.
Kesha got her own Twitter hashflags by tweeting #Kesha
, #GagOrder
, and #EatTheAcid
. The hashflags consist of the Gag Order logo, the plastic bag from the cover art, and the green chair from promotional images, respectively.
Fans were able to sign up to be chosen for an exclusive live listening party for the album in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, or Nashville. A timer was started on Kesha's social media on April 24, 2023. The title was announced the next day, along with the album's artwork and the release date of two lead singles, "Eat the Acid" and "Fine Line".
Select fans who entered the sweepstakes contest after pre-saving the album were mailed an envelope containing signed posters and lyric cards for the album. A QR code on the poster led to a video message from Kesha.[26] The tracklist was revealed on May 2, 2023; however, Kesha commented on an Instagram indicating she did not know about the reveal. Three days later, all the lyrics to the entire album were made available for download on the singer's official website.[27]
To promote the album, Kesha appeared on Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, Carolina with Greg T in the Morning Show, Valentine in the Morning, Happy Place Podcast, Zach Sang Show, Mindrolling Podcast, The Best Show with Tom Scharpling[28], and Michelle Visage's Rule Breakers.[29] Kesha was also interviewed by TV personality Hannah Berner, Emily Curl for iHeart Radio, Mike Adam for Audacy, Zane Lowe for Apple Music, Davis Burleson for Sirius XM,[30][31][32] and Taylor Weatherby for Grammy.com.[33] Kesha also collaborated with content creators Ginna Ruane[34], Amanda Cerny[35], and Crish[36] for social media videos.
On the release day of the album, Spotify posted Kesha's interpretations of Gag Order songs as stick-and-poke tattoos:[37]
Artwork
Vincent Haycock photographed the cover artwork for Gag Order as well as multiple other promotional materials. Haycock also directed the videos for "Eat the Acid", "Fine Line", "Hate Me Harder", "Happy", "Living in My Head", "Only Love Reprise", and "Only Love Can Save Us Now".
Art director, Brian Roettinger stated that the fact the visuals have no nod or callbacks to Kesha's previous work was intentional. "This was a time for shedding ideas from the past that were a bit more maximalist. It’s never easy to tell an artist to forget what they are comfortable with. But it’s a stage of growth. It was about evolving." The stripped back, single toned and simple typography was to give the album an overall bold and simple aesthetic. The 'E' and 'A' are flipped in Kesha's logo as to make sure the visuals weren't "boring". Roettinger wanted the album's art and visuals to elicit an emotional response and to feel discomfort. "A feeling of discomfort. Love it or hate it I wanted people to feel. We are inundated with imagery and music based imagery that it’s so easy to quickly glance and move on without feeling anything. I wanted to avoid that."[38]
Singles
Accolades
| Publication | Accolade | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Arts Desk | Album of the Year 2023 | ||
| The Independent | The 30 Best Albums of 2023 | 30 | |
| PopMatters | The 20 Best Pop Albums of 2023 | 13 | |
| Rolling Stone | The 100 Best Albums of 2023 | 24 | |
| Slant Magazine | The 50 Best Albums of 2023 | 16 | |
| The Sunday Times | The 20 Best Albums of 2023 | 16 |
Tracklisting
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Something to Believe In" | Kesha Sebert • Pebe Sebert • Stuart Crichton | Kesha • Crichton • Rick Rubin | 03:29 | |
| 2. | "Eat the Acid" | K. Sebert • P. Sebert • Crichton | Kesha • Crichton • Jason Lader • Rubin | 04:02 | |
| 3. | "Living in My Head 🅴" | K. Sebert • Everett Romano • Gabriella Grombacher • Rubin | Kesha • Hudson Mohawke • Rubin | 03:06 | |
| 4. | "Fine Line 🅴" | K. Sebert • P. Sebert • Ajay Bhattacharya | Kesha • Crichton • Lader • Rubin | 03:26 | |
| 5. | "Only Love Can Save Us Now 🅴" | K. Sebert • Bhattacharya • Jussi Karvinen | Kesha • Stint • Jussifer • Rubin | 02:34 | |
| 6. | "All I Need Is You 🅴" | K. Sebert • Bhattacharya • Caroline Pennell • Romano • Karvinen • Rex Kudo | Kesha • Stint • Rubin | 03:01 | |
| 7. | "The Drama 🅴" | K. Sebert • Drew Pearson • Rubin • Dee Dee Ramone • Joey Ramone • Johnny Ramone • Kurt Vile • Shawn Everett | Kesha • Lader • Pearson • Rubin | 04:23 | |
| 8. | "Ram Dass Interlude" | 01:14 | |||
| 9. | "Too Far Gone" | K. Sebert • Pearson • Skyler Stonestreet | Kesha • Pearson • Rubin | 02:16 | |
| 10. | "Peace & Quiet 🅴" | K. Sebert • Kathleen Brady Ross • Kennedi Lykken • Ross Matthew Birchard | Kesha • Mohawke • Rubin | 02:57 | |
| 11. | "Only Love Reprise" | K. Sebert • Bhattacharya • Karvinen • Rubin | Kesha • Rubin • Lader | 01:15 | |
| 12. | "Hate Me Harder 🅴" | K. Sebert • Justin Tranter • Bhattacharya • Karvinen • Pennell • Lykken | Kesha • Rubin | 02:48 | |
| 13. | "Happy" | K. Sebert • Blake Slatkin • Stonestreet | Kesha • Rubin | 04:22 | |
Total length: |
38:53 | ||||
Audio
Music videos
Merchandise
- Main article: Merchandise
Booklet and credits
- Album Produced by: Rick Rubin
- Executive Producer: Kesha
- Recorded & Mixed by Jason Lader
- Co-Producers:
- Stuart Crichton (1, 2)
- Jussifer (5)
- Jason Lader (4, 7, 9, 11)
- Hudson Mohawke (3, 10)
- Drew Pearson (7, 9)
- Kesha Sebert
- Stint (5, 6)
- Additional Production:
- Tom Kahre (2)
- Jeremy Hatcher (5)
- Additional Vocal Production by Kesha (2)
- Mixes Assisted by Olivia Painter
- Additional Engineering:
- Jeremy Hatcher
- Tom Kahre
- Dylan Neustadter
- Luke Reynolds
- Assistant Engineers:
- Jon Pfarr
- Bobby Mota
- Gregg White
- Colin Willard
- Recorded & Mixed at Shangri La Studios, Malibu, California
- Mastered by Stephen Marcussen at Marcussen Mastering, Hollywood, CA
- Production Assistants:
- Hollis Howard
- Cole Hopcus
- David Cesareo
- Jack Ross
- Matt Prater
- Ray Braungart
- Sofia Staedler
- Brennan Rubin
- Production Coordination:
- Frances Bowdery
- Eric Lynn
- Dave Hanych
- A&R Administration:
- Mark Springer
- Scott Sylvester
- Management: Jack Rovner & Frances Bowdery for Vector Management
- Business Management: Jamie Cheek & Sloan Shore, FBMM
- Legal: Stephen Sessa, Josh Love, & Amy Dunitz for Reed Smith
| “ | THANK YOU to The Universe for compiling the life force of atoms and energy to make this cosmic dimensional existence available for me to experience. Thank you to all the others who are walking me home. My Mom, Pebe Sebert, Rick Rubin, my feline soulmates - Mr. Peeps, Charlie, Queso & Carl, Lagan Sebert, Louie Sebert, Rio Sebert, Luna Sebert, Sanda Sampayo, Sonia Sebert, Kalan Sebert, Sean Dondenville, Roya Sebert Dondenville, Rowan Dondenville, Riccardo Chicken, Jack Rovner, Frances Bowdery, Jason Lader, Julianne Wright, Summer & Reece Charchol, Diana Suarez & Adam Hines & Stevie Suarez, Calico Cooper, Stephen Wrabel, Eric Leva, Ellas Malin, Nick Annis, Ted Gowans, Logan Schyvynk, Derek Tabada, Brian Roettinger, Matt Dyson, Brad, Turner, Megan King, Corey Black for saving my life that one time, Shoe, Chelsea, David Ellison, Anders, Skylar, Drew, Stint, Hudson, Heavy, Justin Tranter, Kathleen, Kennedi, Gigi, Caroline, Rex, Jussi, Manny, CJ Camerieri, Rob Moose, Luke Reynolds, Tom Kahre, Mary Lattimore, Will Graefe, Benny Bock, Jan Pfarr, Cory Henry, Jeremy Hatcher, Ashley Williams, Clay Porche, Steve Epting, Richie Kirkpatrick. Kit Marilyn Josh & Rebecca, Barbara Charone. Most of all, thank you to you, my fans. I would be lost without you all. You give me purpose. Long after I'm gone, I hope these vibrations echo through the cosmos as a proclamation of my truest energetic existence at this surreal moment in time. | ” |
Promotional Videos
Trivia
- Gag Order is Kesha's first album...
- to not have any featured artists.
- to not include a title track on the final tracklist.
- to not include a Japanese bonus track.[45]
- since Rainbow to not include Wrabel in anyway.
- However, he did receive the Gag Order PR package from Kesha, as posted on his Instagram story.
- since Warrior to not be sold as a Target exclusive CD and T-shirt bundle.[46]
- Gag Order was actually not sold at Target at all, according to Kesha's Instagram story.[47]
- An unreleased song by Kesha was playing in the background during one of her nails videos.
- Kesha has written a song about Dolly Parton.
- This was her second-to-last release under Dr. Luke's label, Kemosabe Records. Her final release under Kemosabe and RCA Records before her departure from both labels in December 2023 was Gag Order (Live Acoustic EP from Space).
- "Fine Line" and "Happy" are her favorites from the album.
- If you take all the letters that are turned upside down in Kesha's new logo and album name and put them together, the word "Rage" is formed. Rage is a very present emotion in this album. This was confirmed by Kesha at one of the exclusive album listening parties.
- On the Carolina With Greg T In The Morning Show, Kesha revealed she wrote "like 70 songs" for Gag Order, and Rick Rubin helped her choose the most vulnerable and intense songs for the album. Rubin said that the songs chosen "can sound however they sound, but they need to lyrically and emotionally emote life or death."
- In her interview with Audacy, Kesha stated only 20-25 songs were actually recorded for the album.
- A PR Box was sent to several of Kesha's friends and people she collaborated with on the album. Contents of this box included: a CD of the album, a Gag Order t-shirt, a fragrance by Lé Trois, a Bose speaker, an anecdote candle, a journal and a CANN, a THC & CBD infused drink.[48]
- Some recipients of this box include: Hannah Stocking, Justin Tranter, Detox, Wrabel, Zak Cassar, Whitney Cummings, G Wizzle, and Finneas.
- The album was originally going to be titled Eat the Acid, as the song "Eat the Acid" was the catalyst for the direction of the album.
- The album was shipped out to a limited number of retail stores, thus affecting its physical sales.
References
- ↑ Havens, Linsdey (September 26, 2019) Kesha Is Ready to 'Inspire Joy' — And Write Huge Pop Songs Again. Billboard.
- ↑ https://www.etonline.com/kesha-on-how-demi-lovato-inspired-her-new-hobby-of-summoning-aliens-exclusive-159053
- ↑ https://mobile.twitter.com/KeshaReddit/status/1362837975978098696
- ↑ https://mobile.twitter.com/KeshaDiscord/status/1362580121069223937
- ↑ https://twitter.com/KeshaDiscord/status/1364929735713828869/photo/3
- ↑ https://twitter.com/KeshaDiscord/status/1648715066047447042
- ↑ https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/kesha-new-album-gag-order-interview-rick-rubin-1234719932/
- ↑ https://mobile.twitter.com/KeshaReddit/status/1362837975978098696
- ↑ https://mobile.twitter.com/KeshaDiscord/status/1362580121069223937
- ↑ https://twitter.com/KeshaDiscord/status/1364929735713828869/photo/3
- ↑ https://mobile.twitter.com/KeshaDiscord/status/1367484131614089218
- ↑ https://twitter.com/r74950197/status/1533333085093339136
- ↑ https://mobile.twitter.com/KeshaDiscord/status/1372563852278304777
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CNqpZHEpdsQ/
- ↑ https://twitter.com/grannywrapper/status/1382888473711894532
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CPaGV8ulsEb/
- ↑ https://twitter.com/KeshaLegion/status/1400110901466832904
- ↑ [https://twitter.com/grannywrapper/status/1415788168499142657
- ↑ https://twitter.com/KeshaLegion/status/1416468502265933826/photo/1
- ↑ https://mobile.twitter.com/grannywrapper/status/1481844234667761666
- ↑ https://twitter.com/portalkeshasite/status/1489430244301885440?s=12
- ↑ https://twitter.com/keshadiscord/status/1494736308882874373?s=12
- ↑ https://twitter.com/KeshaLegion/status/1534364128202182657
- ↑ https://twitter.com/KeshaDiscord/status/1604543805314764800/photo/1
- ↑ https://twitter.com/grannywrapper/status/1630777492804911106
- ↑ https://twitter.com/keshadiscord/status/1652781362472943616
- ↑ "KESHA". keshaofficial.com. Archived from the original on May 5, 2023
- ↑ https://pitchfork.com/news/kesha-talks-rick-rubin-kurt-vile-neil-young-on-the-best-show-with-tom-scharpling-watch/
- ↑ https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001pvcz?fbclid=PAAaarEJhFnkRWsw4Tw-o8pGqfDsH704xo9tXJBNx7I4vzbIB961iO7y48J9I_aem_AbaYzol0Oe9jyxAg5F9Xg3-Q4WKLSQ2GDLQqye2zKC4TE9b2Bm9uuraaOJ2piD2lyKM
- ↑ https://www.tiktok.com/@siriusxm/video/7236489060649504046?lang=en
- ↑ https://www.tiktok.com/@siriusxm/video/7236702979766914350?lang=en
- ↑ https://www.tiktok.com/@siriusxm/video/7237240427122855211?lang=en
- ↑ https://www.grammy.com/news/kesha-songs-interview-gag-order-tik-tok-eat-the-acid-discography-new-album?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=content
- ↑ https://www.tiktok.com/@gwizzle_/video/7234963206668553515?_r=1&_t=8ce2TCvDzcU
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CsnIrRMuEQI/?hl=en
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/reel/Csrlt4Eg-Q9/
- ↑ https://twitter.com/Spotify/status/1659680338027728897
- ↑ https://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/brian-roettinger-kesha-gag-order-creative-industry-190523
- ↑ Albums of the Year 2023: Kesha - Gag Order
- ↑ The 30 best albums of 2023, from Olivia Rodrigo to Lana Del Rey
- ↑ The The 20 Best Pop Albums of 2023
- ↑ The 100 Best Albums of 2023
- ↑ Slant: The 50 Best Albums of 2023
- ↑ The 20 best albums of 2023 — the critics’ choice
- ↑ https://twitter.com/KeshaLegion/status/1661906443560435712
- ↑ https://twitter.com/keshalegion/status/1660782110029017089
- ↑ https://twitter.com/KeshaLegion/status/1661581376200769536
- ↑ PR Box
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