Maps of Music

Gag Order (2023)

Where the lyrics of Gag Order take you, and where it was really made.

The album title is said to reflect a legal case that left Kesha unable to speak about it, and the title was later changed to Eat the Acid on streaming services.

Key places

Shangri-La studio, Malibu (2023)

Recording site Shangri-La — The source lists Shangri-La in Malibu as a studio where this album was recorded. The point marks the studio building's location. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Gag Order: fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Kesha
• Also referred to as Eat the Acid on streaming services
• Released 19 May 2023 by Kemosabe Records and RCA Records
• Final release under her contract with both labels, which she signed at age 18
• Kesha served as executive producer, a role she also took on for her previous two albums
• Entirely co-produced by Rick Rubin
• Kesha describes the album as a culmination of all the genres of music she enjoys

Background

• Announced on 25 April 2023
• Diverges from the electro-pop sound of her previous album, High Road
• Genres include art pop, experimental, electronic and psychedelic, with influences from minimalism, hyperpop, soul, lo-fi, dark wave, country and gospel
• Lyrical themes: death, depression, emotional exploitation, control, hope and a quest for truth
• Focuses on overcoming trauma and depression from her legal battle with former producer Dr. Luke
• Kesha sued Dr. Luke in 2014 for sexual assault and battery; he countersued for defamation
• The case was set for trial in July 2023, but the two reached a settlement about a month before trial
• Title is said to reflect being unable to speak or comment on the case
• In a Rolling Stone interview, Kesha cited anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic and spiritual experiences of the previous three years as main influences

Recording

• Worked mainly with producer Rick Rubin, who helped her explore her more vulnerable side
• Other producers include Stuart Crichton, Stint and Drew Pearson; new collaborators are Jussifer, Hudson Mohawke, Kennedi and Jason Lader
• Guest appearances: her mother Pebe Sebert, her eight-year-old niece Luna on Only Love Reprise, Neopagan leader Oberon Zell, and Ram Dass in archival audio

Cover

• Vincent Haycock photographed the cover: a portrait of Kesha with a plastic bag over her head
• Art director Brian Roettinger had worked with Kesha on her two previous albums
• Visuals were intentionally free of references to her earlier work
• Around the second anniversary, the artwork was changed to a pink and purple filter

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Kesha Rose Sebert, born March 1, 1987, in Los Angeles; stylized Ke$ha until 2014.
• Signed to music publishing company Prescription Songs in 2005 at age 18.
• Signed with David Sonenberg's DAS Communications in 2006.
• Her 2009 debut single "Tik Tok" came after she signed a multi-album deal with RCA Records.

Career

• Kesha's breakthrough came with "Right Round" (2009) as a featured artist for Flo Rida, though she is uncredited on the US release.
• Her debut album Animal (2010) reached number one on the US Billboard 200; the single "Tik Tok" sold about 14 million copies worldwide.
• Her second album Warrior (2012) was released on November 30, 2012, and its single "Die Young" peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
• Her third album Rainbow (2017) debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.
• Her fourth album High Road was released January 31, 2020.
• Her fifth album Gag Order was released May 19, 2023, produced by Rick Rubin.
• Her sixth album Period was released July 4, 2025.
• Kesha's legal dispute with producer Dr. Luke, filed in 2014, was settled out of court in June 2023.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Critics generally gave positive reviews, praising Kesha's vocals and songwriting, though opinions on the production were more varied
• Slant Magazine (Paul Attard): praised her vocals and the variety of genres, but criticized the back half of the album, calling the production "shoddy" and underdeveloped
• The Independent (Helen Brown): called the album "fascinating" and gave it a perfect five out of five stars, highlighting lead single Fine Line
• The Arts Desk (Thomas Green): said the album was fascinating and unlike Kesha's other albums, calling it "an impressive step forward" for the artist
• NME (Tom Stitchbury): said the album embodies someone who found her voice, despite the title
• Clash (Alex Rigotti): criticized Rick Rubin's production, saying his minimalist approach stifles many of the tracks

Reappraisal

• Metacritic: average score of 75 out of 100 based on 11 reviews from mainstream critics
• AnyDecentMusic?: 7.2 out of 10, based on its assessment of the critical consensus
• The album was compared to the work of Fiona Apple and Björk

Records

• Debuted at number 187 on the Billboard 200
• Sold 8,300 units in the United States in its first week
• Later re-entered the Billboard 200 at a new peak of number 168

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · it.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Kesha got her own hashflags on Twitter from tweets with #Kesha, #GagOrder or #EatTheAcid, each built from a different campaign image such as the logo, the cover's plastic bag and a green chair.
• Visualizers for several songs were all directed by Vincent Haycock, who also directed the music video for Only Love Can Save Us Now.
• The 'E' and 'A' in Kesha's logo are flipped so that the visuals would not look boring.
• The official track-list was revealed on 2 May 2023, but Kesha commented on an Instagram post indicating she did not know about the reveal.
• Guests include her mother Pebe Sebert, her eight-year-old niece Luna on Only Love Reprise, Oberon Zell, and Ram Dass in archival audio.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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