Kesha drops summer banger with 'Joyride,' her first single as an independent artist

Kesha decided to celebrate Independence Day by celebrating her own with the release of a brand new single.

"Joyride" marks her first release after finally, finally, finally parting ways with Kemosabe Records and RCA, with whom Kesha has been signed since 2009.

"My first song as a free woman on my record label," she wrote in all caps on X after the single made Spotify's New Pop Picks playlist. "WTF Im sobbing thank uuuu for the support I just cant even @spotify."

Kesha's split with Kemosabe—the record label founded by producer Dr. Luke—in particular has been a long time coming. The two were locked in court battles from 2014 up until last year after the singer accused Dr. Luke of drugging and raping her, among other misdeeds. Various claims and counterclaims were made between them over the course of nearly a decade, until it was announced they reached a settlement last June.

During that time, the "Die Young" singer released three studio albums under RCA and Kemosabe, in addition to the two she had released in 2010 and 2012. The title of her last album, Gag Order, referenced the situation with lawsuits.

But now it's clear Kesha is back and ready to celebrate everything that's still to come. "Joyride" is already being praised as an evolution of her artistry while still throwing it back to the dance-pop hits that put the $ in Ke$ha in the first place.