With Kesha’s latest album Rainbow, the popstar is finally getting to show off her incredible talents as both a songwriter and vocalist. The new album showcases Kesha’s voice in ways her previous chart topping hits did not, but for fans who have been following Kesha’s career from the beginning, her searing and raw performances come as no surprise.
While songs like “Tik Tok” and “Blow” didn’t allow for Kesha’s full range to be explored, the singer has quietly released cover songs throughout her career that have better displayed her incredible talents in front of the mic.
On Kesha’s latest record, the singer teams up with Dolly Parton for duet of Parton’s 1980 hit “Old Flames Can’t Hold a Candle to You,” which was written by Kesha’s mother Pebe Serbert. It’s a song that Kesha has previously covered, bringing her own gritty emotion to the heartbreaking track.
Last year, Kesha made one of her first public appearances after beginning her lengthy lawsuit against former producer Dr. Luke. Kesha took on Bob Dylan’s iconic 1964 single “It Ain’t Me Babe” at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards, putting the world on notice that Kesha was back and better than ever.
Now Kesha has again put her own spin on a classic tune. Following her incredible performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon of her lead single “Praying,” Kesha went backstage to hang out with The Roots and record “House of the Rising Sun.” Bringing all of the sorrow and longing that makes blues-inspired track so potent, Kesha stayed true to the Animals song while still making it her own.
The new cover comes only a few days after Kesha’s secret bonus track “Emotional” for the Japanese edition of Rainbow appeared online. Showing her versatility, Kesha’s rawness in both tracks is evident, with the singer able to find ownership in her own autobiographical lyrics as well as those written decades ago.
It’s not that often that we fall in love with an artist’s original material as much as their covers, but it’s not that often that an artist like Kesha comes around.
