Kesha, who previously removed the dollar sign from her name, is now contemplating financial matters again. However, this time it is to support the seed round of her new startup, Smash.
According to Kesha’s Instagram post, Smash is designed as a community-based platform aimed at connecting and protecting music creators. This mission aligns with the goals of her recently launched eponymous record label.
The 38-year-old, known for her chart-topping hits, has a story beyond her glittery pop persona. Behind her catchy 2010s music is a darker narrative where she felt disempowered both artistically and personally due to a challenging record deal she signed as a teenager.
Following a public legal battle with her producer, Kesha has now described herself as a “free woman” and is creating new music. Her label, Kesha Records, along with the Smash app, are initiatives designed to assist others in producing music without sacrificing their creative rights.
In an interview with WIRED, Kesha stated her desire for a platform where artists and music creators can find community, collaborate, and maintain all rights to their work, with no barriers to making connections.
She characterized the app as similar to “LinkedIn for music creators” or a “Fiverr-style marketplace,” with a focus on prioritizing artists’ rights at every step.
Alan Cannistraro serves as the Chief Technology Officer for Smash. With a 12-year tenure at Apple where he developed early iOS apps and a stint at Facebook leading the Year-In-Review feature, Cannistraro later founded a social video platform called Rheo.