Kesha Launches Startup: Pop Star Turns Founder

Kesha's New Venture: Smash, a Platform for Music Creators

Although Kesha previously removed the dollar sign from her stage name, the artist is now focused on financial matters once more. This time, however, the funds are intended to secure seed funding for her new startup, Smash.

A Community for Artists

As detailed in Kesha’s Instagram announcement, Smash is designed to be a “community-based platform” dedicated to connecting and safeguarding the interests of music creators. This objective directly supports the core principles of her recently established record label, also named Kesha, which was unveiled last year.

From Personal Struggle to Empowering Others

The 38-year-old musician has consistently demonstrated a depth beyond her image as a vibrant performer known for hits like “Tik Tok.” Her seemingly carefree pop anthems of the 2010s conceal a more challenging past.

She experienced a loss of control over her artistic and personal life due to a problematic recording contract signed during her adolescence. This experience fueled her desire to create a more equitable system for other artists.

Reclaiming Freedom and Rights

Following a highly publicized and difficult legal dispute with her former producer, Kesha has declared herself a “free woman” and is actively pursuing new musical endeavors. Both Kesha Records and the Smash application are geared towards assisting other musicians in producing music while preserving their creative ownership.

“My vision is to establish a space where artists and music makers of all disciplines can connect, collaborate, and offer services to one another, all while maintaining complete control over their creations,” Kesha explained in a WIRED interview. “Access to industry contacts will not be restricted.”

Smash: A New Model for Collaboration

Kesha further characterized the app as a “LinkedIn for music creators” or a “Fiverr-style marketplace.” However, Smash distinguishes itself by prioritizing the protection of artists’ rights throughout every aspect of its operation.

The Technical Expertise Behind Smash

Alan Cannistraro serves as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for the Smash project. His background includes 12 years at Apple, where he was instrumental in the development of early iOS applications.

He subsequently joined Facebook, contributing to the creation of the popular Year-In-Review feature. Cannistraro later founded Rheo, a social video platform that received coverage from TechCrunch in 2016, before joining Kesha on this new venture.

Smash aims to revolutionize how music is created and shared, offering a new level of control and community for artists.