Kesha’s App Smash Lets Her Reinvent Herself as a Tech CEO
▼ Summary
– Kesha, known for her pop music career, has transitioned into a startup founder by creating Smash, an app to help musicians collaborate and establish fair contracts.
– Smash differentiates itself by offering built-in contract generation, allowing artists to set terms like licensing fees or royalty splits, with the app taking a small cut of transactions.
– Kesha’s motivation for Smash stems from her own struggles with exploitative record deals, including a high-profile legal battle with producer Dr. Luke.
– The app was developed with tech expertise from Alan Cannistraro (former Apple engineer) and support from Lars Rasmussen (Google Maps co-founder), aiming to empower creators with transparency and control.
– Smash is currently in development, with plans to launch later this year, and has already tested its tools through a remix contest for Kesha’s song “Boy Crazy.”
Kesha’s transformation from chart-topping pop icon to tech entrepreneur proves her career is anything but predictable. Known for her rebellious anthems and unapologetic persona, the artist has now channeled her industry experiences into creating Smash, an app designed to empower musicians with fair collaboration tools and transparent contracts.
The platform stands out by integrating automated contract generation, allowing artists to define terms, whether licensing beats for a flat fee or negotiating royalty splits. Smash monetizes by taking a small percentage of transactions, ensuring creators retain control without sacrificing profitability. “We want to give musicians the keys to the industry without forcing them to sign away their futures,” explains Lagan Sebert, Kesha’s brother and co-founder.
Kesha’s motivation stems from her own battles. In 2014, she sued producer Dr. Luke over allegations of abuse, sparking a years-long legal fight that left her trapped in an unfavorable contract. Though she recently released her first independent album, her focus has shifted to preventing similar struggles for emerging artists. “Predatory deals shouldn’t be the norm,” she emphasized during the app’s announcement at Greece’s Panathēnea festival.
To bring Smash to life, Kesha tapped tech veterans like Alan Cannistraro, a former Apple engineer behind early iOS apps, and Lars Rasmussen, co-founder of Google Maps. Their expertise ensures the platform combines user-friendly collaboration features with robust legal safeguards.
Currently in development, Smash has already tested its framework through a remix contest for Kesha’s track “Boy Crazy.” Winners will receive industry-standard compensation, a tangible example of the app’s mission to prioritize fairness. As Kesha puts it, “This is about shifting power back to creators.”
With a planned beta launch later this year, Smash could redefine how musicians collaborate, proving Kesha’s evolution isn’t just personal, it’s a movement.
(Source: TechCrunch)
