Kesha Collaborates with The Flaming Lips on Album, Loses Track of It
Kesha, known for her genre-blurring music, is often categorized as part of “recession pop” alongside other artists like Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. However, her eclectic style and diverse influences transcend simple labels. One of the most intriguing moments in Kesha’s career was her collaboration with the experimental psych-rock band The Flaming Lips in 2012. During this time, Kesha recorded at least 10 songs with The Flaming Lips, shaping an album that has since mysteriously disappeared, leaving Kesha to admit in 2019 that she has “no idea” what happened to it. Despite this lost album, the potential collaboration between Lip$ha and The Flaming Lips remains a captivating glimpse into an unexpected artistic partnership.
The collaboration between Kesha and The Flaming Lips began when Wayne Coyne, the band’s frontman, expressed interest in working with Kesha in January 2012. Aware of Kesha’s admiration for The Flaming Lips, Coyne believed that a collaboration would be a perfect fit. The first song they recorded together, “2012 (You Must Be Upgraded),” appeared on The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends, marking the beginning of their unlikely partnership.
As discussions progressed, plans for a collaborative album, Lip$ha, started to take shape in March 2012. The foundation of this album included multiple songs, some of which were possible additions to Kesha’s second LP, Warrior. Coyne shared details of their work in an interview, recounting how Kesha reached out to him after expressing her admiration for The Flaming Lips. Three days later, they were already recording music together at Kesha’s home in Nashville.
Coyne praised Kesha for her willingness to embrace creativity and eccentricity, contrasting her genuine approach with the artificiality often found in the rock star scene. He contributed to some of Kesha’s songs for Warrior, including “Past Lives,” which made it to the final album. Plans for releasing Lip$ha were temporarily suspended in 2014 due to Kesha’s legal battles with her former producer, Dr. Luke. However, in 2025, Kesha hinted at the possibility of releasing Lip$ha on her new label, Kesha Records, as she sought to reclaim her artistic freedom and explore passion projects on her terms.
While the fate of the lost album remains a mystery, with Kesha admitting uncertainty about its whereabouts, there is still hope for these collaborative songs to reach audiences one day. Kesha’s journey to overcome past challenges and rediscover her joy in creating music suggests that Lip$ha could be a significant part of her artistic evolution. As Kesha prepares to release her latest album, Period, there is anticipation surrounding the potential revival of Lip$ha and its unique blend of Kesha’s pop sensibilities with The Flaming Lips’ experimental sounds.