Kesha Red Flag video

Even though Kesha has already released five singles from her eleven-track album, Period, “Red Flag” has lately become something of a favorite. Not necessarily even for the fans, but for Kesha herself. Fun, irreverent and playfully self-deprecating, the song has all the hallmarks of “new era” Kesha. And it seemed that she was suddenly feeling it so much that she decided to create a “spur of the moment” (at least that’s how it comes across) video to commemorate it while yukking it up at the 2026 Grammys (particularly at the after-party with Paris Hilton). And yes, it is rather impressive that, amidst all of her hobnobbing and being interviewed, Kesha found time to self-direct a “music video.” Though that term might be too generous for what this “series of visuals” is. Indeed, it speaks to a recent “question for the culture” posed by shesaid.so, which asks if music videos are even really “a necessary part of an artist’s release strategy in 2026.” This question posited by referencing the “video” from PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson for “Stateside,” which isn’t really a video at all, so much as “a ‘face-off’ between the two artists’ aesthetics.”

The only “aesthetic” Kesha is facing off with here, however, is that of the red carpet—its red hue of course being perfect to highlight a song title like “Red Flag.” And, besides that, there are plenty of people at an awards ceremony like this with “red flag energy” (*cough cough* Justin Bieber). Including the perma-smiling red carpet interviewers themselves.

And, speaking of being questioned by such ilk, Kesha told E! News’ Zuri Hall of her Atelier Biser frock, “I really wanted to look like Athena. I’ve been really inspired by Athena recently.” While Kesha might actually look more as if she took inspiration from Cher Horowitz’s white faux fur backpack (of which Dionne Davenport accuses, “At least I wouldn’t skin a collie to make my backpack”) and decided to model an entire outfit after it, the overall “etherealness” of it suffices to at least vaguely channel Athena. A goddess known for representing wisdom, reason and, of all things, strategic warfare. This in contrast to her male counterpart in this regard, Ares, who knows only the violent, knee-jerk reaction side of war. In this sense, it seems as if there’s some patent Kesha v. Dr. Luke symbolism here.

To be sure, the aura of joy and euphoria that Kesha radiates throughout her “Red Flag” video stems, undeniably, from her full appreciation that it is the first Grammy Awards ceremony she’s attended in years during which the shadow of Dr. Luke isn’t hanging over her. As it was in 2018, at the 60th Annual Grammys, where her performance of “Praying” with Camila Cabello, Cyndi Lauper, Julia Michaels, Andra Day and Bebe Rexha found her engaging in a group hug with all of them as she completed her especially emotional delivery of the lead single from her third album, Rainbow. In truth, it seemed to take all of that onstage support for her to be able to get through the performance without falling to her own knees (as she hoped the person she’s addressing in the song would).

This is why her appearance at this year’s Grammys, eight years later, came across as such a marked departure from that performance, awash as it was in such emotional #MeToo overtones. What’s more, while Rainbow was a special moment in Kesha’s career, as it signaled the first record that secured her a Grammy nomination (specifically, two of them—one for Best Pop Solo Performance [for “Praying”] and one for Best Pop Vocal Album), the 2026 Grammys marks the inaugural instance of Kesha showing up to the ceremony as a truly independent artist. Even if the song she was nominated for, “Dear Me” (a track by Diane Warren for the documentary Diane Warren: Relentless), was released through Dr. Luke’s Kemosabe Records imprint (since the song was recorded while Kesha’s contract with RCA had yet to expire). This newfound independence being a coup that goes back to what Cyndi Lauper noted when interviewed about her performance with Kesha in 2018: “We want equality, and a safe place in the workplace.” Though that hasn’t fully occurred just yet, some definite strides have been made in the (that’s right) period since Kesha told some of her truth (though probably not even the half of it) to the public.

This confession/unburdening leading to the sense of freedom that has evidently evolved into being inspired by Athena, with Kesha adding of her Grammys ensemble, “And I wanted to give freedom, because this is my first Grammy weekend as a free woman, owning the rights to my voice—a record label head. And I just really wanted my outside to match my insides.” Clearly, Kesha also wanted to show off her musical insides full-stop by dancing about/rolling around to the tune of “Red Flag.” To be sure, the “lo-fi” nature of this video recalls the type of “no-frills” operation that would have been done for the early days of MTV (like, say, Madonna’s “Everybody” video, which despite its minimalism, probably still had more of a budget than Kesha’s “Red Flag”).

Even so, Kesha finds a way to make it interesting, starting from the opening frame. For, although viewers watching the ceremony at home only get to see the “glossy” side of the red carpet, Kesha immediately debunks it by opening “Red Flag” on Figueroa Street, thereby reminding that the red carpet—ergo, “glamor” itself—is an illusion…and one with a literal ending point as the red carpet meets the asphalt. Thus, in her way, Kesha instantly sets up a metaphor here by indicating that not all that glitters is gold and that the music industry/Hollywood is often one giant red flag that aspiring musicians and those who have already “made it” alike willfully choose to ignore. Because, hey, “I like what I like, the bizarre type, lowlife.” Not to mention other applicable-to-Hollywood “Red Flag” lyrics like, “I like chaos dripping head to toe” and “It’s complicated what I’m looking for.”

Over her now decade-plus career in the music industry, Kesha has, therefore, certainly found what she’s supposedly looking for. And the Recording Academy appears to respect that, allowing Kesha what seems to be carte blanche for her filming purposes as the video continues. After the camera is done circling her in front of Figueroa Street, Kesha then prances toward the entrance of the Crypto.com Arena (because RIP Staples Center), subsequently revealing a peek inside as she persists in dancing/twirling whimsically.

As for those who would question and/or deride Kesha for not making a video that’s more literal a.k.a. aligns with being about a guy that’s parading red flags, the “at the Grammys” concept actually works rather well when it comes to shading the music business with such lyrics as, “I need a certain kind of chemical/It’s dangerous and unforgettable/I want emotions that are overflowing/Outta control and hopeless/The crazy in me sees the crazy in you/And I think I need it/The broken in me sees the broken in you/I just got a feeling.” In other words, there seems to be a method to Kesha’s “madness” that harkens back to how Athena is the god of strategic war. Because, to those who can read the subtext, this is Kesha doing a victory dance as she proves that she not only conquered the music industry, but beat it at its own rigged game.

Of course, it took years of suffering and pain to do it, but now, here she is, once again a part of the system so that she can help break its mold and hopefully make the industry a somewhat safer “workplace” (as Lauper said) for other women. In this regard, too, her “Athena dress,” within the context of this video, is also apropos, seeing as how said goddess is additionally associated with being a heroic protector.