Kesha Celebrates Freedom at Dos Equis Pavilion
- EC Stanzel
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
Written by EC Stanzel Photos provided: Christina Bryson
| The pop icon turned a hot Texas night into an exciting celebration of newfound liberation, artistic freedom, and authentic self-expression.
After nearly two decades in the music industry, Kesha has nothing left to prove. At Dos Equis Pavilion, however, she performed with the energy of a pop star still climbing toward her peak.
Before Kesha took the stage in Dallas, London singer, songwriter, and producer MEEK opened the evening with the fresh momentum surrounding her breakout single “Fabulous.” Chromeo followed, bringing an electronic sound that pulls from funk, pop, disco, and R&B. Together, rising artist MEEK and the long-running Montreal duo of Dave 1 and P-Thugg brought different generations of dance music to kick off the night.
Kesha then emerged through the fog in a pink bodice and heart-shaped angel wings. “Dallas, are y’all ready for freedom?!” The entrance perfectly introduced the Freedom Tour, especially on the 17th anniversary of “TiK ToK,” the song that first introduced much of the audience to the chart-topping singer. Despite the brutal Texas heat, the crowd came out ready for a night of liberation.
“Animals, we do not stand for abuse in this house, so put your middle fingers up,” Kesha told the audience. She then got the party started with “TiK ToK” and its updated opening lyric, “Wake up in the morning like, fuck P. Diddy.” The crowd was already with the program and shouted the unofficial line so loudly it drowned out the artist. Kesha continued revisiting her earlier catalog with songs from Warrior, including the title track “Warrior” and “Crazy Kids.” She explained that she had not performed some of the songs in approximately 13 years and that legal restrictions prevented her from presenting them in their original forms. She then shared her plans to reproduce and rerecord them, and the crowd erupted. “Animals, will you help me take back my songs?” she asked. The audience answered with an immediate and overwhelming yes. Now independent following the 2025 release of her album ., pronounced “Period,” through her own label, Kesha Records, Kesha returned to the music that shaped her career on her own terms.
The Freedom Tour carried over much of the stage design and setlist from last year’s Tits Out Tour, including the circular screen, dramatic lighting, and pyramid platform. As someone who attended the previous tour, I was seeing many of the performances for a second time and still had a blast. Honestly, the show was good enough that I would be down for round three. Kesha carried even more confidence than she did a year ago, and I recognized several familiar faces among her dancers. She seems to have surrounded herself with people who share her wavelength and uplift her and her music, and that connection showed throughout the performance.
That sense of freedom extended into the audience when Kesha stepped off the stage and walked throughout the venue during "C'Mon," high-fiving and hugging fans along the way. Watching people get their moment with their favorite artist felt heartwarming, but even fans far from those interactions continued dancing, singing, and celebrating with one another. The entire pavilion embodied the energy of what Kesha stands for: personal freedom, creative freedom, and the ability to express your true self without judgment.
Kesha later appeared atop the pyramid platform with a guitar in hand, wearing a red and black leather bodysuit, full-length gloves, and black shades for a full rock star moment during “Blow.” Although she is a seasoned veteran, she commanded the stage with the hunger and excitement of an artist still working toward her biggest moment. The freedom she fought to regain seemed to fuel that renewed energy. She then asked, “Are you ready to get sleazy with me?” before launching into one of the most choreography-heavy portions of the set with throwback songs like “Sleazy,” “Cannibal,” and “Take It Off.” Her dancers were unhinged in the best way, delivering sharp choreography while making every movement look completely uninhibited.
The styling, stage lights, and music shifted to pink for a run of her recent releases, including “ATTENTION!,” “JOYRIDE.,” “ORIGAMI!,” and “YIPPEE-KI-YAY.” Although she could have packed the venue with nothing but her previous hits, Kesha did not coast on the success of her past. The crowd welcomed her newer music with as much excitement as her older hits and the section naturally moved the set from the wild energy of her earlier catalog into the music representing her new era. Before “YIPPEE-KI-YAY,” which she co-wrote with T-Pain, Kesha even shared that the song connected back to a night the two spent at a strip club in Dallas. The story gave the song personal significance for the Dallas crowd.
Kesha then traded the larger production for an acoustic rendition of her recently viral B-side “C U Next Tuesday.” Before performing the song, she recalled writing it after an encounter with a mystery man whom she later discovered had a girlfriend. Kesha responded by tracking down his house and peeing on his porch. The story brought her humor and personality into the quieter portion of the set before she continued with “Good Old Days.” “Die Young” then raised the energy again to close the main set.
Kesha returned for the encore in a gold bodysuit with matching boots and gloves. She finished the night with “CATHEDRAL,” “Praying,” “Your Love Is My Drug,” and “We R Who We R.” While thanking the crowd for years of love and support, she joked, “This is the longest relationship I’ve ever had.” Until the very last note, the audience jumped with its hands in the air, singing not only with Kesha but with one another. I repeatedly saw people dancing in circles and singing directly to their friends, and those moments reflected the fan base Kesha has built and the environment of self-expression she has cultivated through her music.
Kesha has been an icon throughout many of our childhoods, teenage years, and adulthoods. Watching her reclaim her music and share that freedom with the people who have grown alongside her made the night feel deeply personal. Kesha has spent years reminding her fans that “We R Who We R,” and at Dos Equis Pavilion, she showed what can happen when an artist finally has the freedom to be exactly who she is.
Kesha
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