Keisha has been pushed to her limit and she won't back down. On April 28, the "Praying" singer released two new songs from her upcoming fifth studio album , Gag Order — "Fine Line" and "Eat the Acid," the former of which may be her The most raw and personal song ever written. On "Fine Line," co-produced by her new collaborator Rick Rubin, Kesha slams the dark side of the music industry and delivers a stern warning in her first words. “This is where you motherfuckers got me,” she sings. "Don't be surprised if things get ugly."
The singer slyly mentioned her ongoing legal issues with Dr. Luke, which she's not legally allowed to talk about yet, but she skirted around the technicality by focusing only on her emotions and some clever puns . "All the doctors and lawyers cut my tongue out of my mouth," she sings. "I've been hiding my anger, but, bastard, look at me now." She even opened up about experiencing suicidal thoughts as part of her dark, spiritual reflection. "I'm on top of a mountain with a gun to my head," she sings. “Am I greater than Jesus or am I better off dead?”
The announcement takes on added significance as Gag Order will be her last album under her original deal with Dr. Luke's former label, Kemosabe Records. Kesha is still in court over Luke's defamation suit against her, but her attempt to be released from her record contract was dismissed by the courts in 2016, meaning she must record three more albums to fulfill the agreement. As of 2017, Luke is no longer CEO of the label, but she remains connected to the producer due to the deal she signed with his publishing company when she was 18, so under those terms, even While he had no involvement, he still profited from the albums creatively.
According to a recent interview with Rolling Stone , "Fine Line" is apparently the closest Kesha has come to her court battle with Luke over the gag order , and its title was also inspired by her legal defeats over the years. "I feel like the implicit gag order has been in place for a long time," she told the outlet. "With my ongoing litigation pending, I cannot speak freely knowing that everything I say will be scrutinized."
That said, Kesha expresses herself as much as possible on "Fine Line," expressing her tiredness of trying to change negative perceptions of herself and exploiting her pain to please others. The song culminates in a jaw-dropping lyric that delivers this message. "But hey, look at all the money we made off of me," she deadpanned.
Read the full lyrics to “Fine Line” below.
I've been walking a fine line
Trying to balance is exhausting
This is where you forced me
Don't be surprised if things get ugly
All the doctors and lawyers cut my tongue out of my mouth
I've been hiding my anger, but, bastard, look at me now
I'm on top of a mountain with a gun pointed at my head
Am I greater than Jesus or better off dead?
There's a fine line between genius and madness
There's a thin line between brokenness and brokenness
I've spent my whole life trying to change the way they think about me.
Tired of walking that thin line
There's a fine line between selling and being bought
The fine line between being famous and being forgotten
It's time for me to come down from the cross
Tired of walking that thin line
I feel safest in silence
I'm really tired of fighting
Truth keeps roaring like a lion
That will be the cross on which I will die
The years continue to pass, and I have reached the point where I am at the end of my rope.
The noose is getting tighter and tighter, I can taste blood in my throat
Don't fucking call me a warrior, don't fucking call me a joke
You don't have a fucking idea, trust me, you'll never know
There is a thin line between hope and fantasy
between what's right and what we're just used to
I have something to prove to you in my life
Tired of walking that thin line
The fine line between survival and life
And, God, some things should never be forgiven
Guess what? I'm tired of pretending for you (ugh)
thin line, thin line, thin line
thin line, thin line, thin line
This life has never been mine, this life has never been mine, this life has never been mine
I can't waste any more time I can't waste any more time I can't waste any more time
There is a thin line between important and unimportant
between letting go and giving up
between joy and stupidity
There's a fine line between what's funny
What's just taking advantage of pain
But hey, look how much money we made off of me
