Tonight (Kesha song) explained

Tonight
Type:single
Artist:Kesha
Album:High Road
Length:3:15
Genre:
Producer:Stint
Prev Title:Resentment
Prev Year:2019
Tonight
Year:2020
Next Title:Chasing Rainbows
Next Year:2020

"Tonight" is a song by American singer Kesha, which was released as the fourth and final single from her fourth studio album, High Road, on January 28, 2020.[1]

Background

On October 21, 2019, a trailer for Kesha's High Road album premiered on her YouTube channel. In it, snippets of "Tonight" were featured, along with other songs from the album ("Raising Hell", "My Own Dance", "High Road").[2] Kesha posted a video to her TikTok account, which shows her and co-writer Wrabel lip-syncing and dancing to the track.[3]

The song premiered as the third promotional single off of High Road on January 28, 2020, 3 days before the album's release.[4] During her Halloween party, sponsored by Jack Daniels, she previewed the song to the partygoers. In the description for the album on Apple Music, Kesha wrote about the song, "When I first started making the record, I wasn't so sure how honest I could be about who I am and where I'm at in my life. I didn't want to take away from or minimize what I've been through by coming out with songs that are about me going out and having fun. And it took me a little bit of time to really come to terms with the fact that I don't owe it to anybody to be eternally miserable. It's kind of a sound-fuckery, because you think it's going to be a ballad and then it goes into me doing my shit-talking—kind of a quintessential off-of-my-first-record thing that I purposefully left off of Rainbow. This is a record for my fans, because they have been there for me through all of the bullshit I've gone through and I just wanted them to know I'm back and I'm ready to have a fucking amazing night and tonight's the night to do that. That's what I wanted to open the record with."[5]

Composition

"Tonight" is a "bass-bumping"[6] electropop composition.[7] It begins as a "gentle", piano-driven pop ballad,[8] [9] [10] before launching into a hip hop and EDM breakdown with a "low-riding bassline" and a "buzzed beat".[1] [8] [10] [11] Kesha stated that "Tonight" is a "celebratory" song about "fucking up what I have".[6] The song drew comparisons to many different works: its beginning and chorus to Lady Gaga (such as her 2016 album Joanne),[12] while the breakdown to Kesha's pre-Rainbow music (notably, her Animal album).[13]

Live performances

Kesha performed "Tonight" during the Live with Kelly and Ryan after-Oscars show on February 10, 2020. During the performance, six backup dancers wearing colorful clothing were present, while the singer wore a jeweled teardrop accessory.[14]

Release history

Region! scope="col"
DateFormat(s)Labels
VariousJanuary 28, 2020[15]
AustraliaJanuary 31, 2020Radio airplay[16]

Notes and References

  1. Martoccio . Angie . Kesha Unveils Swaggering Ode to Night Life, 'Tonight' . . February 1, 2020 . January 28, 2020.
  2. Web site: kesha . Kesha - HIGH ROAD (Album Trailer) . . 16 February 2020 . 21 October 2019.
  3. Web site: Kesha (@kesha) . ANIMALS I heard u all want #tonight to be the next single & I'm going to release it! thank u for loving it as much as I do. this one's for u!! . . 16 February 2020.
  4. KeshaRose. 1222205802464907266. BITCH WE GOIN OUT TONIGHT!!! Tonight is out now !!!!! stream it everywhere https://smarturl.it/kTonight this one’s for u #keshatonight . January 28, 2020 . February 1, 2020.
  5. Web site: High Road by Kesha on Apple Music. Kesha. January 31, 2020. music.apple.com.
  6. Lynch . Joe . From Lizzo to Queen & Beyond: Kesha Shares Albums That Inspired 'High Road' . . 1 February 2020 . 29 January 2020.
  7. Web site: Wass . Mike . Kesha Readies "Tonight" As The Next Single From 'High Road' . Idolator . 1 February 2020 . January 27, 2020.
  8. Web site: Bassett . Jordan . Kesha - 'High Road' review: superstar's turbo-charged record veers across multiple lanes . . 1 February 2020 . 1 February 2020.
  9. Web site: Amorosi . A.D. . Kesha's 'High Road': Album Review . . 1 February 2020 . 31 January 2020.
  10. Kaufman . Gil . Kesha Is Positive That 'Tonight' Will Be the Best Night of Her Life: Listen . . 1 February 2020 . 28 January 2020.
  11. Web site: Cliff . Aimee . Kesha: High Road review - bringing the girl back to the party . . 1 February 2020 . 31 January 2020.
  12. Web site: DeVille . Chris . Kesha Shares New Album's Opening Track "Tonight": Listen . . 1 February 2020 . 28 January 2020.
  13. Web site: Tilcher . Jordan . Animal-Era Kesha Comes Out To Play On New Single 'Tonight' . https://web.archive.org/web/20200128234749/http://www.mtv.com/news/3154294/kesha-tonight-single/ . dead . January 28, 2020 . . 16 February 2020 . January 28, 2020.
  14. Mamo . Heran . Kesha Performs & Lives to Tell the Epic Tale Behind 'Tonight': Watch . . February 16, 2020 . February 10, 2020.
  15. Web site: Tonight by Kesha on Spotify . . 1 February 2020.
  16. Web site: Singles To Radio - Issue 1274 . . 21 February 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200203010529/https://themusicnetwork.com/charts/issues/1274/1274-singles-to-radio/ . February 3, 2020.