Pop icon Kesha has transitioned into a tech CEO with the recent launch of her new application, Smash, a community platform designed to empower music creators by facilitating collaboration and ensuring artists retain their creative rights. The app, which officially launched on May 22, 2025, and was highlighted in a recent TechCrunch article, aims to redefine the power dynamics within the music industry. Smash has already garnered significant attention, with reports indicating over 50,000 creatives were on its waitlist within 72 hours.
Smash is envisioned as a "LinkedIn for music creators" combined with a "Fiverr-style marketplace," offering a comprehensive suite of tools for artists. The platform allows musicians, producers, songwriters, and other creatives to connect, hire each other, and collaborate on projects while establishing clear, artist-friendly contracts. Key features include integrated contracting, a remote collaboration studio, and a marketplace for services, all prioritizing the artist's ownership of their intellectual property.
Kesha's motivation for developing Smash stems directly from her own challenging experiences within the music industry. "My goal is to shift the power structure of the music making business in favor of the creators," Kesha stated, reflecting on her past legal battles over predatory contracts. She emphasized her desire to ensure that what happened to her "never happens to anyone else again," making artist protection a core tenet of the app.
The development of Smash involved a collaboration of industry and tech veterans. Kesha Sebert serves as CEO, alongside CTO Alan Cannistraro, a former Apple and Facebook engineer, and COO Lagan Sebert, Kesha's brother. Lars Rasmussen, co-founder of Google Maps, played a role in connecting Kesha with Cannistraro, underscoring the app's strong technological foundation.
To promote the platform and engage its community, Smash launched an exclusive remix challenge for Kesha's single, "BOY CRAZY." Participants receive the track's stems and the winning remix is slated for official release through Kesha Records, her independent label. The app plans to fund itself by taking a small cut of payments made through the platform, with future roadmaps including smart contracts for royalty splits and NFT-based features.