Learn to Let Go

{{Infobox song

| name = Learn to Let Go

| cover = KeshaLearnToLetGo.jpg

| type = promo

| artist = Kesha

| released = July 28, 2017

| studio = Elysian Park (Los Angeles){{cite AV media notes |title=Rainbow |others=Kesha |date=11 August 2017 |type=liner notes |publisher=Kemosabe, RCA. Barcode: 889854593629}}

| length = 3:38

| label = {{hlist|RCA|Kemosabe}}

| writer = {{hlist|Kesha Sebert|Stuart Crichton|Pebe Sebert}}

| producer = {{hlist|Ricky Reed|Crichton}}

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|Xx1RSj4biO4|"Learn to Let Go"}}|type=song}}

}}

"Learn to Let Go" is a song recorded by the American singer-songwriter Kesha. It appears on her third studio album, Rainbow (2017). It was released as the second promotional single from the album on July 28, 2017. Digital remixes were released worldwide on November 10, 2017.

Composition

Kesha was inspired to write "Learn to Let Go" by one of her friends who went through "the worst childhood imaginable." The track was the first to be written for the album and was also based on Kesha's struggles while making Rainbow.{{cite web|author=Baillie, Katie|date=July 6, 2017|url=http://metro.co.uk/2017/07/06/keshas-new-album-rainbow-is-a-powerful-emotional-and-strongly-feminist-record-that-was-worth-the-4-year-wait-6759009/#ixzz4m5IQnnv6|title=Kesha's new album Rainbow is a powerful, emotional and strongly feminist record that is worth the 4-year wait|work=Metro|accessdate=July 6, 2017}}

About the song, Kesha told HuffPost:

{{Quote|text=[...] The only way to truly evolve is to let the past be the past and move forward with an open heart. If you let your demons haunt you, they will haunt you forever. Learn from your mistakes but don't dwell on them, and if you feel like someone has wronged you, let that be their problem – not yours. As much as our past creates who we are, we can't let it define us or hold us back. And especially if you've been through something hard, and we all have, you can't hold on to resentment because it's like a poison. You have to learn to let go of those bad feelings and move forward. |sign=Kesha|source=HuffPost{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/see-kesha-exorcise-her-demons-in-learn-to-let-go-video-w494431|title=See Kesha Exorcise Her Demons in 'Learn to Let Go' Video|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=2017-07-27}}{{Cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/7881752/kesha-new-video-learn-to-let-go-watch|title=Kesha Shares Childhood Home Movies In New Video, 'Learn to Let Go': Watch|magazine=Billboard|access-date=2017-07-27}}}}

She has also described the song's title as "one of my mantras over the last few years."{{Citation|url=https://twitter.com/KeshaRose/status/890548966311555072|title=Kesha on Twitter ""Learn to Let Go" is more than a song title… it's become one of my mantras over the last few years. Full letter:..."|work=Twitter|accessdate=2017-07-27}}

Music video

The music video for "Learn to Let Go" was released on July 27, 2017. In the video, Kesha shares home video footage of herself as a child, running in nature, singing and dancing wildly. The Costco bear appears in the video.

Live performances

The song was first performed live at the 2017 MTV Europe Music Awards on November 12. On November 14, Kesha performed the song live at the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge, as well as a cover of Marshmello's song "Silence" featuring Khalid.

Kesha appeared on The Graham Norton Show to perform her song live, on November 24.

Commercial performance

Despite not being serviced as a single in North America, "Learn to Let Go" debuted at number 97 on the US Billboard Hot 100 issue dated August 8, 2017 as a promotional single. It also peaked at number 81 on the Canadian Hot 100.

Accolades

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;" \|+Select year-end rankings of "Learn to Let Go" ! scope="col" \|Publication ! scope="col" \|List ! scope="col" \|Rank ! scope="col" class="unsortable" \|{{Abbr\|Ref.\|Reference(s)}}
scope="row" \|Dazed \|The 20 Best Tracks of 2017 \|style="text-align:center"\|12 \|style="text-align:center" \|{{cite web\|url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/38399/1/the-20-best-tracks-of-2017\|title=The 20 best tracks of 2017\|date=December 14, 2017\|access-date=December 3, 2024\|work=Dazed}}

class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="margin-right: 0;"

|+Select year-end rankings of "Learn to Let Go"

! scope="col" |Publication

! scope="col" |List

! scope="col" |Rank

! scope="col" class="unsortable" |{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}}

scope="row" |Dazed

|The 20 Best Tracks of 2017

|style="text-align:center"|12

|style="text-align:center" |{{cite web|url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/38399/1/the-20-best-tracks-of-2017|title=The 20 best tracks of 2017|date=December 14, 2017|access-date=December 3, 2024|work=Dazed}}

Track listing

;Digital download and streaming

"Learn to Let Go" – 3:38

;Digital download and streaming (the remixes){{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/au/album/learn-to-let-go-the-remixes-single/1307175131|title=Learn to Let Go – Single|work=iTunes Store (AU)|date=November 10, 2017 |access-date=November 10, 2017}}

"Learn to Let Go" (Feenixpawl remix) – 3:22
"Learn to Let Go" (Michael Brun remix) – 3:37

Charts

scope="row"\| New Zealand Heatseekers (RMNZ){{cite web\|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/singles/2017-09-01\|title=NZ Heatseekers Singles Chart\|publisher=Recorded Music NZ\|date=August 7, 2017\|access-date=August 4, 2017}} \| 6
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" \|+ Chart performance for "Learn to Let Go" ! scope="col"\| Chart (2017) ! scope="col"\| Peak position
{{single chart\|Canada\|81\|artist=Kesha\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=August 8, 2017}}
{{single chart\|Scotland\|30\|date=20171201\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=December 2, 2017}}
{{single chart\|Billboardhot100\|97\|artist=Kesha\|rowheader=true\|accessdate=August 8, 2017}}

Certifications

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Kesha|title=Learn to Let Go|award=Gold|relyear=2017|certyear=2024|access-date=September 17, 2024|refname=RIAA}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" \|+ Release dates and formats for "Learn to Let Go" ! scope="col" \| Region ! scope="col" \| Date ! scope="col" \| Formats ! scope="col" \| Version ! scope="col" \| Label ! scope="col" \| {{abbr\|Ref.\|Reference}}
rowspan="2" scope="row" \| Various \| July 28, 2017 \| rowspan="2" \| {{Hlist\|Digital download\|streaming}} \| Original \| rowspan="2" \| Kemosabe \| align="center" \| {{cite web\|url=https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/Kesha-Learn-Let-Go-Music-Video-43798647\|title= Kesha Shares Emotional Home Movie Footage in Her Music Video For "Learn to Let Go"\|publisher=popsugar\|date=28 July 2017\|accessdate=3 January 2018}}
November 10, 2017 \| The remixes \| align="center" \|

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|+ Release dates and formats for "Learn to Let Go"

! scope="col" | Region

! scope="col" | Date

! scope="col" | Formats

! scope="col" | Version

! scope="col" | Label

! scope="col" | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}}

rowspan="2" scope="row" | Various

| July 28, 2017

| rowspan="2" | {{Hlist|Digital download|streaming}}

| Original

| rowspan="2" | Kemosabe

| align="center" | {{cite web|url=https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/Kesha-Learn-Let-Go-Music-Video-43798647|title= Kesha Shares Emotional Home Movie Footage in Her Music Video For "Learn to Let Go"|publisher=popsugar|date=28 July 2017|accessdate=3 January 2018}}

November 10, 2017

| The remixes

| align="center" |

References

Category:2017 songs

Category:Kesha songs

Category:Songs with feminist themes

Category:Songs written by Kesha

Category:Songs written by Stuart Crichton

Category:Songs written by Pebe Sebert

Category:Songs about childhood