My Own Dance
{{Short description|2019 single by Kesha}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox song
| name = My Own Dance
| type = single
| artist = Kesha
| album = High Road
| cover = Kesha - My Own Dance.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|2019|11|21}}
| recorded =
| studio = The Village Recorder (Los Angeles, CA){{cite AV media notes |title=High Road |others=Kesha |year=2020 |type=liner notes |publisher=Kemosabe Records}}
| genre = Pop
| length = {{duration|m=2|s=41}}
| label = {{hlist|RCA|Kemosabe}}
| writer = * Kesha Sebert
| producer = * Kesha
- John Hill
- Rob Cohen
- Blake Mares
| prev_title = Raising Hell
| prev_year = 2019
| title = My Own Dance
| next_title = Resentment
| next_year = 2019
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|xOpYSB3mAWc|"My Own Dance"}}}}
}}
"My Own Dance" is a song by American singer Kesha. It was released as the second single from her fourth studio album, High Road, on November 21, 2019.
Background and promotion
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Kesha stated that "My Own Dance" was one of the first songs she wrote after the release of her previous album, Rainbow, saying "I kind of felt like I didn't have the right to be happy and write happy songs, and then 'My Own Dance' was the first pop song I wrote. I was like, 'Fine. I'll go write a fucking pop song.' And then I was like, 'Wait, this is superfun. Why am I keeping myself from the greatest pleasure of my life?'".{{cite magazine |last1=Hiatt |first1=Brian |title=Kesha Explains Her Return to Pop |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/kesha-explains-return-to-pop-903251/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |accessdate=27 November 2019}} On October 21, 2019, Kesha released a trailer for her upcoming fourth studio album, High Road. In the background, multiple songs from the album played, one of them being an instrumental version of "My Own Dance". The trailer also revealed some shots from the yet-to-be-released music video.{{cite web |title=(1/2) Animals!!!! I'm so excited to announce that my album High Road is coming! I feel like this time around I reconnected to the unrestrained joy and wildness that's always been a part of me, and in this process I have had the most fun I've ever had making a record. |url=https://twitter.com/KeshaRose/status/1186345590067777537 |website=Twitter |accessdate=27 November 2019}} On November 20, Kesha posted three photos of herself to her social media, captioned with some lyrics from the song.{{cite web |title=BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTCHHHHHHH |url=https://twitter.com/KeshaRose/status/1197236114270179329 |website=Twitter |accessdate=27 November 2019}}{{cite web |title=SHUUTTTTT UPPPPPPPP |url=https://twitter.com/KeshaRose/status/1197236525861416962 |website=Twitter |accessdate=27 November 2019}}{{cite web |title=ANNDDDDDD SIINNGGGGGG (me to mE) #MYOWNDANCE #HIGHROAD #K4 |url=https://twitter.com/KeshaRose/status/1197236938518007810 |website=Twitter |accessdate=27 November 2019}} That same day, she also revealed the song's title, the people she collaborated with on it, as well as some more shots from the music video.{{cite web |title=MY OWN DANCE, my SECOND SONG & mission statement from the forthcoming record #HIGHROAD #k4 LOVED MAKING THIS SONG W THE SUPERTEAM - @JUSTTRANTER , @DANREYNOLDS , and the incredible JOHN HILL |url=https://twitter.com/KeshaRose/status/1197271394205216771 |website=Twitter |accessdate=27 November 2019}} The next day, the track, along with its music video, premiered. This was also promoted by another social media post.{{cite web |title=#MYOWNDANCE is out now!!! Watch the video here [...] -it's about a magical place and having the munchies and cloning. |url=https://twitter.com/KeshaRose/status/1197500340578504705 |website=Twitter |accessdate=27 November 2019}}
Composition
"My Own Dance" was written by Kesha, lead singer of Imagine Dragons Dan Reynolds, Justin Tranter, and John Hill. It was produced by Kesha and Hill. The track has been described as a "bold statement about not being the thing people expect, or demand, you to be"{{cite web |last1=Kaufman |first1=Gil |title=Kesha's Not Here For Your Entertainment on Bold 'My Own Dance' Single: Listen |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/keshas-not-here-for-your-entertainment-on-bold-my-own-dance-single-listen/ar-BBX6Smd |website=MSN |accessdate=27 November 2019}} which "finds her speaking her mind and making it clear that she's not going to dance for you because she's here to dance for herself" and where "Kesha flips her public image around, implicating everyone who wanted her to get back to her old sound while still, to some extent, getting back to her old sound".{{cite web |last1=Breihan |first1=Tom |title=Kesha – "My Own Dance" Video |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2065668/kesha-my-own-dance-video/video/ |website=Stereogum |date=November 21, 2019 |accessdate=27 November 2019}} The singer herself also added that "My Own Dance" is the "mission statement from the forthcoming record."{{cite web |last1=Rossignol |first1=Derrick |title=Kesha Quests For A Box Of Magic Cereal In A Strange Motel For Her 'My Own Dance' Video |url=https://uproxx.com/pop/kesha-my-own-dance-video/ |website=UPROXX |date=November 21, 2019 |accessdate=26 December 2019}}
Music video
The music video for "My Own Dance" was directed by Allie Avital, and shows the singer "in a rundown motel searching for a box of "magic cereal" and encountering a colorful cast of misfits, like bodybuilders in ski masks, lingerie-clad women in gas masks and a pair of twins straight out of The Shining. The journey eventually leads the singer to the supermarket, where she finds the lone box of "magic cereal", meets her clerk doppelgänger"{{cite magazine |last1=Kreps |first1=Daniel |title=Kesha Drops Colorful New 'My Own Dance' Video |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/kesha-drops-my-own-dance-video-915772/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |accessdate=27 November 2019}} At the end of the music video, scenes of the singer "in a kiddie pool filled with cereal and milk" can be seen.
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Release dates and formats for "My Own Dance" ! scope="col"| Region ! scope="col"| Date ! scope="col"| Format(s) ! scope="col"| Labels ! scope="col"| {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| scope="row"| Various
| November 21, 2019 | {{hlist|Digital download|streaming}} | align="center"| {{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/8544386/kesha-releases-my-own-dance-single|title=Kesha Releases 'My Own Dance' Single: Listen|last=|first=|date=|magazine=Billboard|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-12-04}} |
|---|
| scope="row"| Australia
| November 22, 2019 | Radio airplay | {{hlist|RCA|Sony}} |