Kesha releases 'Backstabber' music video 17 years after filming it in 2009
Synopsis
Kesha just dropped a music video she filmed herself with friends in downtown Los Angeles back in 2009 — and it has taken 17 years to reach the public. Shot on zero budget across Echo Park and Silver Lake, the clip was originally made to convince her label that 'Backstabber' deserved a single release. Its arrival in 2026 doubles as a rare, unfiltered glimpse of the pop star before 'Tik Tok' changed everything.
Key Takeaways
Kesha released the music video for 'Backstabber' in 2026 , 17 years after filming it in 2009 .
The video was shot entirely by Kesha and her friends in downtown Los Angeles , covering Echo Park and Silver Lake .
Kesha made the DIY video to convince her team that 'Backstabber' deserved to be released as a single.
She shared the full backstory on Instagram , calling it her 'first music video'.
Kesha has charted two number-one albums and three number-one singles on the US Billboard charts to date.
Singer Kesha — born Kesha Rose Sebert — has finally unveiled her very first music video, for her song 'Backstabber', a full 17 years after filming it with friends in downtown Los Angeles in 2009. The release, which dropped in 2026, marks the belated public debut of a DIY project that Kesha created to make the case for the track being released as a single.
The Story Behind the Video
Kesha shared the backstory via Instagram, revealing that she and her close friends pulled an all-nighter, handled their own styling and makeup, and shot the entire video themselves — with zero professional crew. The locations spanned Echo Park and Silver Lake, as well as the area around a downtown LA bar where Kesha was working part-time at the time.
'In 2009, I knew I wanted 'Backstabber' to be a single, so I took it upon myself to make this video to convince everyone that it deserved its moment. My friends and I stayed up all night, did our own glam, and shot this video!! Everyone in it is one of my best friends,' she wrote in her post.
A Snapshot of Life Before Stardom
Kesha described the project as a raw, authentic record of her life just before her career transformed completely. Within a year of shooting the video, she had gone from regular nights at a spot she referred to as the Drunk Tank to touring the world on the back of her debut album. 'It was so authentic to that moment in my life, before everything changed. Little did I know I'd go from hanging out nightly at the Drunk Tank to touring the whole world a year later,' she said.
The singer called it her 'first music video' and noted that she 'just knew she needed it to work.' She closed her post with a playful nod to the song's subject matter: 'Finally… in 2026… it's OUT! This video will always have a special place in my heart… And thanks to those backstabbers :) I appreciate the inspo.'
Kesha's Chart Pedigree
The release arrives against a backdrop of a well-established discography. Kesha has scored two number-one albums on the US Billboard 200 — Animal in 2010 and Rainbow in 2017 — along with top-ten records Warrior in 2012 and High Road in 2020. Her singles catalogue includes ten top-ten entries and three number ones on the US Billboard Hot 100: 'Tik Tok', 'We R Who We R', and 'Timber' (with Pitbull), alongside fan favourites such as 'Die Young', 'Till The World Ends', 'Your Love Is My Drug', 'Blow', 'Blah Blah Blah', 'My First Kiss' (with 3OH!3), and 'Take It Off'.
Why the Delayed Release Resonates
The near-two-decade wait gives the video an unusual cultural weight. Archival footage from an artist's pre-fame days rarely surfaces in such polished circumstances — typically it leaks or surfaces without context. By releasing it herself, with a detailed personal note, Kesha has reframed the clip not as a curiosity but as a chapter in her creative origin story. The timing also keeps her name prominent ahead of any future project announcements.
Point of View
Kesha sitting on her first-ever music video for nearly two decades, then releasing it with full personal context, is a deliberate act of narrative control. It reframes a pre-fame artefact as emotional autobiography rather than promotional filler. Whether a label decision or personal choice held it back all those years remains unaddressed — and that gap in the story is arguably more interesting than the video.
NationPress
27 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Kesha's 'Backstabber' music video and why is it significant?
'Backstabber' is a song by Kesha for which she filmed a DIY music video in 2009 with her friends in downtown Los Angeles, before she became famous. It is significant because it is her first-ever music video, finally released publicly in 2026 — nearly 17 years after it was shot.
Why did Kesha make the 'Backstabber' video herself in 2009?
Kesha made the video herself to pitch the song as a single and convince those around her that the track deserved a proper release. She and her friends handled all filming, styling, and makeup without a professional crew.
Where was the 'Backstabber' music video filmed?
The video was filmed in downtown Los Angeles, with locations including Echo Park and Silver Lake, as well as near a bar in downtown LA where Kesha was working part-time at the time.
What did Kesha say about the 'Backstabber' video release?
On Instagram, Kesha wrote that she always knew the song deserved its moment and described the video as 'authentic to that moment in my life, before everything changed.' She also thanked the people who inspired the song, signing off with 'thanks to those backstabbers :) I appreciate the inspo.'
What are Kesha's biggest musical achievements to date?
Kesha has achieved two number-one albums on the US Billboard 200 — Animal in 2010 and Rainbow in 2017 — along with three number-one singles on the US Billboard Hot 100, including 'Tik Tok', 'We R Who We R', and 'Timber' with Pitbull. She also has ten top-ten singles to her name.
