Pop singer Kesha, who has been most famous for her hit records and stage lights-drenched shows, is entering the tech space with a strong new initiative. Her platform, Smash, is designed to disrupt the way music makers connect, work together, and most crucially, keep ownership over their content.
But this isn’t just another celebrity startup. Smash is deeply personal for Kesha. It’s her response to the systemic problems she faced during her long legal battles over a contract she called “predatory.” Her mission is clear: give power back to creators. “After what I’ve gone through and seeing that the system is broken… It’s gatekeeping by people who can do what they want,” she told Wired.
Kesha’s story is not uncommon. Music Business Worldwide conducted a survey and discovered that 83% of independent artists currently prioritize keeping their rights rather than signing with major labels. Smash caters directly to that feeling.
What Is Smash? A Creative Hub for Music Makers
Imagine a blend of Fiverr and LinkedIn, but specifically tailored for the music world. Smash provides space for artists, producers, and other music industry professionals to connect, work together on projects, hire each other, and—more importantly—keep all ownership of what they do.
“Artists and music creators of any sort can have community, they can work together, they can employ one another, and keep all the rights to whatever they make,” Kesha explained to TechCrunch. Smash shares the ethos of her independent label, Kesha Records, but on a larger, more universal level.
The Technology Behind the Platform
Smash isn’t only artist-friendly—it’s also technologically advanced. Head of the platform’s development is CTO Alan Cannistraro, a former Apple and Facebook engineer. At Apple, he developed some of the initial iOS apps. At Facebook, he designed the Year-in-Review feature before launching his social video startup, Rheo.
With him at the helm, Smash features an AI-driven matching engine that matches users up based on genre, project history, and even gear compatibility. It’s meant to enable creators to find collaborators efficiently and rapidly.
To safeguard creators’ rights, Smash uses blockchain for intellectual property tracking and smart contracts for automated royalty splits. Payments are then transparent, equal, and timely. NFT capabilities are also in development, providing limited releases and digital collectibles. The site itself runs on a secure, serverless AWS base with a seamless React Native mobile experience.
Early Buzz and Investor Interest
Smash has already generated keen interest among the music and venture capital communities. Although figures from its seed round have not been revealed, it is rumored that heavyweight names are in the running. WndrCo, the $460 million fund behind Mixcloud’s international expansion, is reportedly keen, along with Blue Icon Group of The Weeknd.
Only 72 hours after Smash announced, the platform already attracted a 50,000-creator waitlist. That early momentum is testament to both Kesha’s fame and the need for a platform that empowers music professionals.
How Smash Stands Out in a Crowded Market
Whereas sites such as SoundBetter and BandLab provide collaboration tools, Smash is going one step further. It’s merging verified discovery of talent with in-built intellectual property protections—something that few others have. “No platform brings verified talent together with airtight protection of rights.”
The company’s business model centers on premium subscriptions and licensing its IP management software to independent labels and music festivals. With creator-focused infrastructure and an embedded audience, Smash is poised to expand from a networking app.
Smash Launches with a Remix Challenge
As a launch to its public introduction, Smash is sponsoring a remix contest for Kesha’s new single, “BOY CRAZY.” Registered artists may download the track’s stems and remix within one week. A panel of industry experts will determine the winning remix, and it will be released on Kesha Records. Both a savvy demonstration of the platform’s capabilities and a genuine showcase of opportunity for up-and-coming artists, it promises to be exciting.
Creating a ‘Creative Middle Class’
At its essence, Smash is about more than music—it’s about redefining the creative economy. Kesha imagines the platform will help build what she refers to as a “creative middle class”—a platform where artists don’t have to trade autonomy for opportunity.
“There’s no gatekeeping of contacts,” she explained to Wired. That deceptively simple concept—openness, access, and control—has broad potential not only for music but for the way creative industries are structured in the digital era.
Smash is in its infancy still, but with an unambiguous mission technical heft that’s serious, and momentum picking up, it’s already making a compelling argument for a fairer future in music. And at the helm of the charge is Kesha, so let’s just say: this is one debut to watch.
