As promised, Kesha performed at the two-night Bob Dylan tribute concert, Dylan Fest, on May 23. And just like every live Kesha performance ever since the ugly conflict between herself and Dr. Luke started, her tribute to Dylan was loaded with extra context. In the wake of her current record label woes, the “True Colors” singer performed “I Shall Be Released.”
Kesha’s take on the Band and Dylan’s solo tune came one day after she paid another tribute to Dylan at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards. After a load of controversy and back-and-forth, she was finally allowed to show off a cover of Dylan’s “It Ain’t Me, Babe” alongside Ben Folds.
Kesha’s become a bit of an expert at performing Dylan tunes in recent days. When her Billboard performance was still up in the air, she performed the same song at the tail end of a Ben Folds concert in Los Angeles.
Last night, Kesha was also joined by stars like Kurt Vile, Emmylou Harris, Ann Wilson and Wynonna Judd. Dylan Fest continues today on Dylan’s 75th birthday. And in honor of the living musical institution, you can check out some of our favorite covers of Bob’s best tracks here.
