After bursting onto the pop scene in 2009 as the featured vocalist on Flo Rida’s “Right Round” and with her own Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “Tik Tok,” Kesha (going by Ke$ha at the time) quickly established herself as one of the top party-girl singers of her generation. After the success of her debut album Animal and its follow-up EP Cannibal (both 2010), Kesha took her second studio album, Warrior, as an opportunity to show the world there was more to her than just tipsy club anthems.
Released 10 years ago (Nov. 30, 2012 in Australia; Dec. 4, 2012 in America), Warrior saw Kesha building upon the pop aesthetic she had already established—one of joy, fun and freedom—while realizing more of her potential as an artist, successfully incorporating rock, punk and country into her existing palette of pop, hip-hop and dance. On top of that, Warrior saw her becoming more lyrically raw and personal on a handful of tracks — this newfound vulnerability helped manifest the album’s central theme of embracing your inner warrior.
While Warrior didn’t achieve as much success as the Billboard 200-topping Animal, peaking at No. 6 on that chart, its lead single “Die Young” was a commercial success, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Subsequent singles “C’Mon” and “Crazy Kids” peaked at Nos. 27 and 40, respectively.
Ultimately, the album continued to demonstrate Kesha’s star power and ability to make a mark on the pop music industry — and in some ways, it gave hints of what was to come on her triumphant return in 2017 with Rainbow.
Here, we rank all the standard tracks of Warrior in celebration of it turning 10.
-
"Die Young"
Despite being the album’s most successful track, it’s also arguably its weakest. While its chorus may be undeniably catchy, looking back, the song feels off-putting lyrically and Kesha’s energy isn’t fully present. Less than three months after the single’s release, a shooter took 26 lives at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. As numerous radio stations pulled the song in light of the tragedy, Kesha took to Twitter to say she had no control over the song’s lyrics and had her own reservations about the subject matter even before the shooting. Listen here.
-
"Wherever You Are"
Kesha taps into her sensitive side on “Wherever You Are,” singing about loss, romantic and non-romantic, due to distance. It’s a cute song with sweet lyrics, but the repetitiveness and generic production don’t do her favors, seeming like an ill fit to the song’s more serious tone. Listen here.
-
“All That Matters (The Beautiful Life)”
Probably the biggest club banger on Warrior, “All That Matters (The Beautiful Life)” features Kesha singing about the highs and lows of performing. Its basic lyrics give it the quality of a filler track, but nevertheless, it’s a fun and dancefloor-worthy song. Listen here.
-
“Only Wanna Dance With You”
“Only Wanna Dance With You” is the most lighthearted and feel-good song on the album. It’s a little cheesy, but with that saccharine quality, at least it could pair well with a good old-fashioned romcom montage. Listen here.
-
"Dirty Love” feat. Iggy Pop
Kesha’s rock star dreams came true on “Dirty Love.” Joined by the Stooges’ legend Iggy Pop, the two rave it up about wanting to tap into their animal instincts over a funky beat. Listen here.
-
"Crazy Kids"
Opening with whistles and incorporating everything from EDM drops to whispering and rapping, there’s a lot going on sonically on “Crazy Kids.” Its hook may not be the most gripping nor its chorus the most memorable, but it captures the vibe of a wild party child very well (including on the two non-album remixes with will.i.am and Juicy J). Listen here.
-
"Thinking of You"
While the title “Thinking of You” may bring to mind a ballad, it’s actually thumping a kiss-off track. Akin to her song “Grow A Pear” from her EP Cannibal, Kesha shows she’s not afraid to be blunt, saying “suck my d–k” twice. Listen here.
-
"Wonderland"
The Nashville-raised singer taps into her roots, reflecting on her past and feeling nostalgic for her childhood days on the pop-country “Wonderland.” While the seriousness of this ballad may seem out of place among the album’s high-energy tracks, it’s a nice and sincere change up, allowing fans to take a breather and see a different, softer side of the artist. Listen here.
-
"C'Mon"
While it may not be the strongest lyrically, the delirious chorus is undeniable — it feels like quintessential early Kesha. She wholeheartedly leans into the YOLO lifestyle, bringing sass and punchy vocals to sell this recording. Listen here.
-
"Warrior"
Serving as a thesis statement for the album, the opening and title track finds Kesha making a statement about personal fearlessness. She sets the tone well with this revved up and energetic song, getting listeners hyped up for the Warrior experience. Listen here.
-
"Love Into the Light"
The one track on Warrior that Kesha wrote solo, “Love Into the Light” is a ballad that shows a more vulnerable Kesha than we’d ever seen before in 2012. After opening with rhythms and synths akin to Phil Collins’ “In The Air Tonight,” the track boasts raw vocals and lyrics about accepting and loving one another, making for a powerful, touching song that rounds out an album about embracing your inner warrior. Listen here.
-
"Supernatural"
If there was competition for ghost sex songs, Kesha would take the cake with this one. With powerful vocals, dubstep beats and lyrics like “Get a little bit wrong, get a little bit wild / Get a little bit high off of this love tonight,” “Supernatural” is a high-octane dance track that plays into Kesha’s classic party girl aesthetic, while also getting lyrically intimate in a fashion that few would ever think to. It perfectly captures the strange magic that she was able to conjure up on the best parts of this album. Listen here.