The pop star broke through with her party music, but Kesha was extremely "studious" growing up. She told NPR, "I was in the international baccalaureate program, I loved physics and math, and I was in the marching band. After practice, I would drive to Belmont [a college in Nashville] and listen to Cold War history classes; I just think it's so interesting."

She was going to attend Barnard College to study psychology and comparative religion until her producer, Dr. Luke, convinced her to pursue her music career. The two were embroiled in a legal battle after she sued him for sexual assault, but she dropped the civil lawsuit in August.