“Vulgar,” “cringe,” and “desperate.” Those were some of the words many viewers used to describe Kesha’s provocative performance at London’s Mighty Hoopla festival yesterday (June 1).
The 38-year-old headlined the second night of the LGBT+ and pop-focused music event in Brockwell Park, complete with a controversial set that saw her suggestively sucking on a banana placed on a backup dancer’s crotch.
A clip of the stunt went viral on social media, where users wasted no time in making their disgust known. For many, Kesha’s performance is part of an, in their opinion, exasperating trend of female singers simulating intimate acts on stage.
“Music is supposed to be art, not p*rn,” one viewer wrote. "Where's the art?"
Singer Kesha was criticized for simulating an intimate act on a backup dancer during concert
Image credits: kesha / Instagram
“She’s desperate for attention,” another replied. “This is what happens when you become irrelevant.”
Kesha is far from being the only female artist at the receiving end of such criticism. Netizens have long been expressing their concern over pop stars pushing the envelope too far on stage.
Image credits: kesha / Instagram
For instance, the backlash mirrors recent controversy surrounding Sabrina Carpenter, who has been criticized multiple times for s*xually suggestive performances during her Short n’ Sweet tour. As part of the show’s gimmick, she mimics a different s*xual position for each performance.
Image credits: zachaniff / TikTok
During a Paris concert, Carpenter simulated a three*ome with two male dancers in a staged recreation of what’s been dubbed the “Eiffel Tower” position—one man in front, one behind, and the singer bent over between them.
Image credits: zachaniff / TikTok
“I’m sorry but there are little kids in the audience and this is taking it way too far,” a user wrote on X.
“She’s one step away from starting an OF at this point,” another replied.
The moment stood in stark contrast to an emotional collaboration with the UK’s Trans Voices Choir
Image credits: zachaniff / TikTok
What made Kesha’s performance particularly jarring for some was the dramatic contrast with another moment during her set that drew widespread admiration from her fanbase.
Image credits: jayblew
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Wearing a “Protect the Dolls” t-shirt—popularized by actor Pedro Pascal—Kesha performed an emotional rendition of her ballad Praying, accompanied by the UK’s Trans Voices Choir.
The collaboration allegedly brought some attendants to tears.
“Cried my eyes out, always the most special song,” one fan commented.
“Serving vocals, shivers down my spine,” another wrote.
Image credits: zachaniff / TikTok
The Trans Voices Choir, described as “the UK’s first professional trans+ vocal collective,” helped elevate the performance into what Kesha’s fans considered one of the most powerful moments of the weekend.
Image credits: KeshaWorld91
Kesha has long been a supporter of LGBT+ causes. Her performance comes at a particularly sensitive time for transgender individuals in the UK, as the Supreme Court passed a ruling on April 16 that specifies that the definition of s*x in the 2010 Equality Act refers to biological s*x.
Fans defended the choreography, defending the rights of singers to express themselves in whichever way they want
Image credits: Sabrina Carpenter / YouTube
Not all reactions were negative, however, as supporters argued that both Kesha and Carpenter were merely expressing their s*xuality freely on their own terms—and challenging “outdated” expectations of modesty along the way.
Image credits: BuzzingPop / X
“If you bring your kids to her shows, that’s on you,” a fan argued. “She is very honest that her music is not for kids.”
Still, that defense did little to calm the waters.
“If this is entertainment these days, I’ll pass. Give me a Heart concert, Stevie Nicks, not this absolute cr*p these clown pop singers out,” a viewer said.
“But It’s ok for Sabrina Carpenter to do it and the vile cesspit that is Cardi B,” another followed.
Regardless of the criticism, one thing’s certain: the stunts keep people talking, fans buying, and eyes glued to these singers.
"Sabrina paved the way." Netizens took to social media to share their opinions on the trend
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