Kesha sparks concern as she takes to the stage with a large knife in hand at Hard Rock Casino in Atlantic City before wearing a PVC nun’s outfit

Kesha caused a stir on Thursday when she performed her new single JOYRIDE with a large knife at the Hard Rock Casino in Atlantic City.

The 37-year-old singer-songwriter, who released her new single on Thursday after parting ways with Dr. Luke’s record label less than a year ago, commanded attention on stage while wielding a large knife.

During the concert, the Die Young hitmaker held up a black T-shirt to the audience, with the word ‘free’ emblazoned on it in glitter, to signify her ‘freedom’ from the record label.

The singer wore a glittering black corset with lace panels and wielded a large knife as she sang for the audience.

During the event, the star changed outfits several times, first dressing as a nun, then donning a cowboy-chic ensemble.

She also brazenly held up a sanitary towel to the audience, with the word ‘c***y’ written on it.

The blonde beauty looked gorgeous with her loose curls and a silver, shimmering eyeshadow.

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The performance bears a striking resemblance to Britney Spears’ dangerous dance involving enormous kitchen knives from last year.

The 41-year-old pop icon used two knives as props in the silent clip at the time and shared the video with her 42.1 million followers on Instagram.

The singer appeared scantily clad in a swimsuit and crop top in the hallway of her California home, showing off a dazzling, improvised choreography with two kitchen helpers.

Britney assured her fans in the caption, “I was in the kitchen playing with knives today!!! Don’t worry they are NOT real knives!!!”

Kesha’s performance came as she celebrated her independence by releasing her new single JOYRIDE on Independence Day.

As a brand new indie artist, the singer-songwriter released this challenging, upbeat track, her very first since parting ways with Dr. Luke’s record label less than a year ago.

The TiK ToK hitmaker has been announcing new music for months, and just days earlier she announced her plans to release JOYRIDE, which she debuted this past weekend at Planet Pride in Brooklyn on July 4.

However, just days before Katy Perry releases her own song, Kesha’s JOYRIDE release appears to be a subtle dig at the Fireworks singer for her collaboration with the controversial record producer.

After a lengthy legal battle against Dr. Luke, a music producer she accused of sexually abusing and assaulting her for years, it appears that all of this is now behind her.

Kesha’s new summer anthem features an electro sound reminiscent of her early hits like TiK ToK and We R Who We R, while also featuring bold, quirky lyrics about the search for a “good time.”

She even references the 2004 cult classic Mean Girls, singing in the chorus, “Get in, loser, for the joyride.”

In the first verse, she calls herself a “b****” and purrs, “Don’t try to give me s*** / I earned the right to b-be this way.”

After the chorus and in the second verse, she sings a lyric that will undoubtedly go viral: “Do you want children? Well, I’m a mother.”

She released JOYRIDE with a cover showing her long legs, dressed in bright red tights and over-the-knee latex boots, sitting on the hood of a Porsche convertible.

In the faceless photo, Kesha is seen wearing a crop top with latex opera gloves and nothing else but a naughty thong and her sheer stockings.

Her release of JOYRIDE comes shortly after her recording contract with Kemosabe Records and RCA expired in December 2023.

Earlier that same year, she released her album Gag Order in May, the last album she was contractually obligated to record for the label.

In 2009, she signed a traditional contract with the record company and was legally obliged to record a total of seven albums for her alleged abuser.

She released five full-length albums and three EPs before parting ways with her record label RCA last year.

In 2023, her bitter, nearly decade-long legal battle with Dr. Luke also came to an end when they settled out of court.

Despite her newfound freedom, she was unable to release music until February 2024, and previously said she was “counting the days.”

In 2014, Kesha filed a civil lawsuit against Dr. Luke, whose full name is Lukasz Gottwald.

She alleged that he had abused her “physically, sexually, verbally and emotionally” over a period of 10 years.

He vehemently denied the allegations and sued her for defamation and breach of contract, seeking $50 million in damages.

In 2016, Kesha dropped the abuse charges after concluding she did not fully remember the events of that night. However, the lawsuit against the Kemosabe Records founder dragged on for nearly a decade.

Kesha’s last five albums, including Gag Order, have all been released under Kemosabe.

Additionally, the musician – who rose to fame after being featured on Flo Rida’s 2009 hit Right Round and later released her breakthrough hit TiK ToK in 2012 – has a diverse discography, including Animal (2010), Warrior (2012), Rainbow (2017) and High Road (2020).