Sturgill Simpson Teams With Kesha for Plaintive New Song, ‘Resentment’ [LISTEN]

Pop superstar Kesha invites Sturgill Simpson into her brooding, plaintive new ballad, "Resentment," along with Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson and L.A. based songwriter Wrabel. Press play above to listen to the track, which comes off of Kesha's forthcoming new album, High Road.

Haunting and quietly sad, the acoustic tune follows a relationship that has devolved into passive aggression, unspoken trauma and -- as the title says -- resentment. "I don't hate you babe / It's worse than that / 'Cause you hurt me and I don't react / I've been building this thing up for months.." Kesha sings in the chorus, flanked by harmonies from Simpson and Wilson.

"Resentment is such a powerful and destructive emotion and in my experience is more complex than hate or anger," Kesha says in a statement (quote via Pitchfork.) "Brian Wilson is one of my personal musical heroes, so when he said he would collaborate with me on the recording...that moment was one of the most exciting in my career. Then add in Sturgill, who I respect and admire so much, as well as my close friend, the insanely talented songwriter Wrabel, and this record felt more like a dream than just another song to me."

Kesha's High Road is set to come out in full on Jan. 10, 2020. Simpson's participation in "Resentment" is the latest in a string of experimental projects for the genre-bending country star. In the fall of 2019, he dropped his new album, Sound & Fury, along with an album-length anime movie of the same name.

Though 2020 will doubtless hold more surprises and unexpected directions for Simpson, fans of his more country-leaning material have plenty to look forward to, as well: He's hitting the road with Tyler Childers for the 2020 A Good Look'n Tour, which kicks off in late February.