Sad clown alert! After eight weeks and 30 shows around the U.S. and Canada, “The Adventures of Kesha and Macklemore” tour wrapped in Tampa Sunday night. In our first-ever candid “Mobile Moments” chat, where we talk to creators to learn about their influences and inspirations, we asked these two headliners — who’ve been known to wax nostalgic about the “Good Old Days” — to reflect on their “Adventures,” and share a bit about creating memorable mobile moments and the “Weird & Wonderful” things ahead.
We've been following the tour through your "Adventures of Kesha and Macklemore" series on YouTube. The shows look incredible, and your downtime activities seem amazing - Liberace! Lions! What have been some of the biggest highlights?
K: It’s just been amazing to go out there every night in a different city and feel this overwhelming sense of love and acceptance and positivity from tens of thousands of amazing people from all backgrounds. It makes me believe that even though our country is going through some stressful and divisive times, there is hope and I truly believe that love and equality and trust will win out over hate and division.
M: Taking in every city and going out and doing something fun, that’s what our tour is all about. You’re on stage for an hour, hour and a half each night. But what makes it really special is going out and taking in the different cultures, and the food and the people — and the shopping! I be buying clothes, man. I’ve gotten some great clothing on this trip. And we’ve also been in some random, weird places. We’ve been to a lot of amusement parks. There’s been some weird malls. Those experiences stay with you forever, and I’ve truly, truly enjoyed them.
You're both active on social media, and have been posting fun stuff from your "Adventures." How do you use your mobile devices day to day?
K: Being a touring musician and business person, there is no way I could stay connected with my fans, friends, and family without my smartphone. I love taking photos and videos with them and love the ability to FaceTime with my family from anywhere in the world. It’s great to be able to take a break from my busy schedule and talk to my niece and nephew about animals, or my cousin about everything that’s going on in our lives.
M: For me, my phone is very important. I try not to stay on it too much, but I also want to engage with the fans. And most importantly, I want to engage with my family. You know, I’m on FaceTime probably three times a day. More than my wife would like because she’s trying to raise some kids at home, and I’m just trying to interrupt and vicariously live through the phone.
Do you have certain apps that are lifesavers?
K: Probably my favorite app is one of my many meditation apps. Sometimes my schedule can get out of control and it starts to make me anxious, and then I know that I need to ask for 20 minutes to myself to try and re-center myself through meditation. I find apps such as Anxiety Relief Hypnosis and Calm to be enormously helpful, and would recommend them to anyone who struggles with anxiety. I also love the doTERRA app which suggests aromatherapy blends and natural remedies for any number of ailments using my favorite essential oils from doTERRA. Also, Find My iPhone. I lose it like once a day, minimum.
M: You gotta have your apps. You gotta have your Instagram. Really, I’m just on the ‘gram. That’s really it. You know, I have a photo-editing program that I use. But when it comes down to connecting with the fans? My main way to do it is through Instagram [@macklemore]. Keep my stories updated. Keep dropping content. Keep making myself laugh. And keep making the people happy.
Is it a little bittersweet having these “Adventures” come to an end?
M: Whenever you end a tour, it’s like a chapter that’s over. And this has been one of those tours and one of those summers that everything has just exceeded my expectations. The fans have been amazing. It will be great to get home, but this is the type of tour that I could keep going on for the rest of my life.
Kesha, you also have your "Weird & Wonderful Rainbow Ride" cruise leaving from Tampa next February. Have these "Adventures" prepared you for that "Ride"?
K: Absolutely! My mission in life is to spread as much love and positivity and glitter-filled rock and roll boogie magic as possible! It’s about damn time we took this party out on the open seas. I was a pirate in one of my past lives, so I may not come back once we set sail!
M: I’ve seen the announcement, it looks incredible. But you gotta be safe out there! There’s gotta be life jackets onboard. There’s gotta be lifeguards. And ... there’s gotta be no booze for anyone on that ship.
Missed the tour? Don’t fret! Catch all eight episodes of “The Adventures of Kesha and Macklemore” presented by T-Mobile on YouTube. #AreYouWithUs