It’s been going on since 2011. Well, arguably 2005 when producer Dr Luke, real name Luke Gottwald, first signed Kesha. Their contract hasn’t been renegotiated since. Now, all Kesha wants to do is get out of her contract but she can’t. She filed an injunction, in the hope of being released from her contract with Sony-affiliated Kemosabe records, owned by Dr Luke. He countersued her for extortion. She is effectively in legal limbo, her career on ice.
She’s not been heard from since her 2013 collaboration with Pitbull, Timber, although it’s probably still stuck in your head.
On Friday Kesha lost her bid for freedom from the binding agreement with Dr Luke who, she says, drugged, sexually, emotionally and psychologically abused her. A New York State Supreme Court judge denied her an injunction against the producer. The singer made no comments as she left the court, but fans were there showing support. Many held placards which read things like ‘Don’t force Kesha to work with her abuser’ and ‘#freekesha’.
This isn’t the end of legal proceedings between the two, however, there are still ongoing, related, lawsuits in California and Tennessee.
Kesha has submitted a declaration which reiterates her allegations, saying that she ‘physically cannot’ work with Dr Luke. Dr Luke’s team responded with the following:
‘If Kesha now regrets her career being mired in legal proceedings, it’s entirely her making.’
Lawyers for Dr Luke and Sony music Entertainment maintain that Kesha is violating her agreement by not recording. However, even if she doesn’t work directly with him (which is what Sony are proposing), he will still legally have rights to at least 6 songs on each of her albums because of the contract she has with him.
Pictures from the hearing show Kesha listening to the ruling looking tearful. On Thursday evening last week she wrote on Instagram:
‘I have nothing left to hide. I did this because the truth was eating away my soul and killing me from the inside.
'This is not just for me. this is for every woman, every human who has ever been abused. sexually. emotionally. mentally.’
'I had to tell the truth. so the outcome will be what it will be. there's nothing left I can do. it's just so scary to have zero control in your fate. but this is my path this life for whatever reason.'
Following the court proceedings last week Taylor Swift has made a ‘show of support’ for Kesha. She has given the singer $250,000. Other celebrities, including Ariana Grande and Lady Gaga have also publically spoken of their support for the singer on social media.
Sony's defence is that they have offered Kesha the opportunity to record without Dr Luke but her legal team have sad this is an 'elusive promise’. Many people are citing Kesha’s plight after speaking out against sexual abuse as another example of how insidious sexism is within the music industry and saying that the treatment of the 28 year old singer exemplifies why women don’t feel they can speak out against it.
Demi Lovato, for instance, took to Twitter to say that Kesha’s situation is an example of why many women don’t feel brave enough to speak out about sexual abuse in the music industry.
She then went on to call Taylor Swift out for helping Kesha but not speaking out about it publically. ‘Take something to Capitol Hill or actually speak out about something and then I’ll be impressed’, she tweeted.
The case is by no means closed and both parties involved are currently seeking unspecified damages.
You might also be interested in:
How These Women Used Twitter To Out A Senior Music Exec Accused Of Sexual Assault
Kesha Is Suing Mega Producer Dr. Luke For Assault And Sexual Abuse
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.