Kesha is a worldwide pop sensation who has released several top hits and two very successful albums. Kesha has been in the music industry for ten years and has made a huge name for herself. Not only has she found commercial success, but she is also backed by millions of fans. Sadly, behind all of her success, there has been constant mental and sexual abuse from her producer, Dr. Luke. She signed with Dr. Luke in 2005 and there have been both unreported and reported attacks ever since.
Finally, after several years of silence, Kesha sued Dr. Luke in 2014 and it has been a rollercoaster ever since. Before she sued, she went to rehab for bulimia, which she struggled with for years. As a result of Kesha's lawsuit, Dr. Luke filed a countersuit against her, her management, and even her mother. Since she filed a lawsuit against her producer, she has been unable to release any new music. This has done great damage to her career and to her brand. Kesha went from topping the charts to being absent for almost two years.
After this absence, Kesha's lawsuit was tried on February 19th, 2016 at the New York Supreme Court. Justice Shirley Kornreich ultimately denied Kesha an injunction from her contract. As a result, Kesha is still stuck in a contract with Dr. Luke in which she has to produce six more studio albums. Out of all of the distress, the one good thing that she is allowed to do is produce music away from Dr. Luke, but he will still gain money from her success.
After the results of her case went public, there was a public outcry. Millions of people around the world came to her side for support. In a matter of hours, her situation was trending on several platforms. Not only did she have the support of her fans, but many celebrities also came to her defense, including Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga, Lorde, Iggy Azalea, Adele, Demi Lovato, and Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift even gave Kesha $250,000 to help her financially. Since her case, Kesha also has been given offers from several other artists to create new music.
Recently, Dr.Luke broke his silence about the situation. He stated that he, "didn't rape Kesha," and that he couldn't discuss much because the whole situation still is not over. After he made that statement, Kesha released her own statement for her supporters and fans. She wrote, "This case has never been about a renegotiation of my record contract--it was never about getting a bigger, or a better deal. This is about being free from my abuser."
Kesha's emotional statement brought up a whole different aspect to the situation. More and more people finally realized the whole rally of #FreedomForKesha isn't just about her getting out of her contract and being able to release music, it was about her safety. This case has put a huge focus on the rights and protection of people who have been sexually abused. Kesha encourages women and men to speak out and tell their story. After almost ten years of abuse, Kesha has partially received what she has been wanting all along: her voice being heard.
It is clear that Kesha is still fighting for her rights and what she believes in. Even though the courts didn't side with her, that is not enough to silence her cries for help. With the support of her fans and other celebrities, justice for Kesha will soon come. I also stand with Kesha!
