News about Kesha's judgment day reached me around 1 p.m. (Eastern Time), which gave me a prime opportunity to turn the cheery lunch conversation I was having with my friends into a depressing one. We just sat in silence for a bit before reloading the page to see if what we were reading was actually true. Did Kesha really get denied by the judge for a temporary injunction that would release her from her producer and alleged rapist, Dr. Luke?
To understand the strong emotions and opinions many Kesha fans and artists feel, one needs to start from the beginning with October 2014, when Kesha accused Dr. Luke of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. She claims she was drugged and raped by the accused producer after he gave her what he called "sober pills." Dr. Luke has also been accused of commenting negatively on her weight, calling her "a fat f*cking refrigerator" and, when she did start a diet told her "Thank God you finally got rid of the weight! We've all been talking about it!" On Jan. 3, 2014, Kesha entered a rehabilitation center in Illinois for her eating disorder and holds Dr. Luke responsible as the main reason for her eating disorder and time in rehab.
Friday afternoon, the judge denied her request that would let her stop working with Dr. Luke. The judge gave Mark Geragos, Kesha's attorney, this statement “You’re asking the court to decimate a contract that was heavily negotiated and typical for the industry.” Even if Kesha wishes to make music with another producer, Sony Music Entertainment, who Dr. Luke's label Kemosabe Records works under, has no obligation to promote her albums, but in order to fulfill and therefore get out of her contract she will have to release six albums (not including the ones already out) under the music corporation. Ultimately, Kesha's career continues to be stunted by both Dr. Luke and Sony, and the chances of hearing an album, let alone a song from her are extremely slim.
Still, Kesha is not one to give up. Her social media posts thanking fans for their support and keeping her followers and fans up to date with her music give us the sense that maybe, just maybe, we'll be hearing some more of the raw, abrasive, and all around kick ass sound that is Kesha. So, what can we, the fans, do to show our support? How can we prevent Kesha from fading into the background, as so many issues do today?
Well, for starters, you can listen to her latest song. I know what you're thinking. Didn't you just say we won't be hearing any new Kesha music? Well, you know how I mentioned that Kesha won't give up on herself and her music? In August of 2014, Soundcloud user schpilkas uploaded a five-minute song called Lover, sung by Kesha. It's a change from what we would expect from her seeing that it has a slower pace, a more mature tone and experimental electronic sounds. If you're begging for more Kesha sound, there's always her Deconstructed EP to check out on Spotify or YouTube. I mention this because many people have criticized Kesha for her use of autotune utilized in her songs to make up for a talentless voice. I mention this to prove to those people that Kesha's voice is a beautiful, unique, and powerful one.
Another way to show our support for the singer or least educate yourself on the situation is social media. If you have a Twitter or Facebook account, join in on the conversation surrounding her verdict and post the hashtag "#FreeKesha." Many, many celebrities have tweeted their thoughts and support for Kesha:
I only placed a few but singers, male and female have shown their support for Kesha and continue to engage with others on the issue of women in the music industry.
Even if you never listened to Kesha's music or liked her "party-girl" concept, I hope we can agree at she is a victim of an awful sexual assault case that happens to be tangled in the music industry. As a huge Kesha fan, I just want her to produce more music, and I want her to make that music on her own terms.
