I'm ready for 2016 to be the year of the Kesha comeback. Kesha hasn't released a new song since her feature on "Timber" with Pitbull, her latest album Warrior was released in 2012, and she hasn't been on the radio lately. Whenever I mention that I hope Kesha will record new music soon, my friends ask me if she faded into oblivion or stopped making music. I could not imagine Kesha "fading into oblivion" for no reason. She's released one hit single after another, wrote songs for artists such as Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus, and became a gender and sexuality icon. So what reason would Kesha have to completely disappear from the spotlight?
The sad truth is that Kesha has been in hot water for a couple of years now. In addition to her struggle with bulimia nervosa, Kesha has been in a legal battle since October 2014 when she filed a lawsuit against producer Dr. Luke (who she worked with since she was 17 years old) for sexual assault, battery, gender violence and emotional abuse. In one case, Kesha said she recalled waking up in Dr. Luke's bed sore and naked after he gave her "sober pills" which Kesha now believes were GHB.
While recovering from bulimia nervosa in 2014, Kesha said working with Dr. Luke would be dangerously unhealthy for her, but she still has a contractual obligation to make music with his label unless she gets an injunction. However, getting out of one's legal commitments in the music industry is a rare occasion.
"Kesha is at an impasse," her attorney said. "She cannot work with music producers, publishers, or record labels to release new music. With no new music to perform, Kesha cannot tour...Her brand value has fallen, and unless the Court issues this injunction, Kesha will suffer irreparable harm, plummeting her career past the point of no return." There may be a beacon of hope though. In December 2015, Kesha performed a secret concert in Nashville with a band called Yeast Infection. A video was posted on the Internet days later, revealing the pop icon giving a punk rock performance of her hits "Blow" and "Timber." When Kesha shared these songs on her Facebook page, she wrote, "Don't worry. NO ONE will ever shut me up." When Kesha introduced "Timber," the finale of her set, she told her fans, "this last little number is a song y'all knew from before, I did this one with Pitbull... but it didn't sound like this." Something tells me Kesha may be back sooner than we think, in spite of her legal troubles.Pop music needs Kesha back. Kesha stands for freedom, self-love and living life to the fullest. Of course, her "party girl" image has been criticized, but one of the best things about Kesha was her carelessness and unapologetic self-expression. She also poked fun at how male artists could get away with objectifying women in songs like "Blah Blah Blah." Needless to say, Kesha is not just another pop star. People have noticed her absence from the radio and other media, but haven't bothered to read into the full story. One of the most devastating truths of Kesha's situation is that she has had little support. Sony is doubting Kesha, claiming she did not report the alleged abuse. Few other artists have spoken out in Kesha's support, and there are so many people that have no idea what is happening to her, assuming she just ran out of good ideas and quit pop music.
Kesha needs her fans more than ever. Even if you aren't a fan and never took Kesha's music seriously, she still needs support. The most important thing we can learn from Kesha's complicated and horrific situation is that we must listen to, believe, and support survivors of rape and abuse. If it's hard for a famous musician to come forward with her story and receive adequate support, imagine being an average person who experienced sexual assault and abuse. Although awareness for sexual violence is increasing, there are still survivors who are afraid to open up about their experience. So let's make an effort to break the silence. Not just for Kesha, but for everyone who has been silenced and continues to be silenced.
