After what has seemed like an endless wait for Kesha and her fans, the singer has finally released a new song. Earlier this year, a New York judge denied Kesha's request to make music outside of her contract with Dr. Luke, who she has accused of raping and abusing her. After this decision was made, artists including Adele, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Demi Lovato, Kelly Clarkson, and Zedd offered their support.
Zedd, a producer and DJ, offered to produce a song for Kesha for free so that her music career can continue to stay afloat while she is still locked in a contract with Dr. Luke. The pair collaborated and made "True Colors," which is a remake of Zedd's 2015 EDM track. The song is now available on Apple Music and Spotify and it marks Kesha's first released single since "Timber" in 2013.
Although Kesha was not released from her contract with Dr. Luke and Sony, making the song was not against the rules, as clarified by Zedd and Dr. Luke. It seems that Dr. Luke had the power to stop the song's release, and chose not to. Zedd is a producer not signed with Sony, and although Kesha's contract with Dr. Luke prevents her from making music with other producers, unless those producers work under Sony, they were able to receive special permission to record and produce the song. This remarkable exception is part of what makes the song so special.
Kesha recently took to Facebook and said, "This is more than a song. It’s a declaration of my truth." When one listens to the lyrics, "All my life, one page at a time / I’ll show you my, my true colors / No, no, no, no, I won’t apologize for the fire in my eyes / Let me show you my, my true colors / It ain’t your rainbow," one can't help but think about all the devastation Kesha has overcome. She is a survivor and shows this in her new single.
So what happens now? According to her contract, Kesha is required to make six more albums with Sony. Although Sony has agreed to let Kesha record with other producers signed with Sony, the larger legal battle over Kesha's allegations that Dr. Luke raped and abused her is still far from over. To make matters worse, Dr. Luke has sued Kesha in retaliation for her claims, and apparently Sony offered Kesha contractual freedom if she retracted her claims against Dr. Luke. However, Kesha refuses to be silenced and remains a face and voice for survivors everywhere.
While Kesha's ongoing legal battle with Dr. Luke does not have a happy ending, she is back doing what she loves most—making music. Fans and supporters can only hope that she will find peace and continue to have a promising career.
