Spring 2016
BY ALEX SOSA, LIFESTYLE EDITOR ’17
Kesha began her singing career eleven years ago when she signed to Kemosabe Records, a branch of SONY. She was just eighteen years old at the time, barely an adult. Kemosabe Records is owned and managed by a man who goes by the name of Dr.Luke and who has recently had serious accusations made against him by Kesha. When she sued him in 2014, she was hoping to terminate her recording contract with Dr. Luke. To quote the legal documents, Kesha claimed that Dr. Luke had, “sexually, physically, verbally, and emotionally abused [Kesha] to the point where [she] nearly lost her life.” Soon after, the producer countersued, claiming that her accusations had been “shocking”.
By this time, Kesha fans had rallied behind her, along with other celebrity artists who have outwardly spoken in her support. Artists like Demi Lovato, Lorde, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Adele, and Taylor Swift have proven to be her most avid supporters. Additionally, according to those around Kesha and Dr. Luke, the abuse was not confined to the recent past. Apparently, over two years ago, he had criticized her weight and pressured her to be thinner. This pressure eventually led to Kesha spending a period of time in rehab for the treatment of an eating disorder.
Since Kesha has been signed with SONY, fans have been wondering why they haven’t been able to break her contract with Dr.Luke. However, because she signed directly with Dr. Luke, unless legal action was taken by a court, nothing could be done to free the singer from her contract. On February 19, a judge rejected the court injunction that would have allowed Kesha to break the contracts and create new music with other producers. Although the verdict was not in her favor, the judge stated that if further evidence was presented, Kesha’s case would not be dismissed. On May 5, a conference was held that uncovered additional evidence and, on May 16, the case was officially updated with the new information.
More recently, the news of a new track released by EDM Producer and Artist Zedd has had the media buzzing. Not only is Kesha, surprisingly, featured on the song, but it also seems to have Dr.Luke’s approval. Ironically, the title of the track is “True Colors.” Many listeners believe the title is supposed to represent the ongoing struggle Kesha has had in this legal battle.
Over the past two years, the hashtag #freekesha has been trending occasionally on all forms of social media. The final verdict of the case has not yet been given, but hopefully, with the ongoing support of her family, friends, and fans, the outcome will be in her favor.
The Buccaneer 