Kesha fans have a reason to celebrate: the singer has finally left her record label, Kemosabe Records, after a decade-long dispute with its owner, Dr. Luke. The news broke on Monday (18 December), ending a long and complex legal battle that involved allegations of sexual and emotional abuse.
Kesha, whose full name is Kesha Rose Sebert, moved to Los Angeles at age 17 to record music with Dr. Luke, whose full name is Lukasz Sebastian Gottwald for his label. In October 2014, she accused him of sexual and emotional abuse, and filed a lawsuit to get out of her contract. Dr. Luke denied the allegations and countersued her for defamation and breach of contract.
The case sparked a massive social media campaign, #FreeKesha, that rallied behind the singer and demanded her release from the label. Kesha herself showed her appreciation for the support, liking and retweeting many posts from her fans and celebrities. She also replied to some of her fans, such as one who wrote: “I hope everything’s will be okay for you ♡ you deserve freedom and happiness. I hope you can continue to create amazing music!”. Kesha responded: “God this message means everything to me. I love you, animal. I’m so grateful I’m not alone.” ‘Animals’ is the name Kesha’s fans use to refer to themselves.
However, the legal battle was not easy for Kesha. In 2016, a New York judge denied her request for a preliminary injunction, which would allow her to record music outside of Kemosabe Records until the case was resolved.
In 2018, Kesha claimed she was offered her freedom if she lied and publicly apologized to Dr. Luke. She refused to do so, and posted: “I got offered my freedom IF i were to lie. I would have to APOLOGIZE publicly and say that I never got raped. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS behind closed doors. I will not take back the TRUTH. I would rather let the truth ruin my career than lie for a monster ever again.”
Months ago, Kesha’s fifth studio album “Gag Order” received widespread critical acclaim. Not long after its release, Kesha and Dr. Luke announced that they had resolved several ongoing legal disputes out of court.
It has now been confirmed that Kesha’s contract with Kemosabe officially ended last week. “Gag Order” would be her final album under contract with Kemosabe, and this indeed marked the natural conclusion of their deal.
Additionally, Variety reported that Kesha and her management company, Vector Management, have parted ways in an amicable manner.
Relevant articles:
– Kesha is now finally free from Dr. Luke’s Kemosabe record label
– Kesha Is Finally Free
– Free Kesha: Singer’s long, complex legal fight with Dr Luke – and why fans are rallying behind her
– Why the Kesha, Dr. Luke Battle Is Resurfacing as She Likes Posts – Newsweek