A New York judge recently denied Kesha a court injunction that would have possibly allowed her to create new music outside of Sony Music and infamous producer Dr. Luke, whom she filed a lawsuit against.
Her suit accuses Dr. Luke of sexual assault, sexual harassment, gender violence, civil harassment, violation of unfair business laws, infliction of intentional, negligent emotional distress, retention and supervision. Luke then countersued Kesha for the claims.
The injunction would have allowed her to work with other labels and publishing units and receive damages for the alleged abuse and sexual violence the producer inflicted upon her. That lawsuit has been frozen, as the judge stated that in order for it to continue, Kesha’s contracts would require additional legal disputes and there was not enough evidence in support.
Despite a discouraging conclusion, Kesha’s fans have remained on the front lines for her.
I have never been in a situation similar to Kesha, but with such supportive fans, she must be relieved to have people who will encourage her to keep fighting.
Evidence can be difficult to come across in rape and sexual assault cases, especially in ones that have occurred over years. Unfortunately, those responsible for such crimes can be manipulative and know how to stealthily navigate through the system, especially when you have great lawyers.
No one who has been attacked in such a way for so long should have to prolong the battle against convicting their assaulter. It can weaken the soul. The backing of other celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Lorde, Ariana Grande and Lily Allen assert that there are women within her industry who refuse to see her lose. Kelly Clarkson recently commented on the producer’s suspicious nature and Taylor Swift donated money to help Kesha during the trying time.
The popularity of Twitter and the function of hashtags have worked to their own advantage in this situation also. I skimmed through the viral #FreeKesha and was updated with news on the situation, other users opinions and various ways people were showing support.
As of Friday, March 11, fans delivered a petition to Sony headquarters for the release of the producer and projected the hashtag on the front of the New York office.
Despite the legal problems that arise from contracts, Sony should hear fans out and seriously consider what to do with Dr. Luke. Aside from the court battles, is it really in their best interest to keep a man accused of such acts?
Sony is tarnishing their image by keeping him around. It hurts them now with celebrities like Kelly Clarkson coming forth and it could potentially hurt them in the future when signing new artists.
What to do with someone who allegedly committed such crimes can be tricky to navigate. I believe Sony should weigh both the pros and cons of keeping Dr. Luke. As a company, it will make the appropriate decision.
I am not a Kesha fan, but as a woman, I sympathize with her pain. I hope that no matter how many times she is denied, she always continues to push until the right person says yes and fights with her. Until then, she can always count on those who are continuing to fight to free her.
