In case your computer has been held hostage for the past three days and you missed the nauseating events that have happened with Kesha’s legal battled against Sony, let me catch you up. Over a year ago, Kesha filed a lawsuit against Sony after coming forward to report the emotional, verbal and sexual abuse she has suffered at the hands of her producer Lukasz Sebastian Gottwald a.k.a. Dr. Luke (PhD in Douchebggary.)
It was announced on Friday that Kesha’s attempt to get out of her contract with Sony and Dr. Luke and begin recording with anyone else was denied. Amongst the abominable display of treating a human artist like nothing more than a commodity, several fellow artists have come forward in support of Kesha. This morning, Lena Dunham posted an essay in her newsletter Lenny Letter, “Why Kesha’s Case is About More than Kesha,” discussing the importance of paying attention to and speaking up about sexual assault cases. Dunham is not alone in voicing her support for Kesha. Twitter has exploded with demands to #FreeKesha.
It is empowering to see the amount of outrage this decision has elicited. It’s clear fans and contemporaries of Kesha, and Kesha herself, will not take this lying down. However, for those who have stayed quiet, we have to respect them as well because as Lilly Singh said, you never know what they are doing IRL.
The music world is a terrifying place and if Kesha’s terrible situation has proven anything, it’s that the labels do not have the artist’s best interest at hearts. Speaking out can be deadly to performers who are chained to their labels. This makes Kesha’s decision to come forward at all incredibly powerful and it is tragic that she is not being allowed the freedom to heal and escape her abuser. She isn’t asking for him to go to jail. She isn’t even asking for him to be fired or kept away from other young female artists. She is just asking that she can be allowed to do her job without having to face someone who verbally abused, drugged, and raped her for the past several years.
#FreeKesha
More From BUST
Why Is The Media Turning Kesha’s Rape Case Into A Girl Fight?
Get Ready To Take On The World With Chantal Claret’s ‘Conquistadora’: BUST Premiere
Teen’s ‘Love Yes’ Album Will Make You Want To Dance With Your Dog: BUST Review