Kesha Opens Up About Feeling Relief After Ending Partnership with Dr. Luke and Releasing Her First Independent Album; Details Inside
Trigger Warning: This article includes references to sexual abuse
Evergreen musician and singer Kesha is feeling ‘happy’ and ‘free’ after releasing Joyride, her first single as an independent artist after parting ways with Dr. Luke‘s Kemosabe Records and RCA. In a chat with Forbes, the singer-songwriter opened up about the relief she feels, not only since the release of her new track but also after settling her legal battle with Kemosabe Records founder Dr. Luke.
“I feel free for the first time since I was 18 years old,” she said. “I so appreciate every single person that has streamed ‘Joyride,’ and I love the videos that are being made. I’ve spent almost 10 years in litigation and millions of dollars in legal fees”. She further acknowledged gratitude towards her fans and followers who supported her and loved her music all these years.
What happened between Kesha and Dr. Luke?
According to an article published by Rolling Stone, Kesha’s legal battle with Dr. Luke, whose real name is Lukasz Sebastian Gottwald, began in 2014 when she filed a lawsuit against him in California. Kesha accused Dr. Luke of sexual assault, harassment, and emotional abuse spanning over a decade.
Dr. Luke is a prominent name in the music industry and he is also the founder of Kemosabe Records which works with several A-listers and big names in America’s music scenario. Initially, Luke steadfastly denied the claims and sued her for defamation, but it was still nearly a decade before the pair settled the case out of court a year ago.
Kesha received moral support from her fans, followers, and several other celebrities. They all supported Kesha after this incident under the hashtag #FreeKesha.
More about Kesha’s new single
The track Joyride was released under her own label, Kesha Records. She hopes for a safe space for artists because “creation and fear cannot co-exist,” she said. “When you’re in a state of fear, you cannot create, and I know this from personal experience.”
Furthermore, in alignment with expanding her label, the singer also talked about a list of goals for the future, starting with a concerted effort to change the litigation surrounding the protected rights of an artist’s recorded voice.
She opened up about how singers lose their rights to their recorded voice “in perpetuity in the universe” and added that she is currently seeking to find partners who have vision alignment in terms of music and work.
She lastly said that she wishes to find creative, boundary-pushing, innovative tech creators who want to change how the music business works and bring a new level of transparency to the whole business.
Disclaimer: If you need support or know someone who is struggling with domestic violence or assault or abuse, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist, NGO or speak to someone about it. There are several helplines available for the same.
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