Before she was the pop-party princess we didn’t do anything to deserve, dropping one of 2009’s biggest dance floor anthems in Tik Tok, , real life angel Kesha was a bonafide country-rock singer who was penning songs for everyone from Miley Cyrus to Alice Cooper. Now, the singer has returned to her dirty rock and roll and country roots with a new project, Kesha and The Creepies.
Just before announcing that she was dropping her Californian case against her alleged abuser and former collaborator/producer Dr. Luke last week, Kesha shared a tour poster and dates for an intimate set of summer (US) dates with her new band, The Creepies. Her tour, aptly titled the Fuck the World Tour, is the first full-scale tour the singer has done since she became embroiled in her legal battles with Dr. Luke and Sony in 2014. During that time, she has played a handful of dates, including her performance at the Billboard Music Awards, which went ahead following an attempt at blocking her from doing so on the part of Dr. Luke’s label, Kemosabe Records.
According to a Rolling Stone review, Kesha left all her legal issues at the doors to the House of Blues, only making a handful of references throughout the night and instead opting to focus on kicking negativity to the curb with a tongue in cheek middle finger to the world. Described as a 75 minute first-step in the important process of catharsis for both performer and adoring audience, the singer was described as continuing her work on reclaiming her own identity for herself. Hopefully, this all points to better, more positive things for Kesha in the near future.
As for new material, Kesha mentioned in her tour announcement that while it had been far too long since she’d toured, she was still unable to release her own music. “Until I can release my own music I will be reinventing some of my old songs” along with those from the “artists that have helped shape who I am and the music I make today.”
A 15 minute video from one of that same date Rolling Stone attended has now been uploaded to YouTube. Taking place that the House Of Blues, in Cleveland, Keshas’s set with The Creepies featured, as promised, re-imaginings of some of her biggest hits, along with covers of some of her biggest influences, including her version of Dolly Parton’ iconic Jolene and Bob Dylan’s I Shall Be Released.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0ya5GOV2AY
Image: Rolling Stone
Having first filed against Dr. Luke (Lukasz Gottwald) two years ago, pop singer Kesha has this week dropped her Californian lawsuit against her alleged abuser in an effort to see out her contract with Sony and Kemosabe records, which still holds her to her obligations of putting out five albums worth of commercially viable material.
In hopes to get her career back on track, which it was previously discussed as impossible without an injunction against Gottwald, Kesha has provided her record label with 28 new songs.
She has also scaled back her actions against Luke, dropping her case in California, where it has been on hold for just over a year. Despite this new development, the singer has stated that she will continue to pursue appeals in New York following the dismissal of her sexual abuse claims against the pop-producer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP6XpLQM2Cs
The Billboard Music Awards are done and dusted for another year, and once again brought the goods when it comes to live performances from music’s biggest and (sometimes) best. We’ve checked out all the videos from the show, and narrowed it down to the 5 must see sets. Check them out below!
Rihanna
I have only four words for you: Bad. Gal. Ri. Ri. She absolutely killed it! Her passionate, heart-wrenching ballad taken from her opus, ANTI, titled Love On The Brain was a gentle push on the break pedal from the other high intensity, full throttle performances, and provided a rare glimpse into the other side of Rihanna. A simple set up with a green background, RiRi stood behind a mic stand as she belted out her song, wearing green fur similar to her memorable Bitch Better Have My Money performance with the helicopter at last year’s iHeartRadio music awards. It’s a stunning performance, and definitely the best of the night.
Britney Spears
The Princess of Pop reclaimed her throne at the BBMAs this year, with a medley of her greatest hits effortlessly pulled off. The child star-turned-pop-icon-turned-example-of-what-not-to-do-when-you’re-famous-turned-icon-again showed everyone why she is one of the world’s biggest pop artists ever, with a mix of songs including everything from Toxic to Womanizer to Work Bitch. Dance routines and a back up crew cutting all kinds of shapes, as well as multiple costume changes and an exciting light show started things off with a bang this year, and served as a not so gentle reminder that it’s Britney, bitch!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZG9bttWuFo
Ariana Grande
Having just released her sensational new album, Dangerous Woman on Friday last week, Ariana seized the opportunity to show off some new material. Performing a mash up of title track Dangerous Woman and new single Into You, she showcased her incredible set of pipes in front of a gaggle of back up dancers, performing her sexually powerful and self-assertive new tunes with so much confidence it almost came off as nonchalant. Stepping up her musical capabilities as well as her femme-fatale attitude, Ariana killed it from start to finish here. We’re predicting Into You to be absolutely everywhere soon.
Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber has been thrust onto the world stage for the last 6+ months thanks to his “comeback” album, Purpose and the huge amount of certified bangers on it, and whilst in the past he hasn’t exactly given his live performances his all, this time around he looked raring to go. Complete with back up dances, an elaborate stage set up, jets of fire and an insane light show, Biebs was back to administer another dosage of Bieber Fever at the BBMAs. Performing Sorry and Company, two stand out tunes on his album, he showed everyone that the comeback is far from over, and reaffirmed the fact that we are also far from being over it. Yassss Bieber!
Kesha
This performance almost didn’t happen, so the fact that Kesha did in fact get up on stage with Ben Folds to perform a cover of Bob Dylan’s It Ain’t Me Babe was a very big win for an artist who just can’t catch a break. After months of emotionally exhausting court cases to free her from a contract with her alleged abuser, Dr Luke, and having her case consequently thrown out, the music world has rallied around Kesha to hear her and what she’s trying to say, and this jaw-dropping performance showed that although she isn’t in a good place, there is still light at the end of the tunnel for her. Here’s hoping she sees justice soon.
Image: BGR
In some much needed good news for the troubled singer, Kesha’s performance at the Billboard Music Award ceremony next week has been approved. She had originally accepted an invitation from organisers, but earlier this week it emerged that Kemosabe Records had suspended their initial approval – apparently due to fears that she would use the opportunity to draw attention to her legal battle with Dr. Luke.
As the news broke that Kemosabe had reneged on their original approval, it seemed that Kesha’s fears had been confirmed. Recent months have seen the singer engage in a highly publicised legal battle against Kemosabe owner Dr. Luke. Accusing Luke of various forms of personal and professional abuse, she sought to extricate herself from her contract with the label. She has also voiced fears that her career would subsequently be hindered and stifled by Dr. Luke, fears which appeared to be manifesting.
Having originally planned to perform a cover of a Bob Dylan song, Kesha took to social media to assure the world that she simply wished to pay tribute to one of her favourite songwriters. Event organisers, Dick Clark Productions also released a statement explaining that Kesha’s original acceptance had been rescinded by Kemosabe Records, but that they were hopeful that an agreement could be reached.
Kesha brought her case against Dr. Luke earlier this year. Image via Pedestrian TV
The singer also maintained that she had no plans to allude to her dispute, or disparage, Dr. Luke at the event. This seems to have done the trick, as the label released the following statement yesterday:
“Kesha’s performance on the Billboard Music Awards was always approved, in good faith. Approval was only suspended when Kemosabe learned Kesha was to use the performance as a platform to discuss the litigation. Now that Kemosabe has obtained assurances, that it is relying upon, from Kesha, her representatives and Dick Clark Productions that neither Kesha nor her supporters will use the performance as such a platform, the approval has been restored.”
Ultimately, it is good news for Kesha. Even though she lost her court battle, every eye is trained upon her career for the foreseeable future. And Kemosabe would be foolish to allow even a hint of foul play to emerge. But the difficulty lies in cases like these, in the end the result is the correct one, but the message is very clear that Kesha is still at the mercy of Dr. Luke.
Image: Billboard
As if all the bullshit Kesha has had to deal with throughout her career -especially as of late- hasn’t been enough, she has now been blocked from playing at the Billboard Music Awards.
The singer, who has been fighting a very public battle against her alleged abuser Dr. Luke, his label Kemosabe Records and Sony, was set to perform at the Billboard Music Awards this weekend. It has now been announced that she will in fact, not be performing, as Kemosabe has retracted the approval initially granted for her to play. Dick Clark Productions, which runs the event, has given a statement addressing the situation surrounding the pop star’s performance.
Kesha accepted an invitation to perform on the show and she received written approval from Dr. Luke’s record label, Kemosabe Records… Kemosabe subsequently rescinded its approval following a media report on Wednesday May 11 regarding Kesha’s appearance on the BBMAs. Unfortunately, Kesha and Kemosabe have since been unable to come to an agreement for Kesha to perform on the show. Dick clark productions has a long standing relationship with Kesha. We hope that the parties can come to an arrangement such that we can continue that long standing relationship with a performance by Kesha on the Billboard Music Awards stage on May 22nd.”
It is rumoured that the label rescinded approval due to concerns that she would be making direct references to her legal battles with Dr. Luke. Kesha herself has since denied such allegations, stating that she was simple set to perform a tribute to Bob Dylan, singing his It Ain’t Me Babe. There are no other details on the disagreement at this point. While it is hoped that the parties involved will be able to reach an agreement before the even goes ahead on Sunday, but judging by a post shared to Instagram by the singer, that looks to be unlikely.
In her post, which includes a video of Kesha performing, the singer wrote that she had simply been looking forward to performing and was not planning to use the BMAs to call attention to her legal troubles whatsoever. “I was very excited to perform a tribute to Bob Dylan… I just wanted to make very clear that this performance was about me honoring one of my favorite songwriters of all time and has never had anything at all to do with Dr. Luke. I was never going to use a picture of him, speak of him or allude to my legal situation in any way.”
Image: Billboard
Just in case you had forgotten how talented a singer Kesha actually is, let this be your reminder.
Having been a vocal and loyal supporter of Kesha throughout her legal battles with Sony and Dr. Luke, producer Zedd has proven that when he offered to work with her, he was completely serious. Following news yesterday the pop singer was back in the studio with the producer, the duo have come good on their promise that a new track would be dropping today. The song they’ve released today is a studio version of True Colors, which they performed together during Zedd’s Coachella set two weeks ago.
Having obtained the necessary permissions from Dr. Luke which allowed Kesha to feature on the track, the song has been released via Zedd’s label, Interscope Records, which is a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. In short, it means that Dr. Luke sees none of the profit form any streams or purchases of the song, and he has zero writing or production credits.
Just to clarify:
We didn't use any loop holes. Kemosabe / RCA gave us permission to release this song!— Zedd (@Zedd) April 27, 2016
https://www.facebook.com/kesha/videos/10154185983159459/
Not only does the track feel like a personal declaration of Kesha’s strength, but it’s a sturdy reminder of her talent as a singer, which is something no judge, contractual dispute or other industry bullshit can take from her. The video teaser is no doubt purposely symbolic: Kesha frolics through roses, beaming and wonderfully free.
this is more than a song. it's a declaration of my truth #truecolors
✌❤✌ https://t.co/NZ7pH87Hsc— kesha (@KeshaRose) April 28, 2016
However, a long overdue new release (her last was a guest spot on Pitbull‘s 2013 track Timber) does not necessarily signal the end of Kesha’s legal battles. At present, litigation is taking place between Dr. Luke, Kesha and her family, across three different states, including a case against the singer’s mother for defamation.
Still, True Colors is a statement of strength and hopefully hints at more music to come in the future, or at the very least, Kesha’s opportunity to truly be truly free. If there are only a few, little things we can now do as listeners to support this woman, they are to listen to the song legally, to share it. Supporting an artist who has not only endured a decade of abuse, but not had the support she deserved when she finally spoke out about it, is of the utmost importance and right now, by doing those few small things, we can show her further that she has endless and enduring support.
Image: Facebook
Back in February Zedd, alongside a number of other big names in the music business, declared their support for Kesha. Zedd also pledged to produce for her, and following her appearance at his Coachella set, it looks like he’s made good on the promise, with both artists posting pictures from the studio together.
Since February Kesha’s case has been thrown out of court and she was offered “freedom,” from her contract with Dr. Luke’s label Kemosabe Records if she were to retract all allegations of sexual assault by Dr. Luke. While Sony hasn’t been able to release Kesha from her contract they have agreed sever ties with Dr. Luke. As Zedd is currently signed with Interscope Records, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group – not Sony, the fate of their collaboration is a bit nebulous at this point.
Contractual obligations aside, Kesha praised and thanked Zedd profusely in her post saying
“it’s a miracle when someone gives you a chance at finding your voice again with no reason other than that he is a fucking beautiful person with a heart of gold.”
Zedd’s post featured artwork for a collaboration, fittingly titled True Colors, which is set for release tomorrow on April 29. This is also the name of the album he dropped last year, and the track is rumoured to be a new version of its title track, which the pair performed on stage at Coachella:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r38ULdm5j9I
— Zedd (@Zedd) April 25, 2016
Image: Instagram
Originally written by Torben Bernhard for Indie News
“Let her off the label… Let her do her thing… If the artist is not happy, you should let the artist do their thing.” – Those were the words California rapper The Game had for a TMZ photographer who asked him to comment on the recent ruling in regards to pop singer Kesha‘s contract with Sony.
As we are all too aware by now, Kesha’s contract with Sony remains intact. Despite giving a significantly moving and powerful performance at Coachella with Zedd, she still isn’t free from the tyrannical grip of her contractual obligations. As it stands, Kesha is still required to produce a number of full length albums to see out her contract, despite the fact that doing so would be entirely detrimental to her mental and emotional health as well as her creativity. Simply being guarded from working with her alleged abuser Dr. Luke is not a good enough solution, and many people are weighing in on the situation. It would seem that now, The Game can be added to the rather long list of Kesha’s fellow entertainers who believe the outcome has been far less than just.
After being asked why he didn’t attend the big party that was Coachella, The Game, who has bounced from label to label himself continually leaving his own contractual obligations unfulfilled, was asked to comment on Kesha’s ordeal. With his own murky history regarding sexual assault and a confusing defence of Bill Cosby, the rapper stuck to discussing the music industry – which he described as having a slave mentality. “You know what a contract is? A piece of paper that I signed when I was dumb and illiterate to the music business.” He went on to add that as you move and grow through the industry, which Kesha hasn’t been allowed to do due to her contract with Sony, “… you figure it out, you get smart, you get aware, you realize you signed some bullshit.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WIiItSAU3k
Image: Billboard
Jennifer Lopez has recently come under fire after she debuted her new single, Ain’t Your Mama during the American Idol final, which was produced by Dr. Luke.
The song, which canters female independence and empowerment with a catchy beat, has been somewhat tarnished when it was revealed that the now notorious Dr. Luke was a producer on the ballad. For those that don’t know, Dr. Luke has been embroiled in controversy, following accusations made by Kesha, in which she alleges that the producer had been physically and emotionally abusing her over the span of ten years, with her now stuck in a contract which binds her with her alleged sexual abuser.
Understandably, people are now doing their best to boycott songs produced by the alleged rapist, which is occasionally difficult to do since he has produced all the songs. This is precisely why J.Lo has been copping so much shit, presumably because people assume that she actively sought out and worked with Dr. Luke knowing full well what a horrible person he allegedly is.
Apparently not at all, according to Meghan Trainor who actually wrote the song, and has now come to J.Lo’s defence saying that Jenny from the Block had no idea that Dr. Luke was involved at all. Trainor explained how it actually went down in an interview with Digital Spy, as well as highlighting her thoughts on J.Lo’s treatment by fans and media.
“[It was] not fair on her, not at all, I texted her the song and she had no idea – she thought I did it alone by myself at my house, which a lot of people think because I do do that. I sent it to her and said, ‘Do you like the song?’ and she said, ‘I love the song, my kid loves the song – he’s made me play it five times already so I know it’s a hit – when can I cut it?’, so I said immediately, ‘Whenever you want!'”
So there you have it, straight from the horse’s mouth! Does that mean that people should direct all of their criticisms at Meghan Trainor? As much as I would like to say yes, probably not. Trainor and Lopez are both attached to the same Sony sub-label as Dr. Luke’s Kemosabe Records, and after everyone very publicly witnessed what happens when you don’t listen to what your label’s bosses tell you, as we unfortunately saw with Kesha, it’s not surprising that both Jennifer Lopez and Meghan Trainor are trying to put as much of a positive spin as possible on their forced collaboration with Dr. Luke.
Maybe instead of blaming all of the women involved, people of the internet should instead direct their spite at Dr. Luke and Epic Records CEO L.A Reid, both of who are the true puppet masters of this unpalatable scenario.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x5L1xoca1c]
Main image: fuse.tv