After news broke that Kesha’s appeal to nullify her contract had been denied, Kesha fans took to twitter, tweeting #FreeKesha. Celebrities such as Taylor Swift and Kelly Clarkson have shown their support for the singer as well. But it hasn’t stopped there. Kesha fans took to the street outside of Sony’s Manhattan Headquarters on Friday, March 11th, to deliver petitions with over 411,000 signatures demanding that Sony release Kesha from her contract and drop the producer, Dr. Luke.
Rumors have been circulating that Sony is allegedly going to drop Dr. Luke, but at this moment hia representatives deny that no conversation of the sort has taken place between Dr. Luke and Sony. Many continue to hope that Dr. Luke will be dropped and Kesha will not be forced to continue working with her alleged assaulter.
Lady Gaga has also voiced her support for Kesha, claiming that she has been “publicly shamed for something that happens in the music industry all the time” and has become the new face of sexual assault prevention. She recently tweeted a photo of a record studio with words across it saying, “This is not a bedroom. This is my Office.” Along with #FreeEveryWoman and #FreeKesha.
A couple days before her #FreeKesha post, she performed “Til It Happens To You” at the 88th Academy Awards in support of sexual assault survivors. She was introduced by Vice President Joe Biden who said, “Too many women and men on and off college campuses are still victims of sexual abuse, and tonight I’m asking you to join millions of Americans…to take the pledge: a pledge that says that I will intervene in situations when consent has not or cannot be given. Let’s change the culture.” He then continued, “We must and we can change the culture so that no abused woman or man, like the survivors that you see tonight, will have to ask themselves, ‘What did I do?’ They did nothing wrong.”
Following Biden’s introduction, Lady Gaga performed a heart wrenching and tearful performance and in a powerful moment was joined by dozens of sexual assault survivors who stood with her in solidarity.
In 2014, Lady Gaga opened up about being raped when she was 19, and in an interview with Carson Daly claims that that is one of the reasons she cannot stay silent. “I just want to stand by her side because I can’t watch another woman that went through what I’ve been through suffer, you know?” Lady Gaga has since inspired others to come forward, such as actress Jaime King. The Actress tweeted Gaga saying:
While Kesha continues to battle her release from her contract with Sony and Dr. Luke, many others are facing their own. Sexual assault is an issue that is talked about, but not nearly enough. Everyone has the right to live a life without fear, guilt, or shame, and it is our responsibility to stand together in solidarity for those who are victims of sexual abuse to show they are not alone.
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Articles Used As Reference:
Billboard – Kesha Fans Deliver Petition to Sony Asking Label to Drop Dr. Luke
Refinery29 – Here’s What Made Vice President Joe Biden’s Oscars Speech On Sexual Assault So Powerful
Mashable – Lady Gaga on Kesha and Why the Music Industry is ‘Scary’ for Young Artists