A Judge Just Ruled Kesha Can’t Get Out of Her Sony Contract
After a long legal battle, it looks like Kesha will stay legally bound to the music producer she says raped her.
Justice Shirley Kornreich of the Manhattan Supreme Court just ruled that singer Kesha cannot be freed from her 6-album contract with Sony, as she claims the company will suffer “irreparable harm” otherwise, according to the New York Daily News. Kesha had filed for a preliminary injuction in order to nullify the contract that requires her to work with Dr. Luke, the famed pop songwriter/producer that Kesha says abused her.
Her contract is with Sony, not Dr. Luke, but he’s huge at the record label. From the NYDN:
“She claims he holds her exclusive contract, and even though Sony has offered to let her work with another producer, Kesha said she feared the company wouldn’t promote her music if she’s paired with a different partner.”
The lawsuit, initially reported by TMZ, stated that Dr. Luke is responsible for sexually assaulting Kesha since she signed with him in 2005. Dr. Luke countersued, with a press statement calling Kesha’s lawsuit “a campaign of publishing outrageous and untrue statements.”
Kesha, 28, says she’s too scared to work with the producer who she claims once drugged her and plied her with alcohol, resulting in her waking up naked in his bed. She says she has no memory of what had occurred.
More than 100,000 fans have signed an online petition, asking that Kesha not be compelled to remain contracted to Sony. Fans have also rallied outside the courthouse, protesting the verdict, but the situation looks bleak.
Dr. Luke, who’s responsible for co-writing Kesha’s biggest hits as well as legendary jams like “Toxic” and “Since U Been Gone” turns a huge profit for Sony, and will likely benefit from any outcome of the lawsuit, according to the Daily News.
Yikes.
Photo via The Guardian with James Devaney/GC Images
