InstagramKesha will not be silenced.
In a lengthy Facebook post on Wednesday, the singer once again thanked fans for their support in the wake of her legal battles with music producer Dr. Luke. She wrote that this case "has never been about a renegotiation of my record contract," but rather, "This is about being free from my abuser."
On Friday, a judge denied Kesha's request to release music outside of her deal with Dr. Luke (who she alleges sexually abused her) and his label's parent company, Sony Music Entertainment. Dr. Luke has denied Kesha's allegations, and on Monday, he tweeted, "Until now I haven't commented on the lawsuits, which should be resolved in court not here on Twitter...It's a shame that there's so much speculation out there basing itself on so little information...The only truly objective person who knows the facts is the judge. The judge did not rule in Kesha's favor on Friday...I didn't rape Kesha and I have never had sex with her." Dr. Luke added he "feel(s) confident when this is over the lies will be exposed and the truth will prevail."
Christine Lepera, an attorney representing Dr. Luke, released the following statement:
"The New York County Supreme Court on Friday found that Kesha is already 'free' to record and release music without working with Dr. Luke as a producer if she doesn't want to. Any claim that she isn't 'free' is a myth. The sound decision Friday by the Court in denying Kesha's motion for an injunction made it clear Kesha's allegations of purported abuse were unconvincing and that she had no basis to void record contracts and copyrights. Dr. Luke and his companies invested in Kesha's success through their contributions, Sony Music has already spent over $11 million promoting Kesha, and Sony Music and its label Kemosabe Records are committed to continuing to promote her work.
"More significantly, the Court also noted multiple times that her vague abuse allegations were devoid of factual detail, and that there was no evidence, whether from doctors or anyone else, to support them.
"Tellingly, Kesha never reported any purported abuse or rape to any law enforcement authority, or even to Sony Music, and further swore under oath in another matter, while accompanied by her team of lawyers, that it never occurred. The goal of Kesha's counsel throughout has been to obtain a more lucrative contract through a shameless campaign of outrageous claims they will never stand behind in a court of law.
"As Dr. Luke has said repeatedly, the allegations against him are outright lies that have been advanced to extort a contract renegotiation and money. Kesha and her counsel have cavalierly subjected Dr. Luke and his family to trial by Twitter, using a vicious smear campaign to ruin his reputation for financial gain while failing to support their claims. Kesha to date has never verified the allegations in this case -even when given the opportunity in her affidavit. Nor has she ever offered a credible explanation as to why she would have signed a second recording agreement, recorded two albums and an EP and signed a publishing deal with Dr. Luke after allegedly being sexually abused. It will further be shown that the incidents alleged never happened."
In Kesha's latest statement, she wrote that she "would be willing to work with Sony if they do the right think and break all ties that mind me to my abuser."
Because Kesha's contract with Sony was negotiated through more than one party (including Dr. Luke's record label), it's difficult for Kesha or Sony to change the terms without a court order. Per Page Six, Justice Shirley Kornreich said Kesha is "being given the opportunity to record" and "does not have to have any interface at all with Mr. Gottwald [Dr. Luke] in recording or producing." Per Bloomberg, Kesha's attorney Mark Geragos dismissed this as an "illusory promise," saying, "When he says, 'I'm going to have no involvement, all of the people who do the rings essential to putting out a record, all of those people report to Dr. Luke...There is no way that they are going to promote her, that they are going to do anything else except set her up for failure.'"
It's complicated, clearly, but Kesha is looking at things from a broader perspective, which she noted in her Facebook post Wednesday. "But at this point," she wrote, "this issue is bigger than just about me."
"I think about young girls today—I don't want my future daughter–or your daughter—or any person to be afraid that they will be punished if they speak out about being abused, especially if their abuser is in a position of power," she wrote.
"Unfortunately I don't think that my case is giving people who have been abused confidence that they can speak out, and that's a problem," she continued.
"But I just want to say that if you have been abused, please don't be afraid to speak out, " she went on. "There are places that will make you feel safe. There are people who will help you. I for one, will stand beside you and behind you. I know now how this all feels and will forever fight for you the way perfect strangers have been fighting for me."
"Yes, I am very much a feminist, but more than that, I am a humanist," wrote Kesha. "I believe in supporting my fellow human beings in being SAFE."
Kesha thanked her fans for their support once again. "I can't believe that so many people all over the world took the time to show me support and love," she wrote. "Other entertainers who knowingly put their own careers at stake by supporting me, I will be forever grateful."
She concluded Wednesday's Facebook post with another note of gratitude and support. "We're all in this together," she wrote. "You are not alone...I love you and thank you."
(Originally published Feb. 25, 2016, at 1:32 p.m. PST)