Dr. Luke’s Label Pulls Kesha From Billboard Music Awards Performance

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Fans of recording artist Kesha are dealing with a major letdown after the singer recently announced that a scheduled performance on this year’s Billboard Music Awards has been scrapped. According to E! Online, Kesha broke the news via Instagram, implying that she was yanked from the May 22 spot as part of her ongoing struggle with record producer Dr. Luke and his record label, Kemosabe Records. Dr. Luke’s label is owned by Sony.

“I was very excited to perform a tribute to Bob Dylan by singing a cover of ‘It ain’t me, babe’ at the Billboard awards this year,” Kesha said in her online statement. “I’m very sad and sorry to say I won’t be allowed to do this. 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.”

Kesha further denied that she intended to use the Billboard Music Awards show to further her grievances against Dr. Luke.

“I was never going to use a picture of him, speak of him or allude to my legal situation in any way,” she continued. “I simply wanted to sing a song I love to honor an artist I have always looked up to. thank u all for the continued support.”

A report by Rolling Stone confirms that it was Dr. Luke’s label and not Kesha herself who pulled the proverbial plug on the aforementioned performance. Record execs were apparently spooked over rumors that Kesha would indeed reference her beef with Dr. Luke and Kemosabe Records, including a report by TMZ published last week. TMZ quoted unnamed sources close to Kesha, who suggested that she would make a “statement performance” at the Billboard Music Awards show.

As previously reported by Inquisitr, Kesha is still smarting over losing a court case against Dr. Luke in which she tried to obtain a release from her recording contract. As the lawsuit played out, Kesha maintained that she had been sexually harassed and assaulted by the producer. In one of the most incendiary claims of the dispute, Kesha said that Dr. Luke drugged and raped her shortly after her 18th birthday. Despite Kesha’s assertions that she is now fearful of Dr. Luke after an extended period of emotional and physical abuse, a judge declined to grant her release from the aforementioned contract.

Despite her loss in court, Kesha has continued to maintain that her situation constitutes a hostile work environment and at times she has made public and sometimes symbolic statements on the matter. In fact, the singer had already rankled Dr. Luke and his associates earlier this month when she covered Lady Gaga‘s “‘Til It Happens To You” at a gala performance in Los Angeles. As noted by TMZ, she introduced the song by dedicating it to “every man, woman, child and animal that has ever been abused.” The performance garnered a shout-out from Lady Gaga herself via Twitter. In her tweet, Gaga also made a thinly veiled reference to Dr. Luke.

Killed it @KeshaRose. I could feel your pain. Girl these boys won’t be in charge forever. The wisdom of women is rising. Let’s get louder????????

— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) May 8, 2016

Kesha has found support from fans all around the world ever since the details of her dispute with her producer and record company grabbed headlines earlier this year. The hashtag #FreeKesha, which became trending shortly after the aforementioned verdict in her civil case, has resurfaced once again with news of her latest dust-up with Dr. Luke.

[Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Clear Channel]