Music

Dr. Luke blocks Kesha from performing at Billboard Music Awards

by Jeremy Mersereau

Already reeling from having her lawsuit against her alleged abuser Dr. Luke thrown out back in April, Kesha is now being blocked from performing at an awards show, apparently at the behest of the super-producer.

As reported by TMZ, until recently, Kesha was preparing for a “statement performance” at the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday, May 22nd. The performance was said to have made direct reference to the pop singer’s ongoing legal battle with Dr. Luke, and was rumoured to have included images of the Swedish producer, just in case you had doubt about who the target of Kesha’s ire might be.

According to a statement from Billboard Music Awards production company Dick Clark Productions, however, that performance will no longer happen, due to interference from Dr. Luke’s record company Kemosabe. “Kesha accepted an invitation to perform on the show and she received written approval from Dr. Luke’s record label, Kemosabe Records,” the statement from DCP reads. “Kemosabe subsequently rescinded its approval following a media report on Wednesday, May 11 regarding Kesha’s appearance on the BBMAs.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.”

Kesha later took to Instagram to make her intentions with the now-cancelled performance clear, saying that she never planned to make any kind of reference to Dr. Luke, and that she planned to “honor one of [her] favorite songwriters of all time” and perform Bob Dylan’s “It Ain’t Me Babe”.

“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. 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. I was never going to use a picture of him, speak of him or allude to my legal situation in any way. 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.”

[h/t Consequence of Sound]