Story by Abigale Racine, Culture Editor
Photo courtesy of Elle UK

PHOTO COURTESY ELLE UK

Ten years ago Kesha Rose Sebert, formerly marketed as Ke$ha, was a loud and proud pop musician once sang about chasing with whiskey. Now the 28 year old is chasing something else entirely: her freedom from her SONY contract and her former producer, Lukasz Sebastian “Dr. Luke” Gottwald.

In October of 2015, Kesha pubiclyclaimed that Dr. Luke has been abusing her for a decade. Her list of accusations, according to CBS News, are as listed:

– Dr. Luke once forced Kesha to “snort an illicit drug” before a flight and then sexually assualted her while she was intoxicated and drugged.

– The producer forced Kesha to drink with him, then gave her what he called “sober pills.” Kesha claims she woke up the next day naked in Dr. Luke’s bed sore, sick and with no recollection of how she got there.

– Dr. Luke told Kesha “that if she ever mentioned the rape to anyone, he would shut her career down and otherwise destroy not only her life but her entire family’s lives as well.”

– Dr. Luke threatened Kesha physically, and she subsequently ran away from his Malibu home, running barefoot down the Pacific Coast Highway and hiding in the nearby mountains.

The singer was also previously checked into rehab in 2014, after nearly dying from low sodium rates and low blood pressure, after Dr. Luke allegedly compared her to being a, “fat f**king refrigerator.”

After the original suit against Dr. Luke was placed by Kesha and her mother, he countersued the mother-daughter pair for defamation. This was overturned on Thursday, February 4.

However, Justice Shirley Kornreich denied the singer’s original request to part from SONY on Friday, February 19. The judge said, “There has been no showing of irreparable harm. She’s being given opportunity to record.”

Kesha’s fans have since started a GoFundMe campaign called I Stand With Kesha, with the trending hashtag #FREEKESHA, after the Supreme Court verdict was announced.

As of  Monday, February 22, $12,301 of the $2 million needed was raised.
Many notable celebrities have spoken out regarding Kesha and her situation, such as Demi Lovato and Lady Gaga. Singer Taylor Swift contributed $250,000 to the campaign.

The statement from Dr. Luke’s representation reads, “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.”