Appreciation Post: Kesha Rose

 

By Alessandra Sy, Year 12

Do you remember back in 2010 when Kesha Rose, then stylized as Ke$ha, released her debut song “TiK ToK”? She was known as the wild, young artist that had just come into the musical scene, causing mayhem with glitter and a lot of heavy eyeliner. Despite this unconventional image, she was still embraced by America. Her debut album in 2010 reached number one on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by fall of the same year, and “TiK ToK” has now sold over 15 million copies today, which makes it the third best-selling single in digital history. It seemed like she was going to be cemented into fame, but then it all went wrong.

In January 2014, Kesha checked into Timberland Knolls Rehab Facility in Illinois to seek treatment for her eating disorder. Questions were answered when her mother, Pebe Sebert, spoke up as to why she was admitted.

“Three months after she signed with him she had been dieting and he [Dr. Luke, her producer] told her she wasn’t in shape enough. She was dieting and she became bulimic. I remember over a period of a few months she got really skinny and she said she was running Runyon Canyon and just eating well. The truth is she was throwing up. I didn’t know until much later because she said she would quit.”

It was at this point that her issues with Dr. Luke surfaced. The producer had allegedly been mentally, verbally, and sexually abusing the singer. Some insults thrown at her included:

“You are not that pretty, you are not that talented, you are just lucky to have me.”
“I don’t give a s*** if you don’t want to sing it, get in there and do it.”
“Go finish the song so I can buy a yacht.”
“There are a million other girls out there like you.”
“You are nothing without me.”

Furthermore, a close insider reports of Dr. Luke assaulting Kesha in his Malibu home:

“During a meeting at his Malibu house, Dr. Luke attacked Ms. Sebert with threats, screaming and violently thrashing his arms at her. He physically backed Ms. Sebert into a corner, where she curled up into a ball, crying and fearing for her life. In a frightened and frantic attempt to escape, Ms. Sebert fled Dr. Luke’s house barefoot, ran down Pacific Coast Highway over rocks and broken glass on the ground, climbed up the nearby mountains, and hid there so that Dr. Luke would not be able to find her.”

And if all this wasn’t enough, he had also been drugging and raping her. He would force her to drink and take illegal substances with him, and then later on would force himself onto her. On one incident, he had given her some “sober pills”, saying it would sober her up. After taking the pills, Kesha woke up the next afternoon naked and in Dr. Luke’s bed, sick and sore, with no memories of what had happened. It was later discovered that he had actually given her a form of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), more commonly known as the date rape drug.

Following all these incidents, Kesha filed a lawsuit against her Dr. Luke and Sony Records, asking the court to give her a preliminary injunction that would have given her a temporary break from her contract, which requires her to produce six more albums with the label (keep in mind that she had openly stated previously that she was too afraid to work with Dr. Luke again as she would be exploited both physically and professionally). Speaking in the courtroom, New York Supreme Court Justice Shirley Kornreich said: "You're asking the court to decimate a contract that was heavily negotiated and typical for the industry." Her plea was denied by the court of law on the grounds that there was a lack of evidence, the judge stating that Kesha’s legal team had produced only “speculative” arguments.

Through it all, I personally don’t believe that Kesha Rose is getting the appreciation she rightfully deserves. And so, the first issue of this series goes out to her.

June 29, 2014 - Rising Star:

Judging on ABC’s new singing competition show “Rising Star.” Looking gorgeous in a Val Stefani Lace Capelet, a pair of Pour La Victoire Shanna Sandals, and a vintage necklace worn as a headband.

One of the notes she wrote to concerned fans whilst in her stay in Timberland Knolls:

“Annie — yes, Dr. Luke has tortured me & my family… he did do what people know about + so much more terrible s***. But I have to live my own words and be a warrior and be PROUD of my perfectly imperfect body & self. thank you for the love and letter. I couldn’t have done it without you & my animals.”

Her intelligence:

Before scoring a record deal, "I was going to go to Barnard to be a psychologist," she says. Currently reading A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson ("It's so good," she gushes), Kesha adds that as a high school student, she used to crash college classes for fun. "I'd drive down to Belmont [University] and sit in on a cold war history class," she says with a laugh. "I love learning." Not to mention, she scored a 1500 on her SATs.

Continuous support for the LGBTQ community:

Kesha is an ordained minister, having been ordained online, and has performed legal commitment ceremonies for both gay and heterosexual couples.

2014 Billboard Music Awards:

Kesha looks stunning in a fitted and strapless black and grey Ines Di Santo gown.

Her charity work:

Kesha has been known to support the following charities:

• American Foundation for AIDS Research

• Amnesty International

• Dress for Success

• GLSEN

• Humane Society International

• It Gets Better Project

• Muscular Dystrophy Association

• Musicians on Call

• PETA

• The Humane Society

• The Trevor Project


“I hope to bring much more attention to important issues and change for issues and practices that are harming animals.”

Her personal mission:

The beauty of flaws and being yourself:

#FreeKesha

Related Items perspective