Correction appended.
It’s easy to look at Kesha, see the glitter, the hair extensions and the torn up clothes, and make assumptions. It’s easy to write her off as a trashy, auto-tuned princess that will never amount to anything of substance, but by doing so, you are missing out on one of the most fascinating humans I have ever spent time learning about.
I hate pop music as much as any true alternative fan, but sometimes we find meaning where we think there is none. Your life can be enriched in ways you never imagined by allowing people to surprise you.
Kesha has not released an album since 2012’s “Warrior." So, why is she on tour? Maybe it’s a battle cry or maybe it’s because that’s all she can do.
For the past few years, the singer-songwriter has been caught up in a sexual harassment lawsuit she filed against the producer, songwriter and head of her record label, Dr. Luke. Her plea for an injunction, a temporary break from Sony Music and Kemosabe Records that would allow her to produce music elsewhere, was denied. She recently dropped the lawsuit, out of frustration, but it has not been dismissed from court, and it is continuing on a state basis, so there is still hope.
The lawsuit has expanded the platform for the fight for artist’s rights that has been becoming more prominent over the past few years. Many big names have lent their financial and verbal support. It could be traced back to fellow songwriter, Taylor Swift, taking her music off of Spotify, and writing an open letter to Apple when they threatened to not pay artists for a three-month-period. It’s about the big guys sticking up for the little guys.
Indie bands that can’t fight for themselves working hard to earn a paycheck are being defended by the biggest stars in the world, so it’s finally getting somewhere. Another important angle is women’s rights; there is an obvious parallel that can be drawn to the rapists that face minor or no consequences for their actions, causing women to be reluctant to speak up.
You can take this case even further and talk about how much power record companies have over artists. Kesha has written 28 new songs, but they are being withheld. She is still under the control of Dr. Luke and Kemosobe. She hopes that if her new music is contained long enough, it will help her prove her point, and eventually win her freedom.
At the free show she put on at The Ohio State University, she belted out a cover of “You Don’t Own Me” dedicated to “a special someone” and apologized for not being able to share her new work with us. The entire Columbus crowd felt her pain.
As an artist, the worst thing that can happen is having your voice taken away; I admire her strength and perseverance.
That being said, it was not the greatest show I’ve ever seen. Kesha’s vocals were rocky through all of her pop-radio hits ("Tick Tock," "We R Who WE R," "Die Young," etc.), but I’m not going to pretend I didn’t scream-sing along with her.
On the other hand, when she covered Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” her previously disguised vocal talent was evident. Maybe she just doesn’t feel the need to prove herself to anyone. That’s when I realized that I hadn’t gone to the show to hear the most amazing music I’d ever experienced. I hadn’t gone to be my cynical, critical self. I went to see Kesha to have a good time, and I did. It was one of the most empowering experiences of my life.
When she screamed “F--- Donald Trump!” and said there was no room for “your shitty ex-boyfriend” here tonight, I smiled more genuinely than I have in a long time. Looking around at people dancing crazily, glitter covering their bodies, I felt the warmth I had been missing.
For once, I was in a room full of people loving each other instead of judging each other. That’s what life is all about; it’s sad that we haven’t learned to help each other yet. Sometimes, you can make a living off of just being yourself. If we were all as unapologetic as Kesha, maybe the world would be a little less messed up.
Halle Weber is a freshman studying journalism with a focus in news and information at Ohio University. How do you feel about Kesha's court case? Let Halle know by emailing her at hw422715@ohio.edu.
Correction: A previous version of this article misspelled Dolly Parton's name. The article has been updated to show the most accurate information.
