The singer joins the list of performers supporting Kesha after a judge forced her to remain under contract with Dr. Luke
Taylor Swift has donated $250,000 to help Kesha in her ongoing legal battle against Dr. Luke. Swift’s spokesperson confirmed the donation late last night in a statement to E! News, saying “In a show of support, Taylor Swift has donated $250,000 to Kesha to help with any of her financial needs during this trying time”. Kesha’s mother, Pebe Sebert, also confirmed the news, describing the gesture as “amazing” in a tweet.
Swift joins a long line of individuals within the entertainment industry who are showing support for Kesha in her torturous efforts to extract herself from a contract she signed with Dr. Luke when she was just 18 years old. In recent days, Lady Gaga, Demi Lovato, Kelly Clarkson and Ariana Grande tweeted their support for Kesha after a judge ruled that she should remain under contract to Dr. Luke. Despite the undoubted generosity of Swift’s gesture, her move attracted censure in some quarters.
There are people all over the world who love you @KeshaRose. And I can say truly I am in awe of your bravery.
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) February 19, 2016
My heart is with @KeshaRose. 💜
— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) February 19, 2016
Trying 2 not say anything since I can't say anything nice about a person... so this is me not talking about Dr. Luke https://t.co/lLhtUHbmgG
— Kelly Clarkson (@kelly_clarkson) February 19, 2016
In a series of tweets that many have interpreted as slamming Swift, Lovato said, “I’m also ready for self-proclaimed feminists to start speaking out or taking action for women’s rights”. She subsequently clarified her comments in an Instagram post that has now been taken down, saying that she “didn’t shade Taylor” but was “tired” of seeing women who identify as feminists not getting their “hands dirty”.
Meanwhile, Dr. Luke. has broken his silence following Friday’s verdict. According to TMZ, his lawyers described Kesha’s claims of sexual and verbal harassment against Dr. Luke were “outright lies”, designed to extort” him out of “a contract negotiation and money”. What is certain, however, is that Swift’s financial donation will be hugely welcomed by Kesha given that the singer is locked in a legal battle with Sony and is currently unable to continue making music or touring to support herself. Whether $250,000 will be enough to get Kesha back on her feet and in the studio – where her fans want to see her – remains to be seen.