#FreeKesha: Internet rallies around pop star Kesha, slams Sony

Pop singer Kesha’s ongoing battle with record producer Luke “Dr. Luke” Gottwald hit another roadblock Friday when a New York court ruled that she’s not allowed to leave her contract with Sony Music despite Kesha’s allegations Gottwald sexually assaulted her.

The singer, known for her glittery party hits like “Tik Tok” and “Blah Blah Blah,” is accusing Gottwald of “sexually, mentally and physically” abusing her, TMZ reported. She’s sought an injunction to dissolve her Sony contract.

The court sided with Sony because the company has offered to let her work with another producer. Granting Kesha’s request “would undermine the state’s laws governing contracts and the court couldn’t do that,” according to the Daily News.

“My instinct is to do the commercially reasonable thing,: said the judge, reported MTV News. “There has been no showing of irreparable harm. She’s being given opportunity to record.”

Kesha was seen sobbing while exiting the Manhattan courtroom, but while the judge may not be on her side, the Internet certainly is. Fans started the hashtag #FreeKesha that began trending after the ruling on Twitter, garnering more than 500,000 tweets, according to the social network.

The hashtag was ground zero from fans blasting the court and Sony:

Sony didn’t escape the Internet’s ire, either. Both #SonySupportsRape and #SonySupportsRapists were also trending on Twitter:

Even though Sony’s brand is being dragged online, music industry analyst Bob Lefsetz said the company won’t be significantly damaged from the ruling or reaction. “It was a court ruling based on law, not on emotion,” he told Digiday.

https://digiday.com/?p=163051

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