It’s been days, months, and even a year since the world found about the beef between Kesha and her music producer Dr. Luke, but even today we’re still far from knowing how, when, and what exactly happened between them. The answer to what happened with Kesha and Dr. Luke is a stretchy piece of work consisting of a decade-long timeline of shocking details.
Recent twists and turns in the Kesha vs. Dr. Luke lawsuit are spinning the heads of all the media, who’s still uncertain about whether Dr. Luke really is guilty. While most of the people feel Kesha’s been a victim of sexual abuse, her rape allegations remain unproven, and a few others think Kesha could be playing the victim.
The only thing from the lawsuit that is certainly wrong is that the alleged contract Kesha signed with Dr. Luke’s Kemosabe Records is really denting the pop singer’s musical career. On top of that, this lawsuit has seemingly wrecked the net worth of both Kesha and Dr. Luke.
Before the lawsuit culminates and the court comes to a verdict on Kesha’s future with Dr. Luke and his record label, we ought to know how it all started. Here’s a detailed timeline of what happened in the controversial relationship of Kesha and Dr. Luke that turned out to be a global concern.
Timeline of Kesha vs. Dr. Luke
2005: When Kesha met Dr. Luke
In 2005, Kesha was a young 18-year-old aspiring singer from Nashville, Tennessee who wanted to get signed with a label. Dr. Luke heard her high school demo and recognized her potential. In spite of having those perfect SAT scores, Kesha moved to Los Angeles, trying out her luck with Dr. Luke. The singer states that this is when the producer got explicitly involved with her, and that she was forced to be a part of these sexual activities. According to her lawyers, Dr. Luke forced Kesha to consume drugs and sexually assaulted her.
2006: Kesha Signs with DAS Comm.
Kesha signed an agreement with DAS Communications Inc. In 2006. The New York-based firm assured Kesha of a major record deal within a year, provided she payed the company 20% of her future incomes.
2007: No Record Deal
A year had passed, and no major record label had signed Kesha, which led to termination of her contract with DAS Communications.
2008: Uncredited Debut
Kesha had a dream breakthrough when she gave vocals to Flo Rida’s chart-buster hit “Right Round” in 2008. Even though the song—Kesha’s official debut—topped on Billboard, she wasn’t credited or paid for it, and it was all under Dr. Luke’s directions.
2010: Deal With Jive Records
In spite of that, Dr. Luke helped Kesha sign a deal with Sony Entertainment’s Jive Records. Dr. Luke produced and released her debut studio album Animal, which became a platinum-selling album due to the success of her hit single “Tik Tok.” In 2010, DAS Communications sued Kesha for $14 million against her ties with Dr. Luke.
2011: Abusing From Dr. Luke
When Kesha tried renegotiating her contracts with DAS Communications, Dr. Luke added a contingent to it, which stated that all her future work would be exclusively produced by him. According to her lawyers, Kesha signed the amended contract, and this led to more abuse from Dr. Luke. The music producer began insulting Kesha by calling her “untalented” and “ a fat f*cking refrigerator,” which severely depressed the singer and led her to develop eating disorders.
2012-2013: “Die Young” Release
On top of that, another tragedy hit the career oh Kesha, when her “Die Young” single got released. The track become a number one single on the Billboard Hot 100, only to be dropped off of it weeks later. This happened as the song was released during the time of the tragic Sandy Hook school shootings. The song’s lyrics and its title “Die Young” was resented by thousands, and it was instantly taken off radio stations.
2014: Rehab & Lawsuit
With the unprecedented debacle of her second album and the ongoing tensions in her relationship with Dr. Luke, Kesha was checked into a rehab facility after suffering from eating disorders, mild strokes, and panic attacks.
2016: “Free Kesha” Petitions
All of this accumulated pressure turned into a lawsuit when Kesha filed a case against Dr. Luke with charges of sexual harassment, sexual abuse, and and much more.
However, in spite of her rape allegations against Dr. Luke, the judge deemed that Kesha was still legally bound to her contract with her abuser, Dr. Luke. Her “Free Kesha” campaigns and “I Stand With Kesha” petitions received over 244,000 signatures, supporting Kesha to stay strong and fight against Dr. Luke. She even found support from pop singers like Lady Gaga and Fiona Apple.
