BY JUSTIN WILLIAM MOYER
The Washington Post
She writes and sings hit tunes. She wins many Grammys. She faces down radio personalities who, allegedly, grope her. And she does it all under the withering criticism of Kanye West.
But now, singer Taylor Swift has injected more positivity into the universe, donating $250,000 to fellow diva Kesha — a woman trying, heretofore unsuccessfully, to get out of a contract with a producer who she alleges sexually assaulted her.
Swift, it seemed, was too modest to comment herself, though the donation was confirmed by multiple outlets.
“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,” a spokesperson for Swift told Rolling Stone and other outlets.
Kesha’s mother, meanwhile praised Swift in many tweets.
“A persons wealth is not measured by what they have but by WHO they help with it,” Pebe Sebert, who tweets @keshasMom, wrote. “And Taylor Swift is a truly RICH PERSON. Thank you.” Sebert added: “Most important for Kesha, is that these beautiful, powerful women are standing behind her, letting the world see how powerful the truth is!”
Kesha herself has also expressed gratitude for the moral support — from Lady Gaga and Kelly Clarkson, among many others — she’s gotten in her case against Dr. Luke, a.k.a. Lukasz Gottwald. In a civil suit, she’s accused the producer, who she’s worked with since she was 17, of drugging and raping her as well as slighting her appearance, contributing to her bulimia; Dr. Luke, meanwhile, has filed a countersuit and denies everything. Said his lawyer: “As set forth in the complaint that we have filed on behalf of Dr. Luke, Kesha and her mother are engaged in a campaign of publishing outrageous and untrue statements about Dr. Luke to third parties, including scurrilous and false statements of purported physical and mental abuse of Kesha. These are allegations that Kesha and Pebe have themselves admitted are false.”
Kesha, 28, broke down on the stand in court last week when a judge refused to release her from her somewhat onerous contract with Dr. Luke, to whom she owes six albums.
“There has been no showing of irreparable harm,” New York Supreme Court Justice Shirley Kornreich said last week. “She’s being given opportunity to record.” Kornreich added: “You’re asking the court to decimate a contract that was heavily negotiated and typical for the industry.”
The case, meanwhile, has inspired an online petition that’s garnered almost 170,000 signatures, focusing on Sony’s alleged ability to free Kesha from Dr. Luke.
“Sony can end all of this right now by voluntarily terminating Kesha’s contract with Dr. Luke,” the petition read. “Please sign the petition to tell Sony to #FreeKesha: Don’t force her to work with her alleged abuser!”
