Kesha Billboard Awards performance 'blocked' by Dr Luke's label

Kemosabe Records, the company founded by Dr Luke, reportedly 'rescinded its approval'

Noam Galai/Getty (2015 Getty Images)

Kesha will no longer be a featured performer at the upcoming Billboard Music Awards after the record label belonging to the man she accused of sexually assaulting her “rescinded” written approval.

Kemosabe Records, the label founded by producer Dr Luke, reportedly blocked the appearance after concerns that the singer’s performance would be a “statement act”.

“Kesha accepted an invitation to perform on the show and she received written approval from Dr Luke’s record label, Kemosabe Records,” representatives for Dick Clark Productions, who is producing the televised awards ceremony, said in a statement. “Kemosabe subsequently rescinded its approval following a media report on Wednesday 11 May regarding Kesha’s appearance on the BBMAs.

“Unfortunately, Kesha and Kemosabe have since been unable to come to an agreement for Kesha to perform on the show.”

TMZ previously reported that “sources close to Kesha” said the singer would make references to the case, including photos of Dr Luke, in the 11 May story.

But Kesha denies this report. In an Instagram post, she said she was “excited” to perform a cover of Bob Dylan’s “It Ain’t Me, Babe,” and denies that she was planning to use the act as a statement against Dr Luke.

“I'm very sad and sorry to say I won't be allowed to [perform]. I just wanted to make very clear that this performance was about me honouring one of my favorite songwriters of all time and has never had anything at all to do with Dr Luke,” she wrote on Instagram on Tuesday.

“I was never going to use a picture of him, speak of him or allude to my legal situation in any way. I simply wanted to sing a song I love to honour an artist I have always looked up to.”

The 29-year-old singer had been embroiled in a lengthy lawsuit against Dr Luke, whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald. Kesha had tried to get out of their recording contract because she alleged the producer raped, drugged, and psychologically tormented her for a decade.

A New York Supreme Court judge denied Kesha’s preliminary injunction to terminate the contract with Dr Luke in February.