Kesha will perform at Billboard Music Awards

The singer's label says she's always been approved, in good faith.

Kesha and flower. (Kesha/Facebook)

After reports that Kesha’s record label Kemosabe was blocking her from performing at Sunday’s Billboard Music Awards, Dr Luke released a statement saying that the appearance has always been approved.

“Kesha’s performance on the Billboard Music Awards was always approved, in good faith,” Kemosabe said in a statement to Billboard. “Approval was only suspended when Kemosabe learned Kesha was to use the performance as a platform to discuss the litigation.”

“Now that Kemosabe has obtained assurances, that it is relying upon, from Kesha, her representatives and Dick Clark Productions that neither Kesha nor her supporters will use the performance as such a platform, the approval has been restored.”

Back in 2014, the 29-year-old singer accused Dr Luke, whose government name is Lukasz Gottwald, of sexual assault, battery, harassment and emotional distress. Earlier this year, a California judge dismissed Kesha’s motion to void her contract with Dr Luke’s label, and criticized the singer for failing to spell out how her claims met legal definitions for each crime.

Dr Luke’s record label said it had only disapproved of Kesha’s appearance at the Billboard Music Awards following reports that the singer would make direct references to the ongoing legal battle on stage. Despite reports, Kesha said on Instagram that she only planned to sing a Bob Dylan tribute to honor one of her favorite singers.

 

I was very excited to perform a tribute to Bob Dylan by singing a cover of "It ain't me, babe" at the Billboard awards this year. I'm very sad and sorry to say I won't be allowed to do this. I just wanted to make very clear that this performance was about me honoring one of my favorite songwriters of all time and has never had anything at all to do with Dr. Luke. 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 honor an artist I have always looked up to. thank u all for the continued support.

A photo posted by Kesha (@iiswhoiis) on May 17, 2016 at 3:57pm PDT

"​I just wanted to make very clear that this performance was about me honoring one of my favorite songwriters of all time and has never had anything at all to do with Dr. Luke,” Kesha wrote. “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 honor an artist I have always looked up to.”

On Wednesday, Kesha performed Dylan's “It Ain't Me, Babe” with Ben Folds in Los Angeles. Before the duet, Kesha’s mother Pebe Sebert slammed her daughter’s record label on Twitter.

“Are Kemosabe’s actions today the actions of a record label that is trying to promote the success of their artist?” Sebert wrote. And how can one person OWN another persons right to sing? Song is prayer. So can Kesha pray without permission? Where's the line judge lady?”

She added: “Do you think that there is one male singer who could ever be ‘not allowed to sing’ on the Billboard Awards by another man???

The 2016 Billboard Music Awards will air on May 22 at 8pm.