Kesha Says She Spent ‘Millions’ in Legal Fees Fighting Dr. Luke

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“I’ve earned this joy the hard way, so I love that people are willing to take a Joyride with me,” Kesha said.

Kesha says she feels “grateful” and “happy” after releasing “Joyride,” her first single as an independent artist after parting ways with Dr. Luke’s Kemosabe Records and RCA.

In an interview with Forbes, the 37-year-old singer-songwriter opened up about the relief she feels, not only since sharing “Joyride,” but also after settling her legal battle with Kemosabe Records founder Dr. Luke. Kesha accused Luke of sexual, physical and emotional abuse in 2014. Luke vehemently denied the allegations and sued her for defamation, but it took nearly a decade for the couple to settle the case out of court a year ago.

“I feel free for the first time since I was 18,” she said. “I am so appreciative of every single person who has streamed ‘Joyride,’ and I love the videos that are being made. I’ve spent nearly 10 years in litigation and millions of dollars in legal fees. This joy has been hard-earned for me, so I love that people are willing to ‘Joyride’ with me.”

“Joyride” was released on Kesha’s own label, a label she hopes will be “a safe space for artists because creation and fear can’t coexist,” she said. “When you’re in a state of fear, you can’t create, and I know that from personal experience.”

As part of the expansion of her own label (Kesha Records), Kesha has unveiled a long list of goals for the future, starting with a concerted effort to change the litigation surrounding the protected rights to an artist’s recorded vocals.

“It’s crazy that a human being could lose the rights to their recorded voice in perpetuity,” she said, adding that she’s “currently looking at the technology industry and looking to find partners who share the values ​​that I align with… I’m also looking to the future and looking for really creative, innovative, boundary-pushing technology creators who want to change the way the music industry works and bring a new level of transparency to the entire business.”