Taylor Swift donates $250K to Kesha, offers support during ‘trying time’
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00:55 - Source: CNN
Taylor Swift gives $250,000 to Kesha
Story highlights
Claiming abuse, Kesha asked to be allowed to record independently of producer Dr. Luke
A judge ruled against her last week
Lady Gaga, Kelly Clarkson, Janelle Monae have also shown support for Kesha
CNN
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Taylor Swift has put her money behind Kesha.
Swift donated $250,000 to the “Tik Tok” singer on Sunday, two days after a judge ruled against Kesha in a case in which she asked to record music independently of producer Dr. Luke.
Kesha has accused Dr. Luke, who signed her to a contract in 2005, of emotional and sexual abuse. She requested an injunction to make music outside her six-album contract with Dr. Luke’s Kemosabe Records.
Photos: Quoted: Taylor Swift
Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images
Taylor Swift is often willing to confide in fans, a characteristic that has made her one of the most popular singers in the world. "I think for me it feels very natural to talk to teenagers and people my age ... about feelings and what they're going through and their insecurities," she told "Access Hollywood." Click through the gallery for other noteworthy quotes from the Grammy-winning singer.
Photos: Quoted: Taylor Swift
NCP/Star Max/GC Images/GETTY IMAGES/FILE
In a blog post in April 2015, Swift said: "The results came in, and I'm saddened to tell you that my mom has been diagnosed with cancer. I'd like to keep the details of her condition and treatment plans private, but she wanted you to know." Here Swift and her mom, Andrea Swift, walk in New York City in 2014.
Photos: Quoted: Taylor Swift
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
On identity —
"I think who you are in school really sticks with you. I don't ever feel like the cool kid at the party, ever. It's like, smile and be nice to everybody, because you were not invited to be here." -- Vogue, 2012
Photos: Quoted: Taylor Swift
Jason Merritt/Getty Images
On celebrity —
"I've had countless opportunities to do some really bad things. And then people start combing through everything that I do trying to find the next mistake and misperception, which leads to more scrutiny." -- Elle, 2010
Photos: Quoted: Taylor Swift
Rick Diamond/Getty Images
On rebellion —
"For me, rebelling is done with words: I love to write honest songs that name real people, then get up onstage and live out those emotions in front of 15,000 people. Penciling in a night to get wasted is not something I want to do." -- Glamour, 2009
Photos: Quoted: Taylor Swift
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
On ambition —
"I love having a goal, feeling like I'm on a mission. I love trying to beat what I've done so far." -- Marie Claire, 2010
Photos: Quoted: Taylor Swift
Jeff Kravitz/AMA2011/FilmMagic/getty images
On her future —
"I'll just be sitting back and growing old, watching all of this happen or not happen, all the while trying to maintain a life rooted in this same optimism. And I'd also like a nice garden." -- Wall Street Journal, July 2014
Photos: Quoted: Taylor Swift
Isaac Brekken/Getty Images for Clear Channel)
On nightlife —
"I've never been a party girl. I'd rather sit at home and bake on a Friday night than go to parties." -- The Washington Post, 2008
Photos: Quoted: Taylor Swift
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
On friendship —
"I'm the kind of girl who needs to tell her friends everything. I've developed this really close-knit group of girls. ... I met Emma (Stone, pictured) when I was 17, and I met Selena (Gomez) when I was 18. ... Somehow through all of it, we've stayed close. " -- Glamour, 2012
Photos: Quoted: Taylor Swift
Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Clear Channel
On being a role model —
"I definitely think about a million people when I'm getting dressed in the morning. (It) would be really easy to say, 'You know, I'm 21 now. I do what I want. You raise your kids.' But that's not the truth of it. The truth of it is that every singer out there with songs on the radio is raising the next generation." -- "60 Minutes," 2011
Photos: Quoted: Taylor Swift
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
On why she always looks so surprised —
"People make so much fun of me for that, but I don't know. It's like, if you win an award, isn't that crazy? ... I try to be (blase), but it's hard when you get excited about stuff." -- "Nightline," October 2012
Photos: Quoted: Taylor Swift
Rick Diamond/Getty Images for BMI
On taking time off —
"To me, relaxation equals a shirt with a bunch of cats." -- Twitter, 2011
Photos: Quoted: Taylor Swift
Christopher Polk/Getty Images
On (not) talking about sex —
"It's fine to talk about love publicly, but I think when you talk about virginity and sex publicly, people just automatically picture you naked." -- Allure, 2009
Photos: Quoted: Taylor Swift
Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Clear Channel
On getting inspiration from her love life —
"I make sure I only write bad songs about the (guys) who deserve it." -- Glamour, 2010.
Photos: Quoted: Taylor Swift
Europa Press/Europa Press/Getty Images
On gossip —
"People are going to talk about you. But maybe you're having more fun than them anyway." -- People, October 2014
“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 representative for Swift wrote in a statement.
Several notable musical names have lined up behind Kesha in the ongoing dispute, including Lady Gaga, Kelly Clarkson and Janelle Monae.
“There are people all over the world who love you @KeshaRose. And I can say truly I am in awe of your bravery,” Lady Gaga said in a tweet that’s been retweeted almost 90,000 times.
Also chiming in: singer Demi Lovato, who started with a tweet in support of Kesha but soon started talking about empowerment in general.
“Take something to Capitol Hill or actually speak out about something and then I’ll be impressed,” she concluded.
Kesha, whose full name is Kesha Rose Sebert, alleged in a suit filed in Los Angeles in 2014 that Dr. Luke, a powerful figure in pop music whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald, convinced her to move away from her family in Nashville at 18 to pursue a glamorous career as a pop star in 2005.
“For the past 10 years, Dr. Luke has sexually, physically, verbally and emotionally abused” Kesha “to the point where Ms. Sebert nearly lost her life,” the suit said.
The civil lawsuit claims that Dr. Luke told Kesha that if she revealed the abusive incidents, he would destroy her and her family’s lives.
Dr. Luke insists that the abuse never happened and that Kesha was persuaded by new management to break their exclusive contract by threatening to ruin his reputation.
CNN’s Melonyce McAfee and Joe Sutton contributed to this story.
