Kesha probably won’t be performing at this year’s Billboard Music Awards — and she’s using the global stage of Facebook to make her displeasure known.
Following news that her producer Dr. Luke’s label Kemosabe Records had “rescinded its approval” of the performance, the singer took to social media to say that she’s “very sad” about the cancellation.
She added that she had no intention of mentioning Dr. Luke, with whom the singer has been locked in a protracted legal battle, during the performance.
“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,” Kesha wrote.
“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,” the singer continued. “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 May 11 TMZ report cited a source saying that Kesha was “planning to make direct references to her ongoing legal battle with Dr. Luke … and might even include images of him.”
Kesha and Dr. Luke — real name: Lukasz Gottwald — have been engaged in a contentious legal battle since October 2014. The pop star maintains that Gottwald, who discovered her at 17, inflicted years of verbal and sexual abuse.
Earlier this year, Kesha lost a bid to record outside of her contract with Sony — Kemosabe’s umbrella label — contending that she could record with other producers.
Read Kesha’s full Facebook message below.