Kesha's Billboard Music Awards Performance Canceled After Dr. Luke's Label Rescinds Approval

According to dick clark productions, "Kesha and Kemosabe have since been unable to come to an agreement for Kesha to perform on the show."
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Sad news for the "animals" of the world: Kesha's Billboard Music Award performance has been canceled.

In a statement released by dick clark productions on Tuesday, the organization said:

Kesha accepted an invitation to perform on the show and she received written approval from Dr. Luke's record label, Kemosabe Records. Kemosabe subsequently rescinded its approval following a media report on Wednesday May 11 regarding Kesha’s appearance on the BBMAs.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.

The report in question appears to be a TMZ story that claimed Kesha was planning to make a statement against Gottwald with her performance at the award show. Sources told the celebrity news site that the singer was planning on referencing her ongoing legal battle with Gottwald and possibly bringing photos of him onstage.

The singer refuted those claims with a post on Instagram Tuesday, assuring fans that she was planning to pay tribute to Bob Dylan with her performance. She also expressed her sadness regarding the cancellation.

"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," she wrote in the caption. "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."

A representative for Gottwald had no further comment on the situation.

There still might be hope for Kesha, though, as DCP hasn't ruled out the performance entirely.

"dick clark productions has a long standing relationship with Kesha," they said in their statement. "We hope that the parties can come to an arrangement such that we can continue that long standing relationship with a performance by Kesha on the Billboard Music Awards stage on May 22nd."

Kesha and Gottwald have been embroiled in an ongoing legal battle since 2014, when the "Animal" singer accused the producer of sexual assault and battery. Gottwald maintains his innocence.

Throughout the dispute, Kesha did not record new music, as her contract barred her from working with other producers. However, in February, a New York judge ruled that, while the performer couldn't break her contract, she could record music with another producer at Sony.

The singer recently got together with producer Zedd to record a new mix of his track "True Colors," which the duo played together at Coachella. Kesha also recently performed an emotional cover of Diane Warren and Lady Gaga's song "Till It Happens to You," about the sexual assault epidemic on college campuses.

UPDATE -- 5:04 p.m.: Kesha's mom, Pebe Sebert, addressed her daughter's canceled performance in a series of tweets on Wednesday afternoon. In what is essentially a Twitter essay, Sebert calls out the American legal system for failing Kesha.

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