Lorde supports devastated Kesha after court on Friday

Pop star pals: Lorde supported Kesha in her time of need on Friday. / Getty

Call it pop star backing. Kiwi star Lorde has jumped to the side of American singer Kesha, 28, who had a devastating legal loss on Friday, which saw her break down in tears in a New York courtroom.

The 18-year-old offered Kesha (formerly known as Ke$ha) her support after a judge dismissed a preliminary injunction to end her contract with producer Dr. Luke and Sony.

Kesha outside the Manhattan courtroom on Friday. / Getty

The 'Tik Tok' hitmaker broke down in tears as New York Supreme Court Justice Shirley Kornreich upheld her recording deal, despite the pop singer's claims her career had been put on hold because she could no longer work with the producer she has accused of drugging and raping her, and insisted she was forbidden to take on projects with other producers on the label.



Adam Lambert presenting the Songwriter of the Year award to Max Martin, Lukasz 'Dr. Luke' Gottwald and Ke$ha at the
ASCAP Pop Music Awards in 2011. / Getty


After the ruling, Lorde took to Twitter to show her support, writing: standing with @KeshaRose through this traumatic, deeply unfair time. send good vibes her way everyone.”


Lily Allen and Halsey joined Lorde in sharing their "disgust" over the outcome of the hearing.

The British pop star wrote, "My thoughts are with @KeshaRose today. I'm sorry you've had to endure this experience."

Meanwhile, angry Halsey posted, "Disgusted by anyone in power positions abusing their authority. My heart breaks for Kesha and all people affected by this toxicity. F**k... I don't even know what I would do... I only hope she can find peace and find a way to continue to create express herself without fear."


The ruling sees Kesha denied release from her Sony Music contract. She had hoped to be granted an injunction so she could be released from producer Dr. Luke's record label after she claimed he sexually abused her for a number of years.

But speaking in the courtroom, New York Supreme Court Justice Shirley Kornreich said: "You're asking the court to decimate a contract that was heavily negotiated and typical for the industry."

Commenting that Dr. Luke had invested US$60 million in Kesha's career and that she had the option to record under another producer at Sony, Justice Kornreich added: "My instinct is to do the commercially reasonable thing."

No decisions were made about the allegations of sexual abuse, Billboard magazine reports.

Fans were outside the Manhattan courthouse to show Kesha their support.

 

Kesha fans supported the singer outside court. / Getty


 Meanwhile, ahead of the court hearing, the 28-year-old singer took to Instagram to insist she had "nothing left to hide".


She wrote: "I have nothing left to hide. I did this because the truth was eating away my soul and killing me from the inside. this is not just for me. this is for every woman, every human who has ever been abused. sexually. emotionally. mentally.

"I had to tell the truth. so the outcome will be what it will be. there's nothing left I can do. it's just so scary to have zero control in your fate. but this is my path this life for whatever reason ... (sic)

Kesha filed a sexual abuse lawsuit against her one-time mentor and producer Dr. Luke in October, 2014, accusing him of subjecting her to years of sexual, physical, verbal and emotional abuse.

She even went as far as to claim his actions led to her 60-day stint in the Timberline Knolls rehab clinic in Illinois two years ago.

Dr. Luke, real name Lukasz Gottwald, hit back with his own countersuit for defamation and extortion, alleging the singer and her mother, Pebe Sebert, had threatened to go public with various stories about his alleged inappropriate behaviour unless he released her from the management contract she signed with him when she was 18.

Kesha asked to be released from the deal with Dr. Luke, claiming she was unable to continue with her music career, because she is prohibited from working with another label, adding executives at Sony will not promote her music if she pairs up with another producer.

However, the ruling by the judge on Friday has dismissed her argument and ordered that she is able to work with another producer under Sony.

On Thursday, Dr. Luke and bosses at the record label asked for the sexual assault suit to be dismissed, but the judge delayed her decision.