Kesha will move into a new phase of her career next year with a new label and new management. It's been confirmed that her deal with Dr Luke's Sony Music-allied label Kemosabe has reached its conclusion, plus she has parted company with her long-term manager Jack Rovner.
Rovner's company Vector Management said in a statement to Variety yesterday: “Jack Rovner confirms, after sixteen years, Kesha and Vector Management have agreed amicably to part ways, with much love and respect".
The change in business partners follows the settlement earlier this year of a long-running legal battle between Kesha and Dr Luke, which centred on her allegations of rape against the producer. There were various elements to that dispute, though in the end the focus was the defamation lawsuit filed by Luke in relation to Kesha's rape allegations, which he denied.
That defamation case was due to get to trial this year, but in June both parties announced the litigation had been settled. Kesha said at the time: “Only God knows what happened that night. As I have always said, I cannot recount everything that happened. I am looking forward to closing the door on this chapter of my life and beginning a new one. I wish nothing but peace to all parties involved”.
Sony Music got pulled into the Kesha v Dr Luke legal battle because of its business partnership with the producer. In 2016, fans called on the major to intervene when Kesha tried to get out of her contractural commitments to Kemosabe.
Despite a a petition, signed by more than 400,000 Kesha fans and supporters, the company insisted that it couldn't unilaterally cancel Kesha's record contract, because it was with Luke's label rather than Sony directly. However, it said it would seek to allow Kesha to complete her contractual obligations to Kemosabe without actively working with Luke.
Those obligations were seemingly met with the release of her fifth album 'Gag Order' earlier this year and her deal with Kemosabe formally came to an end last week.
Confirming that she has also decided to seek new management moving forward, Kesha said in a new statement yesterday: "My manager has been an unwavering supporter of helping me get through the lengthy legal battle I have been embroiled in for almost a decade”.
“We have achieved many great successes and have shared a magnificent part of my life [together]”, she added. “I am so grateful to them and always will be. In need of a fresh start in my life, we have parted ways but I will remain forever grateful for the run we had".