The pop star Kesha appeared in a New York City courtroom in the latest chapter of her long running legal dispute with the music producer Dr. Luke.
The singer, who is from the Nashville area, said she's fighting to wrest her career away from the hit-maker, whose full name is Lukasz Gottwald.
Kesha has claimed that Gottwald drugged, sexually abused, and psychologically tormented her.
He said the singer made up that story in an attempt to ruin his reputation to try to weasel out of her recording contract.
With Kesha watching tearfully from the audience, a judge refused to ditch her contract Friday, at least for now.
But that's far from the end of the dispute, which has sprawled to courts in three states.
Both celebrities and fans took to social media to show support for Kesha with the hashtag #FreeKesha.
We stand by @KeshaRose. ?? #FreeKesha pic.twitter.com/hL7gmDas7m
— MTV Music (@MTVMusicUK) February 19, 2016
#FreeKesha We love u and support u @KeshaRose
— Jon M. Chu (@jonmchu) February 19, 2016
My ?? is in pieces over this beautiful soul who brings so much joy to the world w/ her music. @KeshaRose you will survive this. #FreeKesha
— Daniel Christopher (@MisterPreda) February 19, 2016
Infuriated that @KeshaRose has been denied the freedom to create outside the shadow of her abuse. WTF @SonyMusicGlobal. #freekesha
— Hank Green (@hankgreen) February 19, 2016
its 2016 and a woman was forced to work for her rapist and abuser this is heartbreaking #freekesha pic.twitter.com/jdaUKvLHEy
— baby sun (@emojupiter) February 19, 2016
Kesha also took to Twitter to thank her fans for all of the love and support:
thank you for all the support in my legal case animals. i love all of you. it's meant the world to me. xoxo pic.twitter.com/arHNPSxFs8
— kesha (@KeshaRose) February 18, 2016
