Sony Says It's "Legally Unable" to End Kesha's Contract

An ugly battle between pop star Kesha, super-producer Dr. Luke, and mega-label Sony Music Entertainment took another twist on Friday, with Sony finally responding to the situation.

The message, quite simply, is that this isn’t their beef. “Sony has made it possible for Kesha to record without any connection, involvement or interaction with Luke whatsoever, but Sony is not in a position to terminate the contractual relationship between Luke and Kesha,” Sony Music Entertainment attorney Scott Edelman told the New York Times.

“Sony is doing everything it can to support the artist in these circumstances, but is legally unable to terminate the contract to which it is not a party.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Luke himself has fired back, claiming absolutely no wrongdoing or even sexual contact with Kesha. The producer, who has not been found guilty of any of the charges, also questioned whether a public shaming and the destruction of his reputation was justified. “Imagine if you or someone you loved was publicly accused of a rape you knew they didn’t do,” Dr. Luke (real name: Lukasz Gottwald) tweeted on February 22nd.

“Imagine that.”

Luke’s tar-and-feathering has indeed been high-profile, even though he may be innocent. Kesha has drawn rallies of fans and massive media attention, with superstars like Adele and Taylor Swift lending their support. Swift even donated $250,000 to the defense effort against Dr. Luke.