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Kesha's mom calls on other performers to boyott the Billboard Music Awards

"Does every adult woman need a mans permission to do what she loves?" Pebe Sebert asks

Emily Blake

on May 18, 2016

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

Kesha' mother is slamming Dr. Luke's label, Kemosabe Records, for preventing Kesha from performing at Sunday's Billboard Music Awards, asking "Does every adult woman need a mans permission to do what she loves?"

Dick Clark Productions announced on Tuesday that Kemosabe Records "rescinded its approval" of Kesha's performance after a report surfaced that it would be a "statement performance" aimed at Dr. Luke -- possibly using images of him.

"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 Kemosabe subsequently rescinded its approval following a media report on Wednesday, May 11th regarding Kesha’s appearance on the BBMAs," a representative for Dick Clark said in a statement to Mashable. "Unfortunately, Kesha and Kemosabe have since been unable to come to an agreement for Kesha to perform on the show."

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On Tuesday, Kesha took to Instagram to clarify that the performance was never going to be aimed at Dr. Luke. Rather, she said, her plan was to perform a cover of Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me, Babe."

On Wednesday, Kesha's mother, Pebe Sebert, slammed the decision and sent a series of tweets seemingly directed at New York Supreme Court Justice Shirley Kornreich, who in February rejected Kesha's request for a temporary injunction to be freed from her Sony contract, where she's signed to Kemosabe.

At the time, Kornreich said that Kesha was already free to work with other producers at the label and outside of the influence of Dr. Luke.

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She also called on other Billboard performers to protest by refusing to perform at Sunday's show. Other performers include Justin Bieber, Fifth Harmony, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas, Rihanna, Britney Spears and more.

Back in March, Sebert talked to Billboard about what she called Dr. Luke's "tyrannical" control over Kesha throughout their decade-long working relationship. In October of 2014, Kesha filed a lawsuit claiming that the producer had physically, sexually and mentally abused her, including instances of rape and drugging.

"It was like someone who beats you every day and hangs you from a chain and then comes in and gives you a piece of bread," Pebe told Billboard. "Luke would say, 'You look nice today,' and send her into hysterics of happiness because she was programmed to expect nothing but abuse."

Lawyers for Dr. Luke have denied these claims.

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