On Tuesday, Kesha dropped not a new single, but a lawsuit against her svengali-like producer Dr Luke. In the lawsuit, the pop star alleged that Lukasz Gottwald had drugged and assaulted her, abuse that began soon after she had signed on to his production company in 2005, aged 18. Gottwald counter-sued, his lawyer calling the allegations scurrilous.  The lawsuit comes at a difficult time for Kesha. Earlier this year, she entered rehab to treat an eating disorder, which she said was provoked by Gottwald. She claimed that he called her “a fat fucking refrigerator” and added: “You are not that pretty; you are not that talented; you are just lucky to have me.”  Gottwald’s lawyer says that Kesha’s allegations are “part of a campaign of publishing outrageous and untrue statements”. Their truth will soon be tested in court. What isn’t in question is her bravery in taking on such a powerful music industry player. Even now, the mere act of a female pop star filing a lawsuit against her male producer is radical, even revolutionary.  Like other industries, mainstream music is structured not on the music itself (in terms of quality or inventiveness or experimentation), but its commercial success. It is something to be bought and sold: a commodity.  But this culture can allow moral transgressions to thrive. If sales are the main concern, what matters least is how they are acquired. And if something (or someone) has a proven commercial track record, those in power will do all they can to maintain that success.  If Kesha’s allegations are true, they are part of a lamentable pop tradition of abusive relationships between producers and their female singers. Ike Turner sending Tina out on stage with a broken jaw after beating her up minutes earlier and Phil Spector refusing to allow Ronnie to leave the house are the two most extreme examples of male songwriters and producers moulding their talented singers, making them believe that they are solely responsible for their success, and then turning on the women when they attempt to leave the relationship.  Few would deny the quality of Spector or Turner’s music. But their commercial successes also bred an environment where their violent, abusive behaviour was accepted. It took years, if not decades, for the public to become aware of both men’s actions and it is highly unlikely that those within the industry were unaware of the abuse being suffered by Ronnie and Tina.  Environments of intimidation and abuse sustain their damaging cultures because they were founded in structures of inequality. Whether it’s built on inequality over race, ethnicity, sexuality, or gender, these industries are allowed to continue their practices, because dismantling their long-held power requires active and public challenges to a nearly impenetrable system.  Kesha will be well aware of the risks in speaking out. The covert repercussions she will likely face for challenging one of the music industry’s greatest moneymakers (Dr Luke has also produced hits for a string of other female stars including Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry and Kelly Clarkson) will undeniably make a career comeback difficult.  So what can be done to challenge this culture? More women producers and more women in power, for one. It may be hard to believe, but no woman has won a Grammy for producer of the year, non-classical. Only 5% of music producers and engineers are women. It is 2014. Let that sink in.  The work of changing the culture must occur from the top down. More female executives must come to power in the major record labels. More female producers must be given a chance to craft beats for pop stars. It will take time, but it is not impossible.  Linda Perry of the band 4 Non Blondes gained prominence in the mid-noughties for her work with pop stars like Pink (she wrote Get the Party Started) and Christina Aguilera (Beautiful). And other young producers are making waves in underground scenes with the potential to cross over. Caroline Polachek of the indie rock band Chairlift produced Beyonce’s No Angel. Syd tha Kyd remains a notable member of hip-hop collective Odd Future for producing many of their hits (as well as independently as part of the group the Internet).  History has proven that the biggest advocates for women’s rights will be women. Who but a woman can understand the pains of other suffering women and try to challenge the insidious and damaging culture in place?
Britt Julious: The allegations in the singer’s lawsuit against her producer suggests pop music badly needs more women in influential positions