Nothing can hold her down! Kesha gave a moving performance at the 2016 Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 22 — and the crowd welcomed her with open arms.
The “TiK ToK” songstress, 29, performed Bob Dylan’s 1964 song “It Ain’t Me Babe” at the star-studded event. Though she’s famous for her highly Auto-Tuned radio hits, she wowed the audience with strong live vocals, which she received a standing ovation for.
Clad in a sleek white pantsuit, she passionately belted out Dylan’s tune as award-winning singer-songwriter Ben Folds played the piano. “A lover for your life and nothing more / But it ain’t me, babe,” the pop star sang. “No, no, no, it ain’t me, babe / It ain’t me you’re lookin’ for, babe.”
As previously reported, Kesha’s Billboards set was initially canceled by her music producer, Dr. Luke, and her label, Kemosabe Records. The company was worried that Kesha would address her ongoing legal battle with Dr. Luke during the live broadcast. On Thursday, May 19, it was announced that she was invited back to perform.
“Kesha’s performance on the Billboard Music Awards was always approved, in good faith,” Kemosabe Records told Us Weekly in a statement on Thursday. “Approval was only suspended when Kemosabe learned Kesha was to use the performance as a platform to discuss the litigation. Now that Kemosabe has obtained assurances that it is relying upon from Kesha, her representatives and Dick Clark Productions that neither Kesha nor her supporters will use the performance as such a platform, the approval has been restored.”
Kesha and Dr. Luke, 42, have been entangled in a legal battle for quite some time. Back in February, a Manhattan judge ruled that Kesha could not be released from her Sony contract, despite her claims that Dr. Luke had drugged and raped her. (Dr. Luke has denied the allegations.) Amid the drama, she has received an outpouring of love from fellow celebrities and fans.
Watch Kesha’s Billboards performance in the video above.
