Adele Takes a Stand for Kesha

Last Friday, a Los Angeles County court ruled that Kesha would not be permitted release from her contract with Dr. Luke's record label (Kemosabe Records, owned by Sony)—despite the singer's ongoing accusations of sexual and emotional abuse at the hands of the producer.

So far, some major musicians have shown hesitation when coming forward with their support. Others, like Adele, have come forward and taken a stand outright. While accepting her award for Album of the Year, the "Hello" singer said: "I’d like to take a quick second just to thank my manager and my record label for embracing the fact that I’m a woman and being encouraged by it. And I would also like to take this moment to publicly support Kesha.”

Of course, Adele is not the first by any means—Lady Gaga, Lorde, Demi Lovato, and more have taken to Twitter to express their support—but the fact that Adele took a moment that was meant to be about her own achievement, and made it into being a moment about women in music, is what makes this such a critical turning point in the public forum currently surrounding Kesha's case. It's difficult not to compare this overture to that of Taylor Swift, who generously donated $250,000 to Kesha, but still has not said anything about the case publically.

It's not difficult to understand why artists might be more shy about taking their stance on the issue. The court case is a complicated one, and Sony is one of the largest music megaliths in the industry today. But Adele's announcement has broken down those barriers and excuses by simply stating that she is, above all else, an artist and a woman first.

Kesha took to her own social media today, posting a long statement declaring her gratitude for the support shown by her peers throughout this difficult process.

Watch the clip of Adele's speech above.