“We come in peace, but we mean business,” Janelle Monae said in her speech introducing Kesha at the Grammys, a speech that espoused support of and solidarity with the Time’s Up movement, expressed tonight by the white roses attendees wore on their lapels. This year, Kesha released her inspiring comeback album Rainbow, a cathartic response to her ongoing legal battle against Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald, Kesha’s former producer who she has accused of emotionally and sexually abusing her during the time they worked together. To this day, Sony still refuses to let Kesha out of her contract with Dr. Luke, keeping her professionally tied to her alleged abuser.
Tonight, Kesha took the stage at the Grammys for a powerful performance of “Praying,” a moving anthem about healing. Kesha, dressed in an embroidered white suit, sang backed by a choir of women also dressed in white, including Cyndi Lauper, Camila Cabello, Julia Michaels, and Andra Day. After the song, Kesha, visibly moved, hugged her fellow performers in a tearful show of solidarity as the audience gave them a standing ovation. It was an emotional culmination of Kesha’s musical arc over the past year, and you can watch it below.