At a Glance
- Kim Petras says her finished album has sat on the shelf for six months without a release date
- The Grammy winner claims Republic Records won’t pay her collaborators or green-light her self-funded video
- Kesha, who fought her own label war with Dr. Luke, calls the situation a “cage” that must end
- Why it matters: Petras’ public plea exposes ongoing power struggles between artists and major labels
Pop singer Kim Petras took to social media on January 20 to accuse Republic Records of freezing her career, and fellow star Kesha quickly rallied to her side with a blunt warning about industry “cages.”
Petras, who won a Grammy two years ago, says her label has refused for half a year to schedule her finished album or reimburse the musicians who worked on it. She also claims she bankrolled a music video more than two months ago that the company still won’t release.
“I’m tired of having no control over my own life or career,” Petras posted on X, adding that she has formally asked to be dropped from Republic. “My fans have waited long enough.”
Petras Details Label Roadblocks
Petras signed her deal through Amigo Records, an imprint run by producer Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald, who is distributed by Republic. In her posts she laid out a timeline of stalled moves:
- Album finished six months ago
- Label refuses to set release date
- Collaborators unpaid
- Self-funded video shot two months ago still unreleased
- No marketing support despite Grammy win
She vowed her upcoming project Detour will come out “regardless,” even if she has to self-fund every step.
Kesha Joins the Fight
Kesha, who spent nearly a decade in court battling Gottwald over abuse allegations he denied, responded directly to Petras’ thread.
“I spent many years fighting for the rights to myself,” Kesha wrote. “Watching another woman realize that the ‘golden cage’ is still a cage isn’t a victory-it’s a tragedy we have to stop repeating.”
She added, “Freedom isn’t a privilege; it’s a birthright. I hear you, I’m sorry Kim.”
Kesha launched her own label, Kesha Records, in 2024 after fulfilling her Sony contract, ending a relationship that included RCA and Gottwald’s Kemosabe imprint. Petras answered Kesha’s post with a single heart emoji.
History of Album Delays
This is not Petras’ first clash with her label. Her project Problématique was shelved in favor of Feed the Beast, which became her official major-label debut. After that album underperformed, she eventually released Problématique on her own terms.
In a November interview with News Of Los Angeles, Petras said she had “done a few albums that felt like I was doing what people in the music industry wanted from me, and then I got punished for that as an artist.”
She recalled being accused of selling out for collaborations with Nicki Minaj and David Guetta and explained her next record would confront those claims head-on.
“On this one, I just am pulling the curtain back and being like, ‘I know you think that I completely sold out, but I did it only so I could have creative freedom completely on a project like this,'” she said.
Label Silence
Marcus L. Bennett reported that News Of Los Angeles has reached out to both Amigo Records and Republic Records for comment; neither has responded publicly.
Key Takeaways
- Petras joins a growing list of mainstream artists going public about label disputes
- Her contract ties her to Dr. Luke’s imprint, the same producer Kesha fought in court
- Both singers frame the issue as a broader fight for artistic autonomy
- Petras promises new music will arrive, with or without label support
