Kesha Slams Trump Administration for Unauthorized Use of Her Music in War Promotion
Musicians have long been vocal about their rights, and Kesha is the latest to join a growing list of artists opposing the unauthorized use of their work. On Monday, the pop icon took to social media to express her outrage over the Trump administration's use of her 2011 hit 'Blow' in a TikTok video that glorified U.S. military might amid escalating tensions with Iran.
“Trying to make light of war is disgusting and inhuman,” Kesha stated emphatically on Instagram and X. “I absolutely do NOT approve of my music being used to promote violence of any kind.” Her words resonate with a broader sentiment shared by other artists, including Radiohead, Rihanna, and Aerosmith, who have similarly condemned the use of their music without consent.
The TikTok video, which featured a montage of U.S. warplanes in action, was captioned with “Lethality 🔥🦅,” prompting Kesha to further criticize the administration's blatant disregard for human life. “This attack on all of our nervous systems is the opposite of what I stand for,” she added, highlighting her disapproval of the militaristic message conveyed through her song.
In a pointed follow-up, she demanded, “Stop using my music, perverts,” underscoring her frustration with the situation. The White House's response came from Communications Director Steven Cheung, who dismissed Kesha's objections with characteristic bravado. “All these 'singers' keep falling for this,” he remarked, suggesting that such controversies only serve to boost their view counts.
As tensions rise, the U.S. military reported six service members have died in recent attacks related to Iran. Trump himself acknowledged the potential for further casualties in a video posted on Truth Social, stating, “Sadly, there will likely be more... before it ends.”
The history of artists opposing Trump's use of their music is extensive. Wikipedia even maintains a list of musicians who have voiced their disapproval, featuring 57 entries from ABBA to Woodkid. Just last week, Radiohead demanded that ICE remove a video using their song 'Let Down,' telling the administration to “Go f*** yourselves.”
In October, folk legend Kenny Loggins also objected when his song 'Danger Zone' was used in an AI-generated video depicting Trump in a fighter jet. The ongoing pattern of unauthorized music usage raises questions about artistic rights and the ethical implications of such actions.
