With Ke$ha‘s “Die Young” pulled from a number of radio stations in the wake of the shooting tragedy in Newtown, Conn., the RCA Records singer had her own criticism for the hit song on Tuesday.
“i understand. I had my very own issue with ‘die young’ for this reason,” she wrote on Twitter on Tuesday evening. “I did NOT want to sing those lyrics and I was FORCED TO.”
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The tweet was deleted not long after. An RCA rep had not returned a request for comment at press time and representatives for Ke$ha declined to comment. Ke$ha has a writing credit on the song, alongside Fun.’s Nate Reuss and producers Dr. Luke, Cirkut and Benny Blanco.
She addressed the Connecticut events more directly with her next tweet, which remains published.
“I’m so so so sorry for anyone who has been effected by this tragedy.and I understand why my song is now inappropriate. words cannot express,” she tweeted.
WDAQ radio’s program director and morning host Rich Minor told Billboard.com that the song was no longer in rotation on the Danbury, Conn., station.
Radio Reacts to Newtown, From Dropping Ke$ha’s ‘Die Young’ to Providing Comfort
“We’ve been playing it before Friday but not since and I think we’re now done with it,” he said. “Even though it’s a fun pop/dance record about seizing the moment, all people are going to hear right now is those two words in the title.”
He’s also removed Foster the People’s “Pumped Up Kicks,” turning instead toward tracks including Eric Clapton’s “Tears in Heaven” and Bette Midler’s “Wind Beneath My Wings.” “Die Young,” at No. 3 on the Hot 100, drops to the No. 2 spot on this week’s Pop Songs charts after an 11% drop in radio plays, with the charting week covering Dec. 10-16. The shootings, which claimed the lives of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in addition to the gunman and his mother, were Friday, Dec. 14.