Dr. Luke and Kesha Settle Defamation Lawsuit

By: Jeffrey Wu

On June 22, pop record producer Łukasz Sebastian Gottwald, known as Dr. Luke, dropped the defamation lawsuit against singer-songwriter Kesha Rose Sebert, formerly stylized as Kesha, who accused him of rape in a 2014 lawsuit. Both parties announced on social media that they had "agreed to a joint resolution of the lawsuit," which will take place next month in New York.

Since Dr. Luke and Kesha’s collaboration in 2005, they have produced many top hits including “Tik Tok,” in 2009, “We R Who We R,” in 2010, and many more. In 2014, Kesha claimed that Dr. Luke “sexually, physically, verbally and emotionally abused” her during that time. Dr. Luke was also accused of allegedly drugging her and raping her shortly after their collaboration.

An affidavit from 2011 contradicts Kesha's accusation: “Dr. Luke never made sexual advances at me.” Dr. Luke countersued Kesha for defamation, citing several other pieces of evidence.

Dr. Luke’s lawyer, Christine Lepera, stated the producer “has been consistent from day one that Kesha’s accusations against him were completely false. Kesha’s voluntary public statement clears Luke’s name as it proves she had no ground to accuse him of any wrongdoing.”

Most of Kesha’s legal claims were rejected or withdrawn, leaving her as the defendant in Dr. Luke’s defamation lawsuit. Finally, after years of tension, on June 22, 2023, both parties agreed to come to a joint resolution, both going to the trial next month in New York.

In a tweet presenting each individual’s joint statements, Kesha said, “Only God knows what happened that night. As I have always said, I cannot recount everything that happened.” She concluded by saying she is looking forward to a new life and wishing the best for both parties.

Dr. Luke appreciates Kesha’s acknowledgment of not being able to recall the night of 2005 and stated he would absolutely never drug or assault anyone. He added, “For the sake of my family, I have vigorously fought to clear my name for nearly 10 years. It is time for me to put this difficult matter behind me and move on with my life. I wish Kesha well.”

Sources:

https://www.keshaofficial.com/

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/22/arts/music/kesha-dr-luke-settle-lawsuit.html

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/kesha-dr-luke-legal-battle-singer-breaks-silence-1234779595/