The Kesha lawsuit was a nearly decade-long legal fight between singer Kesha Rose Sebert and producer Lukasz Gottwald, known as Dr. Luke, that began with her 2014 allegations of rape and years of abuse, expanded into his defamation countersuit, and ended in a June 2023 settlement on undisclosed terms after New York’s highest court shifted the legal ground in her favor. No court ever ruled on whether the alleged assault occurred.
How the Case Started
Kesha signed a six-album recording contract with Gottwald’s Kemosabe Records, a Sony Music subsidiary, in 2005, when she was eighteen. The deal gave the label ownership of her recorded music for the life of the copyright.1Complete Music Update. Kesha Reveals Ten Year Plan to Upend the Music Industry
In October 2014, she sued Gottwald. She alleged he had drugged and raped her after a party in 2005 and had subjected her to years of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse throughout their working relationship.2NPR. Kesha and Dr. Luke Settle Their Legal Battle She said he berated her about her weight, denigrated her voice, and used his control over her career to keep her compliant, and that the abuse contributed to an eating disorder that sent her to a rehabilitation facility for two months in 2014.3The Guardian. Kesha and Dr. Luke Reach Resolution in Defamation Lawsuit
Gottwald denied every allegation and has never been charged with any crime in connection with them. He countersued in New York, claiming Kesha had fabricated the accusations to “extort” her way out of the recording contract, and his attorneys called the rape claim “false and shocking.”4Billboard. Kesha and Dr. Luke Settle Defamation Lawsuit
Why Kesha’s Abuse Claims Were Dismissed
Kesha’s own claims against Gottwald never reached a jury on their merits. In April 2016, New York Supreme Court Justice Shirley Kornreich dismissed all eight of her counterclaims, including infliction of emotional distress, gender-based hate crimes, and employment discrimination. The court found it lacked jurisdiction because Kesha had not shown the alleged conduct occurred in New York, and it ruled the statute of limitations had expired on several of the accusations. The dismissals were without leave to amend.5The New York Times. New York State Judge Rejects Kesha’s Claims in Dr. Luke Case
She had also filed a separate suit in California alleging sexual assault and gender violence. In August 2016 she voluntarily dismissed it without prejudice. Her attorney Daniel Petrocelli said the point was to focus her efforts in New York, and her team noted she had delivered 28 new songs to Kemosabe and Sony and wanted to facilitate the release of new music.6CBS News. Kesha Dismisses California Lawsuit Against Dr. Luke7The Guardian. Kesha Drops California Sexual Assault Lawsuit Against Dr. Luke
These rulings were procedural. No court made any finding on whether the alleged abuse actually happened.
The Contract Fight and #FreeKesha
Alongside the abuse claims, Kesha tried to escape her recording contract. In February 2016 she asked for a preliminary injunction that would have let her record outside her deal with Sony and Kemosabe. On February 19, 2016, Justice Kornreich denied the request, saying she intended to do “the commercially reasonable thing” and that Kesha was “asking the court to decimate a contract that was heavily negotiated and typical for the industry.” Sony’s attorneys argued the company had invested $60 million in her career and was willing to let her work with a producer other than Gottwald, and the judge found that offer undercut her argument.8ABC News. Judge Denies Kesha’s Request to Terminate Sony Contract
Public reaction was intense. Under the hashtag #FreeKesha, Taylor Swift donated $250,000 to help cover Kesha’s expenses, a contribution confirmed by Swift’s spokesperson.9The Guardian. Taylor Swift Donates $250,000 to Kesha Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, Lorde, Fiona Apple, and Kelly Clarkson voiced public support.10Time. Taylor Swift Donates $250,000 to Kesha A supporter-run GoFundMe aimed at buying out her contract raised over $23,000 toward a $2 million goal in eleven days.11Western Howl. Free Kesha
The Defamation Case Turned Against Her
With her own claims dismissed, the litigation narrowed to Gottwald’s defamation and breach-of-contract suit in New York Supreme Court, Index No. 653118/2014.12vLex. Gottwald v. Sebert, 12716
A central piece of evidence was a 2016 text Kesha sent to Lady Gaga claiming Gottwald had raped Katy Perry. Kesha’s attorneys said the message followed Interscope Records CEO John Janick telling both women he had heard a rumor about an alleged assault of Perry.13People. Katy Perry Denied Dr. Luke Raped Her Perry denied the allegation under oath in a July 2017 deposition, testifying that Gottwald had not assaulted her.14BBC News. Kesha’s Text to Lady Gaga Ruled Defamatory
By 2020 the case had been reassigned to Justice Jennifer G. Schecter, who issued a series of consequential rulings on February 6, 2020. Schecter found Kesha’s text about Perry was “defamatory per se,” saying there was “no evidence whatsoever” to support the claim and that Perry’s denial was “unrefuted.”15The Guardian. Judge Rules Kesha Defamed Dr. Luke by Claiming He Raped Katy Perry The judge emphasized she was not deciding whether Gottwald had committed rape; that, she said, would be left to a jury.16Variety. Dr. Luke Kesha Ruling on Defamation
Schecter also ruled that Gottwald was not a public figure, meaning his lawyers would not have to meet the higher “actual malice” standard. She found none of the challenged statements qualified as protected opinion or hyperbole, and held Kesha responsible for statements made by her attorney and PR firm because they had acted as her agents.17New York Courts. Gottwald v. Sebert, Appellate Division First Department Separately, Schecter ordered Kesha to pay Gottwald’s company roughly $374,000 in interest on late royalty payments, finding she had breached her contract.16Variety. Dr. Luke Kesha Ruling on Defamation
The 2023 Court of Appeals Reversal
Kesha appealed. On June 13, 2023, the New York Court of Appeals reversed the lower courts on the public-figure question. The state’s highest court ruled that Gottwald was a “limited-purpose public figure” who had voluntarily thrust himself into the spotlight on matters related to his career and his professional relationships with artists.18Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. Kesha Dr. Luke Settlement The court found he had “purposefully sought media attention for himself, his businesses, and for the artists he represented” and that his media engagement was “obviously designed to project his name and personality” to a wide audience. Because the alleged assault took place in the context of that actively promoted professional relationship, Gottwald would have to prove by clear and convincing evidence that Kesha acted with actual malice, meaning she knew her statements were false or made them with reckless disregard for the truth.19vLex. Gottwald v. Sebert, Court of Appeals
The Court of Appeals also held that New York’s expanded anti-SLAPP statute, amended in 2020 and codified in Civil Rights Law ยงยง 76-a and 70-a, applied to the litigation because Gottwald continued the suit after the amendments took effect. That meant Kesha could pursue a counterclaim for attorney’s fees, costs, and damages if she could show the suit lacked a substantial basis in fact and law or was brought to harass or intimidate her.20FindLaw. Gottwald v. Sebert, Court of Appeals Trial had been scheduled to begin July 19, 2023.4Billboard. Kesha and Dr. Luke Settle Defamation Lawsuit
The Settlement
Nine days after the Court of Appeals decision, on June 22, 2023, the parties announced a settlement resolving all remaining claims and counterclaims. Financial terms were not disclosed, and Gottwald dropped his defamation case.21BBC News. Kesha and Dr. Luke Settle Legal Battle18Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. Kesha Dr. Luke Settlement
Both sides posted statements on Instagram. Kesha wrote: “Only god knows what happened that night. As I have always said, I cannot recount everything that happened. I am looking forward to closing the door on this chapter of my life and beginning a new one. I wish nothing but peace to all parties involved.” Gottwald responded: “While I appreciate Kesha again acknowledging that she cannot recount what happened that night in 2005, I am absolutely certain that nothing happened. I never drugged or assaulted her and would never do that to anyone.”21BBC News. Kesha and Dr. Luke Settle Legal Battle
What Has Happened Since
Kesha split from Kemosabe Records and her management company in December 2023, six months after the settlement.22Female First. Kesha Launches Record Label and Plans New Album Her final album under the old contract, the Rick Rubin-produced Gag Order, came out in 2023. She then launched her own label, Kesha Records, in a distribution partnership with ADA, giving her full creative control and ownership of her recorded work for the first time.23Exclaim! Kesha Launches Record Label, Says Album Is Coming Next Year On July 4, 2024, she released “Joyride” as her first independent single, writing on social media: “First day I’ve owned my voice in 19 years.”24Consequence of Sound. Kesha Joy Ride Stream She has said she spent “millions of dollars in legal fees” over the fight, and told Variety: “When you’re in a state of fear, you cannot create, and I know this from personal experience.”25Variety. Kesha Finally Free After Millions in Litigation With Dr. Luke
Gottwald kept producing throughout the case, often under pseudonyms. Working as “Tyson Trax,” he produced Doja Cat’s “Say So,” which reached number one and earned him his first Grammy nomination since 2014.2NPR. Kesha and Dr. Luke Settle Their Legal Battle He produced Kim Petras’s Clarity under the alias “Made In China” and was credited under his legal name on the Broadway musical & Juliet.26PopCrush. Dr. Luke Alias Career During Kesha Lawsuit As of 2023, he was named ASCAP pop songwriter of the year. Gottwald himself acknowledged the allegations hurt his reputation, saying various artists, “particularly female ones,” avoided working with someone labeled a rapist.
The controversy resurfaced in 2024 when Katy Perry faced backlash for collaborating with Gottwald on her album 143, including the singles “Woman’s World” and “Lifetimes.” The lead single drew largely negative reviews and debuted at No. 63 on the Billboard Hot 100.27Variety. Katy Perry Defends Dr. Luke Involvement on 143 Album Perry addressed the criticism on the Call Her Daddy podcast, saying Gottwald “was one of many collaborators” and that the songs came from her own experience.28The Hollywood Reporter. Katy Perry Addresses Backlash Over Dr. Luke on New Album Kelly Clarkson, who worked with Gottwald early in her career, had distanced herself in 2020, saying: “He’s not a good person to me. We’ve clashed.”26PopCrush. Dr. Luke Alias Career During Kesha Lawsuit
The case never produced a factual finding on Kesha’s underlying allegations. Her abuse claims were dismissed on jurisdictional and statute-of-limitations grounds, and the defamation claims were settled before a jury could weigh in.