Kesha and Dr. Luke settle defamation lawsuit

Kesha and producer Dr. Luke have reached a settlement in their long-running legal battle a month before the case was to go to trial.

The two agreed to release a joint statement announcing the settlement on their official social media pages. “Only God knows what happened that night,” Kesha wrote in her statement. “As I 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.”

The statement was followed by Dr. Luke’s message stating: “While I appreciate Kesha again acknowledging that she cannot recount what happened that night in 2005. I am absolutely certain that nothing happened.”

He added: “I never drugged or assaulted her and would never do that to anyone. 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.”
Other details of the settlement are not known at this time.

The case was set to go to trial next month. Kesha initially sued the producer in 2014, claiming he had sexually assaulted and emotionally abused her. Dr. Luke has denied the claims and countersued the artist, claiming she had breached the recording contract they had with one another and made up rape allegations in an attempt to get out of the deal. Kesha maintained her original claims against Dr. Luke.

Dr. Luke sued Kesha for defamation in 2014, in part claiming she had defamed him by telling Lady Gaga he had raped Katy Perry. Perry denied the claim during a deposition, while Dr. Luke has also denied the claim. Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Jennifer G. Schecter ruled in the producer’s favour in 2020.

According to Stereogum, a judge ruled that Dr. Luke would be considered a “public figure” in the case which would reverse a previous ruling made in 2021 that claimed the producer would be a considered a private figure because he was a not a household name.

That would have meant that his lawyers would have to prove that Kesha acted with “actual malice” when she made her public statements about Dr. Luke.

In other news, Kesha recently released her fifth studio album ‘Gag Order’ earlier this year. In a three-star review of the album, NME shared: “Probing, purging and unflinching personal, ‘Gag Order’ – despite its title – is the embodiment of an artist who has found their voice.”