Kesha adds Sony to Dr. Luke lawsuit
Pop sensation Kesha Sebert has updated her lawsuit against producer Lukasz ‘Dr. Luke’ Gottwald, filing claims that Sony Music had placed her “in physical danger.”
The controversial case has taken a new turn in the past 24 hours, with Kesha amending the lawsuit to include Sony Music as a defendant for allegedly turning a “blind eye” to Dr. Luke’s behaviour.
“Dr. Luke’s proclivity for abusive conduct was open and obvious to [Sony Music Entertainment] Doe executives, who either knew of the conduct and turned a blind eye, failed to investigate Dr. Luke’s conduct, failed to take any corrective action, or actively concealed Dr. Luke’s abuse,” stated the amended lawsuit.
Last October, Kesha claimed in the Los Angeles District Court that Dr. Luke had forced and manipulated her to consume drugs, before sexually assaulting her. He is also accused of inflicting emotional abuse on the pop star, as well as threatening to take away her publishing rights.
The amended lawsuit alleges that Sony failed to intervene when Kesha complained about the terms of her contract to Dr. Luke. The producer was not open to negotiation “as he promised according to industry custom,” and Sony had “ratified” this behaviour in establishing his own label Kemosabe Records, adding another “platform to continue his abuse.”
“SME’s conduct placed […] female artists, including Ms. Sebert, in physical danger by giving Dr. Luke full creative and business control with nearly limitless financial resources, over young female artists who necessarily were compelled to become dependent upon his good will,” the lawsuit states. “Based on SME’s conduct, SME has forced an abusive relationship between Dr. Luke and Ms. Sebert to this day.”
In New York, Dr. Luke has filed a counter-lawsuit for defamation. Additionally, he claims that Kesha’s lawsuit was a cover over a dispute of her long-standing record deal.
A Californian judge is set to decide whether to pause Kesha’s lawsuit and turn the focus to Dr. Luke’s lawsuit in New York.
Now that Sony is involved, Kesha’s attorneys reinstate that the case should be settled in California, as the terms of her contract were without a New York forum clause.
Christine Lepera, legal representative of Dr. Luke, has called Kesha’s new claims a “desperate effort.”
“It’s conclusions without facts, and there’s nothing new,” said Lepera. “They are trying to embroil Sony and it won’t work.”
Kesha is two albums into a six-album contract with RCA/Sony.
Sony have yet to respond to the new allegations.
At the time of print, Kesha is still listed on the artist roster of RCA Records, whose parent company is Sony. Her most recent recorded music appearance was as a featured artist on Zedd’s track True Colors, from his eponymous sophomore album.