Kesha and Dr. Luke settle their long-running defamation lawsuit out of court — “Only God knows what happened that night.”
Singer Kesha and producer Dr. Luke have settled their long-running bout of suits and countersuits over her allegation that he sexually assaulted her and his accusation that she lied about it and defamed him. The pair announced the news Thursday, though terms of the deal have yet to be disclosed.
Kesha says that “only God knows what happened that night,” while Dr. Luke maintains that he is “absolutely certain that nothing happened; I never drugged or assaulted her.”
Both parties revealed on Instagram that they had agreed to “a resolution” of the case and to a statement from each of them. Media inquiries for comment were sent to their attorneys.
“I cannot recount everything that happened,” writes Kesha, adding that she wishes “nothing but peace to all parties involved.”
Dr. Luke said he wished Kesha well and wanted “to put this difficult matter behind” him after years of fighting to clear his name.
The resolution averts a trial that would have taken place this summer over allegations that became a #MeToo moment for Kesha and her supporters, including a lineup of musicians including Lady Gaga, Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry, Pink, Avril Lavigne, Adam Levine, and Taio Cruz — all of whom gave testimony or sworn statements related to the case.
Meanwhile, the case raised important legal questions about fame and defamation, with the stakes seen as high enough that media outlets discussed pretrial rulings and whether they could help influential people suppress unflattering reporting. The legal battles between Kesha and Dr. Luke have been ongoing since 2014.
The singer, who originally stylized her name ‘Ke$ha,’ made her name with a series of banger pop anthems in the 2010s. Those early hits were produced by Dr. Luke, who founded the Nashville record label that signed the singer, then an unknown 18-year-old named Kesha Rose Sebert.
Dr. Luke, whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald, has produced chart-toppers for Katy Perry, Avril Lavigne, Flo Rida, and many more. Dr. Luke has multiple Grammy noms to his name and has repeatedly won Pop Songwriter of the Year awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers.
Kesha first sued him in 2014 with allegations that he drugged and raped her nine years prior and psychologically abused her throughout their working relationship. Among the allegations, Kesha said he harassed her about her weight, made fun of her voice, and lorded his power over her career. Dr. Luke, who has not been charged with any crimes, responded by suing Kesha for defamation.
