Kesha has been dealt another blow in her legal battle against producer Dr. Luke, after a New York appeals court rejected her latest push to be removed from their professional contracts.
The singer, who in 2014 accused the producer born Lukasz Gottwald of sexual assault and emotional abuse, was sued for defamation over those claims.
In 2017, Kesha proposed her countersuit to Dr. Luke’s defamation claim, arguing that maintaining their contracts would be professionally untenable. That push was denied, but Kesha appealed.
Today, New York Supreme Court Justice Shirley Kornreich upheld the original decision, pointing to the fact Kesha released a new album and planned tours as evidence she could technically continue to operate under her contract with Dr. Luke.
“Her counterclaim seeking declaratory relief terminating the agreements on the ground of impossibility and impracticability of performance was speculative, contradicted by her own allegations that she had continued performing under the agreements,” Kornreich said.
Barring any further appeal, this means the case will focus purely on the defamation claim and Kesha’s original allegations of abuse – not on her push to void their contracts.
Dr. Luke is reportedly seeking $66 million in damages stemming from Kesha’s allegations, arguing the claims cost him the opportunity to work on three Katy Perry albums, among others.
