Pop singer Kesha is suing her producer, Dr. Luke, alleging that he sexually, physically, verbally and emotionally abused her. The producer has already responded with a countersuit, in which he claims that Kesha is lying and attempting to extort him.
Rolling Stone reports that Kesha’s lawsuit says that Dr. Luke, real name Lukasz Gottwald, began making sexual advances when she was 18 – the same year she signed with him. It alleges that he forced her to ingest drugs and alcohol to lower her inhibitions and that, over the past decade, he has abused her almost to the point of her death. She is asking for a judge to release her from her contract with the producer.
Some of the text detailing the crimes Kesha claims happened was included in a Consequence of Sound article on the case, which was filed in civil court.
In one instance, Kesha claims he forced her to snort something before getting on a plane … and during the trip he forced himself on her while she was drugged.
On another occasion, Kesha claims after forcing her to drink with him, Dr. Luke gave her what he called “sober pills.” Kesha claims she woke up the following afternoon, naked in Dr. Luke’s bed, sore, sick … and with no memory of how she got there.
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Kesha also says there was physical abuse … once she says he attacked her at his Malibu house where he was “violently thrashing his arms at her.” She says she escaped and ran barefoot down PCH and hid in the mountains.
In addition to the above claims, Kesha says that Gottwald was the cause of her eating disorder, which sent her to rehab earlier this year. “You are not that pretty,” he allegedly told her. “You are not that talented. You are just lucky to have me.”
Within hours of the public announcement Kesha’s lawsuit, Gottwald filed his own countersuit, alleging defamation and breach of contract by the singer. He claims that he had a copy of Kesha’s lawsuit for months, and that the singer and her mother, Pebe Sebert, threatened to file it if he didn’t agree to release her from the contract.
But in Luke’s lawsuit … he says the pack of lies is being engineered by Kesha’s mother, Pebe, and Kesha’s new management firm. Luke claims Kesha tried to extort him by threatening to spread lies about him to a blogger who started a “Free Kesha” website unless he released her from her recording contract.
And Luke says in his lawsuit he’s had a copy of a draft of Kesha’s new abuse lawsuit for months, and she was threatening to file it if he didn’t release her. In other words, he’s alleging more extortion.
Gottwald’s rep spoke to People Magazine about the matter: “These statements and allegations concerning Dr. Luke are completely false. It is unfortunate that at a time Kesha is suffering immensely and trying to heal at a treatment center, her mother is taking this approach with the media. I give Kesha my utmost support and well wishes for a quick return to health.”
The singer and producer have been battling for months over control over her image and career, with Kesha saying that she didn’t really have any creative control. “What’s been put out as singles have just perpetuated a particular image that may or may not be entirely accurate,” she said. “I’d like to show the world other sides of my personality. I don’t want to just continue putting out the same song and becoming a parody of myself.”
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