Entertainment

Kesha's Battle With Dr. Luke Isn't Over

by Rachel Simon

A new development has occurred in the ongoing legal battle between Kesha and producer Dr. Luke. On Monday, TMZ reported that Kesha dropped her California lawsuit against Dr. Luke, which had alleged that he had sexually assaulted her and was otherwise abusive towards her. Yet this news doesn't mean the end for Kesha's battle with the court, as in addition to the California lawsuit, the singer is still involved in a separate New York lawsuit filed by Dr. Luke (real name: Lukasz Gottwald) in which he claimed she breached her contract. Kesha's CA lawsuit vs. her NY lawsuit is a complicated matter, but the fact that the New York lawsuit has not been dismissed, unlike the California one, means that the star's legal battle is still ongoing. Bustle has reached out to both Kesha and Dr. Luke for comment, but has not heard back at this time.

Update: Sony tells Bustle they have no comment. Dr. Luke's rep released the following statement to Bustle:

If Kesha is voluntarily dismissing her claims in the California case, it is because she has no chance of winning them. Earlier this year, she lost her meritless counterclaims against Dr. Luke in the New York Action. Recently, the California Court invited Dr. Luke and the other defendants to move to dismiss Kesha’s claims in that action. Kesha never should have brought her false and meritless claims against Dr. Luke in any court. Dr. Luke’s defamation and other claims against Kesha are still proceeding

Kesha tweeted the following on Monday night:

Earlier: Here's what to know about the two lawsuits, and where Kesha and Dr. Luke currently stand, legally. On Monday, Kesha filed to dismiss the California lawsuit — the one alleging that Dr. Luke had committed sexual assault — and is now working to get new music (which she had not released for years) out to the public. As her lawyer Daniel Petrocelli, partner at O’Melveny & Myers, told BuzzFeed News, “We have conveyed to Sony Music and the label Kesha’s strong desire to release the single and an album as soon as possible.”

Yet while the California lawsuit may have been dismissed, the New York one is still in motion. In February, Kesha was denied permission by a New York judge to be released from her current contract, and was forced to remain under contract with Sony, despite her claims that she would suffer damage to her career if she were made to continue working with Dr. Luke. Kesha is currently appealing that decision (Sony has maintained that they support Kesha's music), and according to Buzzfeed News, it's possible that the California lawsuit, too, could be reopened sometime in the future.