In Oct. 2014, Kesha sued her producer Dr. Luke, alleging that he drugged, raped and inflicted verbal, physical, and emotional abuse on her for 10 years, according to People. Over two years later, the legal battle continues to take twists and turns.
On Jan. 30, Dr. Luke added a defamation claim to his suit over an alleged text that Kesha sent to Lady Gaga in Feb. 2016. Dr. Luke’s legal team claims that Kesha told Gaga that another recording artist was “raped by the same man,” implying that the “man” was Dr. Luke, according to People. Dr. Luke’s representatives say these allegations are false, and that Kesha’s intention was to “further [damage the Plaintiffs’] reputation and business,” according to Hello Giggles.
This is just the latest move in a back-and-forth battle that has left Kesha in limbo. Her counterclaims from this week allege that Dr. Luke has a “vendetta” against her. Because the singer is still bound by contract, she hasn’t been able to produce new music—Dr. Luke “has yet to approve any song, a release date or promotional plan,” E! News reports. Over the summer, she submitted 28 songs to the label, according to Buzzfeed—none of which have moved forward. Kesha is also still owed royalties from the producer.
Though her contract is supposed to end this March, the terms may extend it much longer. An amendment to her complaint reads, “Without the court’s intervention and Sony’s facilitation, Kesha will remain contractually bound to Dr. Luke until she releases three additional albums, each containing six songs produced individually by Dr. Luke, no matter how many years that takes.”
Court appearances will proceed this month, with a deposition for Kesha on Feb. 7, and one for Dr. Luke on Feb. 14.
“She is not demanding more money. Kesha asks for something far more basic: the freedom to make music without being bound indefinitely to the very producer who subjected her to years of abuse and continues that abuse to this day. Dr. Luke seeks tens of millions of dollars in punitive damages from Kesha and her mother. If successful, Kesha and her mother would be penniless,” her lawyers wrote.