Kesha says she was offered 'freedom' if she apologised for Dr Luke rape claim and said she was lying
A representative for Dr Luke said 'the only thing Kesha is not free to do is to continue to lie about Dr Luke'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Kesha has claimed she was offered her “freedom” in exchange for a retraction of her rape accusation and a public apology.
While the claim did not refer to a company or person specifically, Kesha is currently in a legal battle with music producer Dr Luke, whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald, and his label Kemosabe Records, a subsidiary of Sony. In February, a court denied her request for an injunction to record music outside of Sony. She filed an appeal against this ruling in March.
The singer claims Gottwald drugged and raped her a decade ago and alleges he emotionally abused her while she was working with him. Gottwald strongly denies the claims, saying he has been subject to a “vicious, smear campaign to ruin his reputation for financial gain”, and has countersued Kesha for defamation.
Kesha posted a picture of herself on Instagram on Sunday alongside the caption: “so. I got offered my freedom IF I were to lie. I would have to APOLOGISE publicly and say that I never got raped. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS behind closed doors. I will not take back the TRUTH. I would rather let the truth ruin my career than lie for a monster ever again.”
A representative for Gottwald said: “Kesha’s Instagram posting is false. The Court repeatedly stated Kesha is already free to record without Dr Luke, and that she had not presented any facts supporting her claims. That’s because all the evidence - including Kasha’s own videotaped sworn testimony - shows her allegations are false.
“The only thing Kesha is not free to do is to continue to lie about Dr Luke through publicity stunts and outrageous smears, ignoring the fact that by her own free will she went to work and entered new contracts with Dr. Luke after this ‘incident’ supposedly happened. Her goal all along has been solely personal enrichment by seeking to break contracts that brought her success and millions so she can enter into more lucrative ones. We look forward to our day in Court holding Kesha accountable for her lies.”
Following the court ruling denying Kesha an injunction, many high-profile entertainers including Adele, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga pledged support for the singer. The hashtag #FreeKesha also trended on social media.