Dr Luke has parted ways with Sony amid his legal battle with Kesha.
The producer (real name Lukasz Gottwald) has been embroiled in a legal dispute with Kesha since October 2014, when the singer filed a lawsuit in California against Dr. Luke citing “mental manipulation, emotional abuse and sexual assault” while also seeking to end her contract with Sony. Dr Luke responded by counter-suing for defamation, and it was confirmed in August 2016 that Kesha’s case had been dropped so that the singer could focus on the defamation lawsuit.
Now, as The Hollywood Reporter points out, court documents show that Sony has cut ties with the producer, with a court filing stating: “Lukasz Gottwald is no longer the CEO of Kemosabe Records and does not have authority to act on its behalf”. Dr Luke founded the Sony imprint Kemosabe Records in 2011.
This development follows news that lawyers representing Dr Luke have subpoenaed a Kesha fan for the nature of the ‘#FreeKesha’ demonstrations that have been organised during the pair’s protracted legal battle. Dr Luke’s lawyers have subpoenaed Michael Eisele for allegedly “closely coordinating” with Kesha’s camp to spread “defamatory statements and tarnish [Dr. Luke]’s reputation.”
In February, Kesha released a series of emails between Dr Luke and her manager that appear to show the former making disparaging comments about the singer’s diet.