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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Guardian music

Emails reveal Dr Luke said Kesha not given good songs 'because of her weight'

Dr Luke and Kesha in 2011
Dr Luke and Kesha in 2011. Photograph: Mario Anzuoni/Reuters

Kesha has released a series of emails sent to her manager, in which her producer Dr Luke insists “A-list songwriters and producers are reluctant to give Kesha their songs because of her weight”.

The release of the emails is intended to back up her claim that she should be released from her contract with Dr Luke, after her case to have the contract terminated following allegations of sexual abuse was dismissed by a New York judge last April. The emails are intended to back up her assertion that the producer psychologically abused her.

Kesha wants to “be free from her abuser and rebuild her physical, emotional, and mental health”, according to court papers filed this week and seen by the New York Post.

In the emails to Kesha’s manager, Monica Cornia, Dr Luke – real name Lukasz Gottwald – wrote: “We were having a discussion on how she can be more disciplined with her diet. there have been many times we have all witnessed her breaking her diet plan. this perticular [sic] time – it happened to be diet coke and turkey while on an all-juice fast.”

The emails also show Cornia reporting a fight over lyrics for Kesha’s single Crazy Kids, in which Cornia says Dr Luke dismissed Kesha’s request to change the words by saying: “I don’t give a shit what you want. If you were smart you would go in and sing.”

Dr Luke’s lawyer, Christine Lepera, reacted to the release of the emails with a statement to Rolling Stone magazine that read: “Kesha and her attorneys continue to mislead by refusing to disclose the larger record of evidence, showing the bad faith of Kesha Sebert and her representatives, which is greatly damaging to them. It also shows the tremendous support that Dr Luke provided Kesha regarding artistic and personal issues, including Kesha’s own concerns over her weight.

“Rather than agree to a thorough disclosure, Kesha and her representatives improperly publicised, without court permission, three out-of-context emails which do not present the full picture regarding the events they concern. For example, these emails do not show that the lyrics of Crazy Kids were, in fact, rewritten at Kesha’s request. Any claim by Kesha to the contrary is deceiving the public – just like her other meritless claims of wrongdoing by Dr Luke. Dr Luke looks forward to full vindication in court.”

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