Katy Perry appeared on Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast Wednesday morning, where she said Dr. Luke, the controversial producer accused of verbal and sexual assault by Kesha (which he has denied), was one of many collaborators who had worked with her earlier in her career that she brought back for her upcoming record.
Katy Perry's new album "143" drops Sept. 20. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
Cooper asked Perry why she chose to work with Dr. Luke, stating “a lot of people have expressed disappointment and were really upset,” referring to backlash Perry faced online and from music critics since she released her single “Woman’s World,” produced by Dr. Luke, in July.
Perry said she understands her choice to work with the controversial producer “started a lot of conversations,” clarifying he was “one of many collaborators” she worked with on her upcoming album, “143.”
Perry said she wrote her upcoming album “from my experience of my whole life going through this metamorphosis,” referring to becoming a mother and the female empowerment message of her song “Woman’s World,” stating Dr. Luke was “one of the people to help facilitate all that.”
Perry did not address Dr. Luke by name or the allegations levied against him.
Dr. Luke, whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald, achieved fame as a producer in the 2000s following successful collaborations with Kelly Clarkson, Kesha, Britney Spears and Perry. Kesha filed a now-dismissed lawsuit against Dr. Luke in 2014, alleging he sexually and verbally assaulted her and drugged her, all of which the producer denied. The producer countersued for defamation, and the two were locked in a years-long legal battle. “The abuse I suffered from Luke was a decade long, every day, every moment of every day,” Kesha said in 2017. The singer was supported by other celebrities, including Taylor Swift, who donated $250,000 for her legal bills, and Lady Gaga, who defended Kesha in a 2017 court deposition. Kesha and Dr. Luke announced they had reached a settlement in 2023.
Music critics and some celebrities slammed Perry’s choice to work with Dr. Luke. In its review of “Woman’s World,” Pitchfork called the song a “monumental catastrophe,” stating the female empowerment message “rang false, simply because it was co-written and co-produced by Dr. Luke.” The Guardian gave the song a one-star review, citing the “disconnect between working with a producer who comes with such baggage to make a song about the strength of women.” Without naming Perry, actress Abigail Breslin made a post on X the day before “Woman’s World” released, slamming people for “working with known abusers in any industry” and urging her followers to “stream Kesha.” Kesha also made a post on X on June 17, the day Perry announced she would release “Woman’s World” the following month, stating: “lol,” which garnered more than 62,000 likes and speculation the message was a reaction to Perry’s upcoming release.
Perry released the singles “Woman’s World” in July and “Lifetimes” in August, both of which were produced by Dr. Luke. Her upcoming album, “143,” releases on Sept. 20. Her album rollout has had a rocky start, as “Woman’s World” quickly courted controversy for Dr. Luke’s involvement, and music critics gave the song negative reviews. Neither “Woman’s World” nor “Lifetimes” could match the success of Perry’s string of chart toppers in the early 2010s: “Woman’s World” charted for only one week on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 63. Her “Lifetimes” video was also contentious, as the environmental department of Spain’s Belearic Islands alleged Perry had filmed without permission and said it would look for possible environmental damage.