Katy Perry has lost her bid to keep her deposition sealed in Kesha's sexual assault lawsuit against producer Dr. Luke.
The Roar hitmaker became embroiled in the Tik Tok singer's bitter battle with her former mentor and collaborator after it was suggested she had once been raped by the beatmaker, but she shot down the story when she sat for a deposition last year and discussed her experiences of working with Luke. She also insisted she was never in a sexual or romantic relationship with him.
After news of her deposition leaked, Perry asked lawmakers to keep aspects of her testimony sealed from future court references as Luke sought permission to share the comments she made under oath, months after he and Kesha agreed to keep depositions from both Perry and Lady Gaga private.
According to The Blast, Perry's request has since been shut down by a New York judge, who ruled on Thursday that her testimony is relevant to "several important factual and legal issues", adding there is "a legitimate public interest".
Meanwhile, Kesha has been locked in a bitter legal battle with her former mentor since 2014, when she attempted to sue him for the reported sexual, physical, and emotional abuse she allegedly endured during the 10 years they worked together at the start of her career. She also tried to free herself from her recording contract with his label, Kemosabe Records, but her bid was denied in 2016.
Luke, real name Lukasz Gottwald, has vehemently dismissed her accusations, and he subsequently countersued Kesha, charging her with defamation.