Judge Denies Kesha's Request to Terminate Sony Contract
However, the singer won't have to work with her alleged abuser, Dr. Luke.
— -- Editor's note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Dr. Luke's lawsuit against Kesha had been dismissed. It was his concurrent lawsuits against her mother and manager that were dismissed earlier this year.
A New York judge denied a preliminary injunction that would've allowed Kesha out of her recording contract with Sony Music and producer Dr. Luke, who she claims in a lawsuit sexually, verbally and emotionally abused her.
New York Supreme Court Justice Shirley Kornreich ruled today that Kesha Rose Sebert, 28, will remain under contract with Dr. Luke's Kemosabe Records, under Sony. According to the contract, the singer is required to record six more albums.
After Justice Kornreich heard Dr. Luke's claim that he had invested $60 million into Kesha's career and would allow her to record her upcoming albums without his involvement, she told the singer's attorney, Mark Geragos, that "decimates your argument."
"You're asking the court to decimate a contract that was heavily negotiated and typical for the industry. My instinct is to do the commercially reasonable thing," the judge continued. "She's being given the opportunity to record, she can record. She does not have to have any interface at all with Mr. Gottwald in recording or producing."
Dr. Luke, whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald, has denied Kesha's allegations. He counter-sued the singer last year, claiming Kesha acted with "wanton dishonesty" in an effort to get out of her contract.
When reached by ABC News, Sony Music said they do not comment on ongoing litigation.
During court proceedings, Kesha sat in the back row with her mother, Pebe Sebert. She sobbed as the judge denied her request to terminate the contract.
Geragos said on "Good Morning America" last October that the singer initially had "a lot of trepidation" about suing her longtime producer.
In the 27-page lawsuit, obtained by ABC News, Kesha alleged that Dr. Luke, 42, supplied her drugs and alcohol in an effort to take advantage of her and that he "cruelly and incessantly" berated her about her physical appearance. She also claimed that the alleged verbal abuse contributed to her eating disorder, for which she entered treatment in early 2014.
Before the ruling was announced, the singer sent out a message to her fans, whom she calls "animals." Many of them were standing outside of the courtroom in lower Manhattan to show their support for the singer.
Kesha embraced her fans as she left the courthouse.