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Lady Gaga's "Chromatica" and the Dr. Luke Connection: A Contradiction in Music's MeToo Era?

The music industry is no stranger to controversy, especially when it comes to figures like Dr. Luke. For years, the public has seen the fallout between Dr. Luke and Kesha, whose legal battle became a lightning rod for conversations about sexual assault, power, and gender dynamics in the industry. As Kesha accused Dr. Luke of emotional and physical abuse, many artists, including Lady Gaga, rallied behind her, vocalizing their support in both public statements and social media posts. Yet, a surprising twist emerges: despite Gaga's support for Kesha, her 2020 album "Chromatica" has a connection to Dr. Luke’s company, Prescription Songs.

 Lady Gaga’s Support for Kesha

Lady Gaga was one of Kesha's staunchest supporters during the legal battle against Dr. Luke. She publicly condemned the industry's treatment of Kesha and expressed her frustration about the struggles artists face, especially women, in a male-dominated space. Gaga herself opened up about her personal experiences with assault, making her support for Kesha all the more personal and poignant. 

In 2017, Gaga was even subpoenaed by Dr. Luke’s legal team during his defamation lawsuit against Kesha. Her involvement was due to text exchanges between Gaga and Kesha, where Kesha confided in Gaga about Dr. Luke. Gaga provided testimony that supported Kesha’s claims.

 The Dr. Luke Connection on "Chromatica"

Fast forward to the release of Gaga's "Chromatica" in 2020. Upon deeper inspection, some tracks on the album, such as "Enigma" and "Plastic Doll," list Prescription Songs as a music publisher. Prescription Songs is the music publishing company founded by Dr. Luke in 2009. While Dr. Luke himself is not credited as a writer or producer on these tracks, as the owner of the company, he stands to benefit financially from songs that are published under his company's umbrella.

 The Katy Perry Case

This connection is particularly significant given the music industry's earlier response to Katy Perry's continued collaboration with Dr. Luke. Following the allegations against him, Perry faced considerable backlash for maintaining her professional relationship with the producer. While she herself was not involved in the legal battle, her continued association with Dr. Luke became a point of criticism, especially when other artists like Gaga and Taylor Swift distanced themselves from him. Perry defended herself, saying that her experience with Dr. Luke was different, but the criticism nonetheless persisted.

The Double Standard?

Given this history, Lady Gaga's association with Prescription Songs on "Chromatica" raises questions. While Gaga has no direct creative collaboration with Dr. Luke on the album, the fact that his company is involved with the publishing of some of the tracks does create an uncomfortable contradiction. Could this be an oversight? Or does it point to the complicated and intertwined nature of the music business, where ownership and royalties often don't align with creative intent?

Many fans were shocked to learn of this connection, considering Gaga’s past activism around the Kesha case. For an artist who has been such a vocal advocate for women’s rights and a supporter of the MeToo movement, this association seems contradictory, even if indirect.

Why the Connection Still Matters?

In the music industry, publishing companies like Prescription Songs handle the business side of music, managing songwriters, securing licensing deals, and collecting royalties. While Dr. Luke may not have been involved in the production of "Chromatica", the fact that his company stands to profit from its success has not gone unnoticed by fans and critics alike. It demonstrates the difficulty in fully disentangling oneself from controversial figures, especially when they hold significant power within the business structures of the industry.

The connection between Lady Gaga and Dr. Luke's company through her work on "Chromatica" serves as a reminder of how deeply rooted industry figures can be, even after facing public allegations. While Gaga’s collaboration may not have been direct, the fact that Dr. Luke’s company profits from the success of some songs on her album creates an uneasy tension between her activism and the realities of the industry. It highlights a broader issue within the entertainment world: sometimes, separating art from the business structures that enable its creation is more complicated than it appears.

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SOURCE

People: Information about Lady Gaga being subpoenaed in Dr. Luke's defamation case against Kesha.

https://people.com/music/dr-luke-subpoena-lady-gaga-kesha-lawsuit/

Independent: Lady Gaga's legal response to the Dr. Luke subpoena.

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/lady-gaga-dr-luke-subpoena-kesha-lawsuit-a7865336.html

Wikipedia: Overview of Dr. Luke's company, Prescription Songs, and its involvement in the music industry.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prescription_Songs

Gaga Daily: Ethel Cain’s experience with Prescription Songs and how artists may unknowingly work with Dr. Luke’s company.

https://gagadaily.com/forums/topic/343587-ethel-cain-didnt-know-who-owns-the-company-she-signed-to/

Wikipedia - Chromatica Album: Details on the producers, contributors, and songwriting credits for Lady Gaga's Chromatica album.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatica

These links will lead you to the sources referenced in the discussion of Lady Gaga’s Chromatica and its connection to Dr. Luke's company.