Dr. Luke appearing on Katy Perry's latest album was not the singer's decision, according to a manager of hers.

Perry's A&R Chris Anokute has admitted that it was his idea to have Dr. Luke produce Perry's '143' album.

"It was my recommendation for her to go back in the studio with Dr. Luke. Luke is a dear friend and all the stuff he was accused of was not true. So, I thought it was a good idea to reunite them after 10 years of not working together and every single he has done for her was No. 1," he said.

"The press just didn't react favorably and they basically tried to assassinate him and her," Anokute added.

Perry's decision to re-team with Dr. Luke was seen as controversial after the producer had been embroiled in a decade-long legal battle with singer Kesha, who accused him of sexual, physical and emotional abuse.

Although the two reached a settlement in 2023, the allegations left a lasting stain on Dr. Luke's reputation. Perry's collaboration with him, particularly on tracks like "Woman's World," was seen by many as tone-deaf, given the song's theme of female empowerment.

The controversy surrounding Dr. Luke's involvement overshadowed the release of '143,' which was intended to mark Perry's comeback after a four-year hiatus. The album, however, failed to resonate with audiences and critics. It debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 but quickly dropped off the charts, making it one of Perry's least successful projects.

The poor reception was compounded by the backlash to Dr. Luke's involvement, which many felt undermined Perry's credibility as an artist.

Perry addressed the controversy in interviews, stating that her music "comes from [her]" and that Dr. Luke was just one of many collaborators.

"The truth is, I wrote these songs from my experience of my whole life going through this metamorphosis, and he was one of the people to help facilitate all that. One of the writers, one of the producers. I am speaking from my own experience," she said, according to Yahoo.

However, her comments did little to quell the criticism.

Originally published on Music Times

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Katy Perry, Dr. luke