Katy Perry is defending her decision to work with controversial music producer Łukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald on her new album “143,” saying that her choice is rooted in her own personal experiences.
“Look, I understand that it started a lot of conversations. And he was one of many collaborators that I collaborated with, but the reality is it comes from me,” Perry said on Wednesday’s episode of Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy” podcast.
The “Woman’s World” and “Lifetimes” singer went on to say that the 11-track project was written and inspired by her own perspectives in life and that Gottwald merely assisted her along the way in the creative process.
“The truth is, I wrote these songs from my experience of my whole life going through this metamorphosis,” Perry said. “He was one of the people to help facilitate all that. One of the writers, one of the producers.”
She continued, saying that her album will include the thoughts and ideals that she’s developed since becoming a mother to daughter Daisy with Orlando Bloom, adding that Gottwald wasn’t the only creative with whom she teamed up.
“When I speak about ‘Woman’s World,’ I speak about feeling so empowered now, as a mother, as a woman,” Perry shared. “Giving birth, creating life … and feeling really grounded in that — that’s where I’m speaking from. I created all of this with several different collaborators, people I’ve collaborated with from the past, from ‘Teenage Dream’ era, all of that.”
Since announcing her sixth studio album, many social media users have called Perry out for collaborating with Gottwald due to his controversial past with fellow pop singer Kesha, who alleged in a lawsuit that Gottwald sexually assaulted her in 2005. After Gottwald responded with a defamation suit, the two eventually settled their dispute in 2023.
Perry’s “143” hits shelves and streamers on Sept. 20.
