A lawsuit was filed on Tuesday 1 August against singer Lizzo, with three of her dancers accusing her of sexual harassment, as well as creating a hostile working environment through weight-shaming and racial and religious forms of harassment.
The three dancers – named Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez– will be suing for damages covering emotional distress, lost wages and attorneys’ fees for an amount that hasn’t been specified. A key element of the lawsuit is the stark contrast between the behaviour that Lizzo is being accused of and the public persona and values she has adopted of self-love and body positivity.
Today, Lizzo has responded to the allegations with a statement posted on Instagram.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Lizzo controversy:
What are the allegations against Lizzo in the lawsuit?
The events that make up the allegations against Lizzo span over the last two years between 2021 and 2023.
One dancer has accused Lizzo of pressuring them to touch a nude performer in an Amsterdam club. The suit alleges that the singer ‘began inviting cast members to take turns touching the nude performers, catching dildos launched from the performers’ vaginas, and eating bananas protruding from the performers’ vaginas’.
Dancer Arianna Davis has accused Lizzo of pressuring her to touch a performer’s breasts.
Of the incident in Amsterdam, the suit says: ‘Plaintiffs were aghast with how little regard Lizzo showed for the bodily autonomy of her employees and those around her, especially in the presence of many people whom she employed’.
Lizzo also allegedly accused her dancers of drinking before performances, leading to plaintiff Crystal Williams speaking up and tensions rising between the two. All dancers had to re-audition, leading to an ‘excruciating’ dance rehearsal that caused Arianna to soil herself because she was too frightened to go to the bathroom in case it led her to lose her job. Five days after the rehearsal, Crystal was fired due to ‘budget cuts’.
Arianna alleges that she was weight shamed by Lizzo, as the singer questioned her ‘commitment’ earlier this year, which felt like a criticism of her weight. She was also fired on the spot the following month after it was discovered that Arianna was recording performance notes – which she alleges was because of an eye condition.
Noelle Rodriguez, the third plaintiff, was not fired by Lizzo but quit due to treatment by other dancers and ‘religious proselytising’ by Lizzo’s dance captain Shirlene Quigley.
The suit also points out to dancers being treated differently due to their skin colour, naming Noelle as ‘one of the few members of the dance cast who is not black, was not painted with the same generalised and unfounded criticisms as the black members of the dance cast’.
Has Lizzo responded to the allegations in the lawsuit?
Today, Lizzo has responded to the allegations with a statement posted on Instagram. The singer has denied the allegations against her calling them 'false.' She has stated, 'These sensationalised stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behaviour on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional.'
The singer also tells her followers, 'I am not here to be looked at as a victim, but I also know I am not the villain that people and the media have portrayed me to be these last few days. I am very open with my sexuality and expressing myself but I cannot accept or allow people to use that openness to make me out to be something I am not.'
Read Lizzo's full statement below:
Who else is involved in the Lizzo lawsuit?
Lizzo’s dance captain, Shirlene Quigley is named as a defendant alongside the singer, as well as Lizzo’s production company Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc.
The lawsuit alleges that Shirlene criticised those who had premarital sex and pushed her religious beliefs upon performers. It also states that the dance captain discussed sexual fantasies, simulated oral sex and discussed one dancer’s virginity.
Noelle states that concerns about this behaviour were raised by management, but were not addressed.
Why is Lizzo being called a toxic boss?
News of the lawsuit was initially reported by NBC News, with the plaintiff’s lawyer Ron Zambrano releasing a statement highlighting the contrast between Lizzo’s public behaviour and attitudes and the behaviour that herself and her employees have been accused of in terms of management, harassment and body shaming.
The statement reads: ‘The stunning nature of how Lizzo and her management team treated their performers seems to go against everything Lizzo stands for publicly, while privately she weight-shames her dancers and demeans them in ways that are not only illegal but absolutely demoralising.’
Grazia has contacted Lizzo and her representatives for comment.