Lizzo lawsuit – Singer hits back at ‘sensationalised stories’ from dancers who alleged sexual harassment
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Lizzo has hit back at “sensationalised stories” from former troupe members who accused the singer of sexual harassment and fat shaming in a lawsuit.
“These last few days have been gut wrenchingly difficult and overwhelmingly disappointing. My work ethic, morals and respectfulness have been questioned. My character has been criticized,’ she wrote on Instagram.
“Usually I choose not to respond to false allegations but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed.”
The musician continued: “These sensationalised stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional.’
According to the legal filing, Lizzo (real name Melissa Viviane Jefferson) allegedly pressured one of her dancers, Arianna Davis, into touching a nude performer at an Amsterdam strip club.
It is also alleged that the Grammy winner set up a humiliating 12-hour re-audition for her dancers, and fostered a hostile work environment.
Other allegations against the 35-year-old star, her dance captain Shirlene Quigley, and Lizzo’s production company Big Grrrl Big Touring include assault, racial and religious harassment, fat-shaming, disability discrimination, and false imprisonment.
Key Points
Lizzo sued over alleged sexual harassment and hostile work environment by former dancers
Dancer suing Lizzo suggested in 2021 she felt pressured to pose nude in Big Grrrls reality show
Ex-employees speak out in support of lawsuit: ‘I grieve parts of my own experience’
Beyoncé appears change lyrics on her tour to omit Lizzo’s name
Beyoncé’s mother addresses speculation singer changed song lyrics after Lizzo lawsuit
11:51 , Maanya Sachdeva
Beyoncé‘s mother has addressed speculation the singer left out Lizzo’s name from a song during a show on her Renaissance tour after news of the lawsuit broke.
The same night that the allegations were made public, Beyoncé was performing in Boston, Massachusetts. During the show, she changed the lyrics of “Break My Heart (The Queens Remix)” in which she lists the names of female Black artists including Lizzo, Erykah Badu, Betty Davis, and her sister Solange Knowles.
While singing the song on Tuesday, fans noted, she didn’t do the usual shoutouts – choosing to repeat “Badu” four times instead. Some speculated the omission was connected to the accusations against Lizzo.
Shortly after, Beyoncé’s mother Tina Lawson addressed this fan theory on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Full story here:
Beyoncé’s mother denies singer changed lyrics in response to Lizzo lawsuit
Lizzo dancers speak out in first interview since lawsuit: ‘I was terrified for my job’
11:00 , Maanya Sachdeva
Two of the dancers to have brought a lawsuit against Lizzo have given their first public interview since their allegations came to light on Tuesday (1 August).
Arianna Davis, who claims the singer “pressured” her to touch a nude performer at a strip club in Amsterdam, and Crystal Williams spoke to NBC News about their decision to take legal action against the “About Damn Time” hitmaker.
Davis also alleged Lizzo made a “thinly-veiled” comment about her weight, telling the broadcaster “it was very nuanced and very underlying” beneath “all the other issues that were going on”.
“I just had this feeling that they had a problem with the way I was gaining weight and looking different and that I wasn’t ‘the same’ as when they first cast me,” she continued.
More details here:
Lizzo dancers explain decision to file lawsuit in first interview
Filmmaker Sophia Nahli Allison says she quit Lizzo documentary as singer was 'unkind and cruel’
10:00 , Maanya Sachdeva
Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sophia Nahli Allison has criticised “narcissistic bully” Lizzo as the singer’s reputation continues to be thrown into question.
The documentarian was set to make a film with Lizzo in 2019, but walked away after shadowing the singer for two weeks.
In support of Lizzo’s three former dancers who are suing her for alleged sexual harassment and for fostering a hostile work environment, Allison claimed the singer was so “arrogant, unkind and cruel” that she quit the project.
Read more here:
Filmmaker says she quit Lizzo documentary as singer was ‘arrogant, unkind and cruel’
Watch: Lizzo's dance captain sends message to fans amid lawsuit allegations
09:00 , Peony Hirwani
Lizzo sexual harassment claims: Singer’s defiant Instagram post just hours before lawsuit filed
08:30 , Peony Hirwani
Lizzo’s defiant Instagram post just hours before lawsuit filed
Lizzo: The poster girl for body positivity, whose empowering image is now under threat
08:00 , Peony Hirwani
The “Good as Hell” singer has crafted a globally successful brand of body positivity and self-love, backed up by a litany of empowerment anthems. But as the star faces shocking allegations in a new lawsuit, The Independent’s Kate Ng digs into how she got here.
Lizzo was a beacon of body positivity. Now her empowering image is under threat
What are the allegations against Lizzo?
07:30 , Peony Hirwani
Three of Lizzo’s former dancers have levelled accusations of sexual harassment and workplace misconduct against Lizzo, her production company, and dance captain Shirlene Quigley in a new lawsuit.
The plaintiffs include Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez, who filed the paperwork at the Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday 1 August.
Claims against the singer include that she invited her employees “to take turns touching nude performers, catching dildos launched from the performers’ vaginas, and eating bananas protruding from the performers’ vaginas” at a strip club in Amsterdam.
She is also accused of fat-shaming Davis, who was fired after Lizzo discovered her recording one of their meetings due to a health condition. “Ms Quigley and Lizzo then took turns berating Ms Davis,” the paperwork reportedly read. “After castigating Ms Davis, Lizzo fired Ms Davis on the spot.”
Quigley also allegedly “made comments deriding people who engaged in pre-marital sex, knowing that some members of the dance cast did not share her views”.
Lizzo’s past lyrics raise eyebrows after singer’s sued by former dancers
07:00 , Peony Hirwani
Lyrics from a famous Lizzo song are raising eyebrows in the wake of the lawsuit filed against the singer.
The singer is being sued by her former dancers for alleged sexual harassment and for allegedly establishing a hostile work environment, with the lawsuit claiming that Lizzo “hounded” one of the plaintiffs into touching a nude performer at an Amsterdam strip club.
Since the lawsuit was reported, lyrics from Lizzo’s Cardi B collaboration “Rumors”, released in 2021, are circulating social media.
The lyrics read: “Had to cut some hoes loose, yeah / NDA, no loose lips / Now them hoes tryna sue me / B****, I don’t give two s***s / All the rumors are true, yeah.”
Read more here:
Lizzo’s past lyrics raise eyebrows after singer is sued by former dancers
Did Beyoncé change lyrics on her tour to omit singer’s name amid sexual harassment claims?
06:30 , Peony Hirwani
Beyoncé fans have speculated she left out Lizzo’s name during a live performance on Tuesday in light of the recent allegations against her.
Social media users noted Beyoncé altered the lyrics of her song “Break My Soul (The Queen’s Remix)” in which she lists off a number of Black female artists, including Lizzo, Lauryn Hill, Betty Davis, and her sister Solange Knowles.
While performing in Boston, Massachusetts, on Tuesday night, Beyoncé appeared to leave out Lizzo’s name on purpose.
Annabel Nugent reports:
Beyoncé seemingly removes Lizzo shout-out from song during concert
Lizzo’s ex-employees praise accusers for their ‘courage to bring this to light’
06:00 , Peony Hirwani
Since reports of the lawsuit began to emerge, several of Lizzo’s previous collaborators have spoken out in support of the accusers.
Courtney Hollinquest, a dancer who used to be a part of Lizzo’s dance troupe, shared an NBC News article about the lawsuit before stating that she had had a similar experience.
“For clarification, I’m not a part of the lawsuit – but this was very much my experience in my time there,” Hollinquest wrote on her Instagram Story on Tuesday. “Big shoutout to the dancers who had the courage to bring this to light.”
Lizzo’s former creative director Quinn Wilson said she “grieves part of my own experience” working with the Grammy winner, asking space “to understand my feelings”.
Listen: The Independent's LA correspondent discusses Lizzo accusations on Woman's Hour
05:30 , Peony Hirwani
Oscar-nominated director alleges that Lizzo ‘creates an extremely toxic and hostile working environment'
05:03 , Tom Murray
On her Instagram Story, Sophia Nahli Allison, whose short film A Love Song for Latasha (2019) was nominated for an Oscar, alleged that she exited her role as the director of a Lizzo documentary in 2019 because she “was treated with such disrespect”.
“I usually do not comment on anything pop culture related,” Allison wrote in her post. “But, in 2019, I traveled a bit with Lizzo to be the director of her documentary. I walked away after about two weeks. I was treated with such disrespect by her. I witnessed how arrogant and unkind she is. I was not protected and was thrown into a shitty situation with little support. My spirit said to run as fast as you fucking can and I’m so grateful I trusted by gut. I felt gaslit and was deeply hurt but I’ve healed.”
“Reading these reports made me realize how dangerous of a situation it was,” she added. “This kind of abuse of power happens far too often. Much love and support to the dancers.”
Video: Lizzo’s defiant Instagram post just hours before lawsuit filed
04:04 , Tom Murray
Who is Lizzo?
03:05 , Tom Murray
In a feature for The Independent, Annabel Nugent looks back on Lizzo’s career.
“Lizzo’s pre-fame beginnings were humble: while trying to break into the music industry, she lived and slept in her car for a year. This period of the star’s life, which occurred at age 21 after the death of her father, contained “traumatic experiences” for the singer, she has previously said. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly after her documentary was released, Lizzo said: ‘I don’t think about it often, but recently I thought about it a lot where I’m having this full-circle moment of like, wow, I’m in my house that I’ve purchased and I’m watching this documentary about my life, talking about when I was sleeping in my car and on Thanksgiving. It’s very cyclical and full-circle.’
“After moving to Minneapolis, Lizzo became a regular performer on the underground circuit as she performed with indie hip-hop groups. In 2013, she released her debut album Lizzobangers, which was described by The Guardian as ‘at times joyfully nonsensical’, with ‘lethally pointed’ rap bars. Reminiscing about her underground days during an appearance on YouTube series Hot Ones, Lizzo said: “I dropped so many Lizzo bangers there and they supported me so f***ing much in Minneapolis.’”
Lizzo was a beacon of body positivity. Now her empowering image is under threat
Watch: Lizzo's dance captain sends message to fans amid lawsuit allegations
02:09 , Tom Murray
What is alleged to have happened in Amsterdam?
Thursday 3 August 2023 00:40 , Tom Murray
One part of the lawsuit has got a lot of people talking. At an Amsterdam strip club, Lizzo allegedly “hounded” her employees to interact with nude employees.
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.
“Lizzo then turned her attention to [plaintiff] Ms Davis and began pressuring M. Davis to touch the breasts of one of the nude women.”
Davis eventually acquiesced after facing peer pressure from Lizzo, the suit says, causing the rest of the group to burst into laughter.
“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,” the suit says.
Read more:
Lizzo dancers explain decision to file lawsuit in first interview
Listen: The Independent's LA correspondent discusses Lizzo accusations on Woman's Hour
Wednesday 2 August 2023 21:59 , Tom Murray
Accusers share first interview
Wednesday 2 August 2023 21:28 , Tom Murray
Two of the plaintiffs involved in the lawsuit have given their first interviews since the filing was announced yesterday.
Arianna Davis and Crystal Williams began dancing for Lizzo after competing on her Amazon Prime Video reality show, Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, in 2021.
“If there’s anything that I can do in my power to ensure that dancers or singers or whoever decides to work with her don’t have to go through that same experience, I’m going to do that,” Williams told CBS.
Read more:
Lizzo dancers explain decision to file lawsuit in first interview
Did Beyoncé change lyrics on her tour to omit singer’s name amid sexual harassment claims?
Wednesday 2 August 2023 21:03 , Maanya Sachdeva
Beyoncé fans have speculated that she left Lizzo’s name out of a live performance due to recent allegations made against the singer.
The pop star, 41, regularly performs “Break My Soul (The Queens Remix)” as part of her set for the ongoing worldwide Renaissance tour.
There is a segment in the song’s lyrics in which Beyoncé lists off a number of Black female artists, including Lizzo, Lauryn Hill, Betty Davis, and her sister Solange Knowles.
During her performance in Boston, Massachusetts on Tuesday night (1 August), the singer altered the lyrics, appearing to leave out Lizzo’s name on purpose.
Full story here:
Did Beyoncé amend her lyrics to omit Lizzo’s name amid sexual harassment claims?
Lizzo, the poster girl for body positivity, whose empowering image is now under threat
Wednesday 2 August 2023 20:03 , Maanya Sachdeva
The “Good as Hell” singer has crafted a globally successful brand of body positivity and self-love, backed up by a litany of empowerment anthems. But as the star faces shocking allegations in a new lawsuit, my colleague Kate Ng digs into how she got here.
Lizzo was a beacon of body positivity. Now her empowering image is under threat
Fans ask Lizzo to respond to allegations in new lawsuit
Wednesday 2 August 2023 19:03 , Maanya Sachdeva
Lizzo’s fans are calling on the singer to respond to the allegations of sexual harassment and fat-shaming as outlined in a lawsuit filed by three of her former troupe members.
Social media users are asking the Grammy winner to address the accusations in the comments section of her latest post, shared yesterday.
“Please address the sexual harassment lawsuit,” one comment read, while another person said: “In order to know exactly what happened we should wait for an statement from both sides to confirm whether or not the allegations are true.”
Lizzo’s ex-employees praise accusers for their ‘courage to bring this to light'
Wednesday 2 August 2023 18:03 , Maanya Sachdeva
Since reports of the lawsuit began to emerge, several of Lizzo’s previous collaborators have spoken out in support of the accusers.
Courtney Hollinquest, a dancer who used to be a part of Lizzo’s dance troupe, shared an NBC News article about the lawsuit before stating that she had had a similar experience.
“For clarification, I’m not a part of the lawsuit – but this was very much my experience in my time there,” Hollinquest wrote on her Instagram Story on Tuesday. “Big shoutout to the dancers who had the courage to bring this to light.”
Lizzo’s former creative director Quinn Wilson said she “grieves part of my own experience” working with the Grammy winner, asking space “to understand my feelings”.
ICYMI: Lizzo sued over alleged sexual harassment and hostile work environment by former dancers
Wednesday 2 August 2023 17:03 , Maanya Sachdeva
If you’re just joining us now, Lizzo’s former troupe members have filed a lawsuit against the “Rumors” single, claiming she sexually harassed them and created a toxic working environment.
The plaintiffs’ accusations have come as a shock to the singer’s fans, as Lizzo is known for promoting body positivity and supporting women’s rights.
You can read more about the filing here:
Lizzo accused of fat-shaming and sexual harassment in lawsuit from former dancers
Lizzo’s past lyrics raise eyebrows after singer’s sued by former dancers
Wednesday 2 August 2023 16:02 , Maanya Sachdeva
Lyrics from a famous Lizzo song are raising eyebrows in the wake of the lawsuit filed against the singer.
The singer is being sued by her former dancers for alleged sexual harassment and for allegedly establishing a hostile work environment, with the lawsuit claiming that Lizzo “hounded” one of the plaintiffs into touching a nude performer at an Amsterdam strip club.
Since the lawsuit was reported, lyrics from Lizzo’s Cardi B collaboration “Rumors”, released in 2021, are circulating social media.
The lyrics read: “Had to cut some hoes loose, yeah / NDA, no loose lips / Now them hoes tryna sue me / B****, I don’t give two s***s / All the rumors are true, yeah.”
Read more here:
Lizzo’s past lyrics raise eyebrows after singer’s sued by former dancers
Dancer suing Lizzo suggested in 2021 she felt pressured to pose nude in Big Grrrls reality show
Wednesday 2 August 2023 15:02 , Maanya Sachdeva
An episode of Lizzo’s reality series from 2021 shows the singer encouraging dancers to pose nude as part of a challenge on the talent show to become one of her dancers.
The series, Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, which is available on Prime Video, shows one contestant in particular who is visibly uncomfortable with a naked photo shoot challenge – Arianna Davis. Davis is now one of three dancers suing Lizzo for alleged sexual harassment.
Dancer suing Lizzo said she felt pressured to pose nude on singer’s 2021 reality show
What are the allegations against Lizzo?
Wednesday 2 August 2023 14:02 , Maanya Sachdeva
Three of Lizzo’s former dancers have levelled accusations of sexual harassment and workplace misconduct against Lizzo, her production company, and dance captain Shirlene Quigley in a new lawsuit.
The plaintiffs include Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez, who filed the paperwork at the Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday 1 August.
Claims against the singer include that she invited her employees “to take turns touching nude performers, catching dildos launched from the performers’ vaginas, and eating bananas protruding from the performers’ vaginas” at a strip club in Amsterdam.
She is also accused of fat-shaming Davis, who was fired after Lizzo discovered her recording one of their meetings due to a health condition. “Ms Quigley and Lizzo then took turns berating Ms Davis,” the paperwork reportedly read. “After castigating Ms Davis, Lizzo fired Ms Davis on the spot.”
Quigley also allegedly “made comments deriding people who engaged in pre-marital sex, knowing that some members of the dance cast did not share her views”.
‘I was treated with such disrespect’: Filmmaker calls Lizzo out in new post
Wednesday 2 August 2023 13:02 , Maanya Sachdeva
Filmmaker Sophia Nahli Allison has called Lizzo out for treating her “with such disrespect” after the singer’s former dancers accused her of body-shaming and sexual harassment. lawsuit against the singer
“In 2019, I travelled a bit with Lizzo to be the director of her documentary,” Allison wrote on an Instagram story. “I walked away after about two weeks. I was treated with such disrespect by her.
“I witnessed how arrogant, self-centred, and unkind she is. I was not protected and was thrown into a s***ty situation with little support. My spirit said to run as fast as you f***ing can and I’m so grateful I trusted my gut.”
Did Beyoncé change lyrics on her tour to omit singer’s name amid sexual harassment claims?
Wednesday 2 August 2023 11:18 , Maanya Sachdeva
Beyoncé fans have speculated she left out Lizzo’s name during a live performance on Tuesday in light of the recent allegations against her.
Social media users noted Beyoncé altered the lyrics of her song “Break My Soul (The Queen’s Remix)” in which she lists off a number of Black female artists, including Lizzo, Lauryn Hill, Betty Davis, and her sister Solange Knowles.
While performing in Boston, Massachusetts, on Tuesday night, Beyoncé appeared to leave out Lizzo’s name on purpose.
Annabel Nugent reports:
Did Beyoncé amend her lyrics to omit Lizzo’s name amid sexual harassment claims?
Ex-employees speak out in support of lawsuit: ‘I grieve parts of my own experience’
Wednesday 2 August 2023 10:14 , Maanya Sachdeva
Two of Lizzo’s ex-employees have spoken out in support of the lawsuit filed by three of the singer’s former backing dancers.
In a statement posted on Instagram, dancer Courtney Hollinquest said that although she isn’t a part of the lawsuit, “this was very much my experience” while working with Lizzo.
“Big shoutout to the dancers who had the courage to bring this to light,” she wrote.
Lizzo’s former creative director Quinn Whitney Wilson re-shared Hollinquest’s Instagram Story, “echoing” what she said.
“I haven’t been apart [sic] of that world for around three years, for a reason,” Wilson shared. “I very much applaud the dancers courage to bring this to light. and I grieve parts of my own experience.”
Another person to have spoken out after the lawsuit is the filmmaker Sophia Nahli Allison, who also claims to have had a negative experience working with the singer.
Full story here:
Lizzo’s former colleagues share support for accusers in lawsuit
‘About Damn Time’ singer faces allegations of body shaming and sexual harassment in shock filing
Wednesday 2 August 2023 09:37 , Maanya Sachdeva
A 44-page lawsuit against Lizzo alleges the singer sexually harassed and body shamed her backup dancers, as the plaintiffs’ attorney said their experiences “seem to go against everything Lizzo stands for publicly”.
One of the plaintiffs, Arianna Davis claims Lizzo pressured her to “touch the breasts of one of the nude women” performing at an Amsterdam strip club and allegedly made a thinly-veiled reference to her apparent weight gain.
Lizzo also allegedly forced her dancers to “re-audition for their spots” during a 12-hour “excruciating” process, after becoming convinced they had been drinking the night before shows.
Davis said she soiled herself during the audition because she was fearful of using the bathroom.
Other allegations against her and her production company include racial and religious harassment, fat-shaming, disability discrimination, and false imprisonment.
Here’s what we know so far:
Lizzo accused of fat-shaming and sexual harassment in lawsuit from former dancers
