Lizzo’s First Interview Since Harassment Lawsuits – Dancer Updates.
Lizzo is finally addressing the lawsuits that have been brought against her.
In 2023, the singer faced legal action from three former dancers—Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez—who accused her of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment. Shortly after, clothing designer Asha Daniels filed a separate lawsuit with similar allegations.
On December 19, Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, spoke about the situation for the first time on the Baby, This Is Keke Palmer podcast. She firmly denied the allegations, expressing that she felt “blindsided” by the dancers’ accusations and insisted that “none of these things were true” and “I did nothing wrong.” Recently, Lizzo was dismissed as an individual defendant in Daniels’s lawsuit, although her touring company is still involved.
Ron Zambrano, the attorney representing the dancers, clarified that Lizzo remains a defendant in the ongoing harassment lawsuit filed by Davis, Williams, and Rodriguez, which is currently under review by the court of appeals.
What are the specific allegations against Lizzo?
The lawsuit filed by the dancers in Los Angeles County Superior Court on August 1, 2023, includes claims of sexual, religious, and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault, and false imprisonment, among others. While we have detailed the full allegations, some notable claims include accusations that Lizzo weight-shamed one of the dancers, pressured two of them into participating in nude photoshoots, and coerced one to touch a nude performer’s breast at a club in Amsterdam.
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Additionally, one dancer alleged that she was nearly assaulted by Lizzo. They also claimed that the singer subjected them to a grueling audition after wrongly accusing them of drinking while on the job. Furthermore, they alleged that Shirlene Quigley, the captain of Lizzo’s dance team, preached Christianity to the dancers and shared her sexual fantasies, even discussing issues related to virginity in public.
Here’s how Lizzo responded to the allegations at that time
Lizzo, along with her production and touring company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, and Quigley, were named as defendants in the lawsuit. The case is currently under review by the Court of Appeal, with the next hearing scheduled for January 14, 2025. In September 2023, Daniels, a fashion designer who worked with Lizzo, filed a lawsuit against the singer, her production company, wardrobe manager Amanda Nomura, and tour manager Carlina Gugliotta, claiming racial and sexual harassment.
She alleged that despite Lizzo’s messages of body positivity and inclusion, her team operated in a “racist and sexualized” environment. Daniels expressed that while she was excited to design costumes for Lizzo and her dancers, she never had direct communication with the singer. She reported working 20-hour days and claimed to have witnessed racist and fat-phobic comments in the workplace.
Daniels alleged that Nomura rolled a clothing rack over her foot and denied her medical assistance. Additionally, she claimed that Nomura referred to the Black women on tour using derogatory terms like “dumb,” “useless,” and “fat.” Earlier this month, a federal judge in California dismissed Lizzo from the lawsuit, stating that Daniels lacked the standing to sue her.
Gugliotta was also removed from the case. However, Lizzo’s touring company remains a defendant, and that part of the case is still ongoing.
What did Lizzo share with Palmer regarding the allegations?
Lizzo described her dismissal from Daniels’s lawsuit as “a big victory.” She committed to “continuing to fight the other claims until they’re all dismissed — not dropped, but dismissed.” In addressing the dancers’ allegations, Lizzo stated, “The hardest part about all this is that none of these things were true.” She continued, “I was literally living in my dream, and then the tour ended, and three ex-dancers just completely, like, blindsided me with a lawsuit.”
The singer expressed that she feels “very deeply hurt” because the three dancers involved were individuals she had given opportunities to and genuinely liked as performers. She was taken aback by the situation, especially after hearing allegations of sexual harassment, leaving her confused about their intentions.
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Regarding her visit to the Amsterdam burlesque show, Lizzo clarified that it was a “consensual” outing, as she had previously attended and was going again, with no obligation for anyone else to join her. “I went to Bananenbar by myself,” she mentioned during the podcast, emphasizing that she wouldn’t revisit the topic. “I didn’t invite the dancers; they chose to come to the club I was at, and I had no idea that those two specific dancers were attending.
Only two of them showed up, despite all three claiming they would.” She noted that they decided to meet the dancers after the show and mentioned there were videos and photos capturing them enjoying themselves. Lizzo reflected on the experience, stating it taught her about maintaining healthy boundaries, while also acknowledging it was a really fun night.
In response, Zambrano has been quoted as saying, “Lizzo shows a complete lack of understanding regarding how these young women on her team, who are just beginning their careers, might feel pressured to accept an invitation from their globally recognized boss who seldom socializes with them.
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There is a significant power imbalance in the boss-employee relationship that Lizzo fails to recognize. We stand firmly behind the claims in the lawsuit and are ready to substantiate everything in court, with Lizzo testifying under oath before a jury, rather than making excuses and denying accountability on a podcast.” Lizzo shared with Palmer that she has gained valuable insights from the lawsuits.
She remarked, “This is the aspect of fame that you inadvertently agree to. Once you’re famous, people tend to accept any negative story about you. It’s as if there’s a desire for them to think of you as a bad person, rather than recognizing that you might just be ordinary, laid-back, and kind.” Lizzo’s legal battles highlight the complexities of fame and workplace dynamics, shedding light on the challenges of maintaining boundaries and accountability. As she continues to defend her actions, the cases serve as a reminder of the power imbalance in professional relationships and the importance of fair, unbiased scrutiny in public controversies.