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Lizzo Faces Lawsuit For Alleged Sexual Harassment Of Her Former Dancers
After wrapping up her “Special Tour” this past Sunday (July 30), Lizzo is now facing an unfortunate tune in court. A lawsuit filed on Tuesday (Aug. 1) accused the singer of creating a hostile work environment and sexually harassing three former dancers.
Notably, one dancer claimed that the singer called attention to her weight gain and later terminated her after she recorded a meeting due to a health issue. As reported by NBC, the court documents also contained an allegation of Lizzo pressuring her team members to interact with a nude performer at an Amsterdam club.
The suit further described the captain of the musician’s dance team, Shirlene Quigley, as a litigant. It accused her of voicing inappropriate sexual fantasies, scorning those engaging in premarital sex, and more. The plaintiffs believed that the “About Damn Time” hitmaker knew about these allegations but failed to address them.
In a statement made by the accusers’ lawyer, Ron Zambrano, he shared, “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 demoralizing.”
The lawsuit listed a number of accusations, including sexual harassment, a hostile work environment, racial and religious harassment, false imprisonment, and interference with prospective economic advantage. The defendants in the case are identified as Lizzo (real name Melissa Viviane Jefferson), Quigley, and the musician’s production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc.
Arianna Davis and Crystal Williams, two of the plaintiffs, reportedly joined the artist’s team after participating in her Amazon reality show, “Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls.” The third plaintiff, Noelle Rodriguez, joined after a performance in the video “Rumors.” Davis and Williams were later dismissed, while Rodriguez resigned earlier this year.
At the time of publishing, Lizzo has not spoken out about the lawsuit or alleged incidents.