Astrida Valigorsky / Contributor via Getty Images
Lizzo Plans To Countersue Backup Dancers For "Malicious Prosecution"
On Aug. 1, Lizzo faced a lawsuit from three former backup dancers over allegations of harassment and poor working conditions. Now, her legal team is making moves to fight back.
Yesterday (Aug. 23), the musician’s attorney, Marty Singer, released photographs of the plaintiffs. The images showed Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez interacting with performers from Crazy Horse’s topless cabaret show in Paris on March 5. According to the legal professional, the photos undermined the dancers’ claims that they were forced to attend the show.
“These images showing the three plaintiffs gleefully reveling backstage after the topless show were taken after their February visit to Bananenbar in Amsterdam that they complain about in their lawsuit,” Singer told TMZ.
However, the dancers’ attorney stood by the suit and insisted that his clients wanted to retain their jobs but finally reached a breaking point. In a statement to People, Neama Rahmani wrote, “Our clients aren’t afraid of Singer or his empty threats or his victim shaming.”
Lizzo is feeling good as hell as she’s seen for the first time since news broke of her former backup dancers’ lawsuit, and she has a message for her fans. 👀 pic.twitter.com/n51Y8RmF9y
— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) August 22, 2023
The legal battle escalated with both sides presenting evidence and making strong statements in the media. Singer described the case as a “sham.” He revealed that Lizzo plans to countersue for malicious prosecution once the current claims are dismissed.
The initial lawsuit’s specifics included allegations of sexual, racial, and religious harassment and poor working conditions. In their complaint, the plaintiffs claimed that the “Special” singer failed to disclose the nature of the performances when inviting them.
On Aug. 3, Lizzo publicly stated that she was “not the villain” and that the accusations were “too outrageous” not to address. Her Instagram post read, “The sensationalized stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted they were told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional.”
View this post on Instagram