This week has been a disheartening blow to the fans of Lizzo. A civil lawsuit was lodged in the Los Angeles County Superior Court on Tuesday (Aug. 1), alleging that the Grammy-winning artist created an oppressive work environment involving sexual harassment.
Three previous dancers for the “Special” hitmaker — Crystal Williams, Arianna Davis, and Noelle Rodriguez — came forward to accuse the singer of an array of mistreatments, including religious, racial, and sexual harassment, false imprisonment, and disability discrimination. Their lawsuit alleged that the musician coerced Davis into interacting with a nude performer in February.
Williams and Davis also asserted they were unjustly dismissed, leading to Rodriguez’s resignation in solidarity. Ron Zambrano, the plaintiffs’ attorney, outlined the accusations. His brief stated that Lizzo and her management team acted in ways that were “not only illegal but absolutely demoralizing.”
Today (Aug. 3), Lizzo responded via Twitter and Instagram. She wrote, “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. Usually, I choose not to respond to false allegations, but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed.”
In the following slide, the artist continued, “The sensationalized stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted they were told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional.”
“There is nothing I take more seriously than the respect we deserve as women in the world. I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis and would absolutely never criticize or terminate an employee because of their weight,” she shared.
The post concluded with, “I’m hurt, but I will not let the good work I’ve done in the world be overshadowed by this. I want to thank everyone who has reached out in support to lift me up during this difficult time.”
In a recent Boston concert on Tuesday night, Beyoncé skipped over mentioning Lizzo’s name in the lyrics of her song “BREAK MY SOUL (QUEEN’S REMIX).” Instead, she repeated “Badu” four times, which many online users assumed was in response to Erykah Badu accusing the musician of biting her style.