Three ex-backup dancers of Lizzo have filed a lawsuit against the pop star, accusing her of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment. The lawsuit, which was submitted in Los Angeles and covered by NBC News, outlines a series of incidents involving sexual, religious, and racial harassment that took place from 2021 to 2023. It also mentions an incident where Lizzo, known for promoting body positivity and self-love, allegedly engaged in weight-shaming towards one of the dancers.
According to a detailed account presented in the lawsuit, the 35-year-old singer known for her song "Rumors," Lizzo (whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson), along with her dance captain, Shirlene Quigley, and her production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc., are facing serious allegations. Three former backup dancers, Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez, have accused them of misconduct.
One of the claims described in the suit pertains to an incident that occurred earlier this year at a club in Amsterdam. Allegedly, Lizzo invited cast members to participate in questionable activities, such as taking turns touching nude performers, catching dildos launched from the performers' vaginas, and eating bananas protruding from their vaginas. Moreover, a member of her security staff was purportedly pressured to join the performers on the club's stage, to which Lizzo reportedly shouted, "take it off."
The lawsuit further states that the plaintiffs were appalled by Lizzo's lack of consideration for the bodily autonomy of her employees and others present, particularly since many of them were her own employees.
It's important to mention that these are allegations presented in a lawsuit, and they have not been proven in a court of law. The case is still pending, and all parties involved have the right to due process and a fair trial.
Allegations have been made against Quigley, the dance captain, accusing her of imposing her religious beliefs on other performers and passing judgment on those who engaged in premarital sex. She is also accused of engaging in simulated oral sex and sharing unsolicited details about her own sex life.
As for Lizzo's awareness of Quigley's behavior, it remains uncertain, but the plaintiffs' lawyer, Ron Zambrano, stated that the three dancers claim she was aware of previous complaints made against Quigley.
The claims involve various issues, including sexual harassment, the creation of a hostile work environment, interference with prospective economic advantage, and false imprisonment. However, it's essential to note that not all of these claims apply to each defendant individually.
Williams alleges that in April, she had a heated conversation with Lizzo after the singer accused the cast members of drinking during performances. This incident reportedly occurred following an "excruciating" 12-hour rehearsal, during which Davis felt she couldn't excuse herself to the bathroom and ended up soiling herself out of fear of losing her job.
Lizzo's team contends that Williams was fired five days later due to budget cuts.
As for Davis, she claims that during an appearance at the South by Southwest music festival in April, Lizzo told her she seemed less committed, which the lawsuit describes as a thinly veiled criticism of her weight. Davis says she was promptly fired the following month when Lizzo discovered she had recorded a meeting to use as performance notes. Davis explains that this was necessary because of an eye condition that sometimes left her disoriented in stressful situations.
According to the lawsuit, Lizzo's security staff allegedly forced Davis to remain in the room after the incident so they could search her phone for the video, which the suit deems false imprisonment by Lizzo's production company.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez expressed feeling pressured by Quigley's intense discussions about religion. The lawsuit states that Quigley took every opportunity to proselytize to those around her, disregarding any protests.
When Rodriguez raised concerns about Williams and Davis's termination, she claims Lizzo responded by cracking her knuckles, balling her fists, and using an expletive to tell Rodriguez she was "lucky."
According to the lawsuit, Rodriguez allegedly received feedback from a team member, stating, "we've never had any problems with you," which seemed to imply that, being one of the few non-black members of the dance cast, she was not subjected to the same generalized and unfounded criticisms as the black members.
The lawsuit does not specify a specific amount of monetary damages sought for emotional distress, loss of earnings, or representation fees.
After news of the lawsuit emerged, Lizzo's former creative director, Quinn Wilson, expressed support for the plaintiffs. Wilson mentioned that they have been away from that world for about three years for a reason and commended the dancers for their courage in bringing these issues to light.
Another former dancer who worked with Lizzo, Courtney Hollinquest, also took to social media to validate some of the claims made in the lawsuit. Hollinquest affirmed that her experience during her time there was similar and praised the dancers for their bravery in speaking out.
Currently, Lizzo is on a world tour called "The Special Tour," which included performances in Australia in July. Her show at Rod Laver Arena received a five-star review, with praise for her performance being described as "pure, wild, kinetic joy." She was also acknowledged for embodying values such as body positivity, LGBTQI+ allyship, and radical self-love.
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