Pop star Lizzo (née Melissa Vivian Jefferson) says she’s “shocked” by the allegations made by her three former dancers, who received word last Tuesday of a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court. pop star Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noel Rodriguez are suing Lizzo along with her dance captain and her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring (Bgbt). The charges are very serious: sexual, religious and racial harassment, discrimination, assault and false detention.. Among the more serious episodes that have been reported, there are also several instances where dancers were allegedly forced to participate in sex shows and interact in “hot” positions with other dancers between 2021 and 2023.
In an Instagram post, Lizzo chimes in on the story, saying it’s unrelated to the allegations: “These past few days have been incredibly difficult and incredibly frustrating,” Lizzo writes. My work ethic, morality and respect were called into question. My character has been criticized. I usually prefer not to respond to false accusations, but this is just unbelievable. how they sound and are too outrageous to be left untouched. I am devastated to hear these fabricated accusations leveled against me.“. Among the allegations against Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Vivian Jefferson, is that she “made Mrs. Davis touch the chest” of an artist in an Amsterdam nightclub. Ms. Davis, after resistance, finally agreed, “out of fear that it might jeopardize her future in the team” if she didn’t.
Lizzo attacks her accusers: “These sensational stories come from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told that their behavior during the tour was inappropriate. and unprofessional” and then defends his work: “As an artist, I’ve always been very passionate about what I do. I take my music and my performances seriously because at the end of the day I just want to express the best art that represents me and my fans. With passion comes hard work and high standards. Sometimes I have to make difficult decisions, but I’m never going to make anyone feel uncomfortable or like they’re not considered an important part of the team.”
Always at the forefront of body shaming, Lizzo is also accused, along with dance choreographer Tanisha Scott, of shaming one of the former dancers, Arianna Davis, during a tour over alleged weight gain. Prosecutors also allege that dance team captain Shirlene Quigley lobbied for adherents of her Christian beliefs and made fun of those who had sex before marriage. She is also accused of openly discussing the virginity of one of the former dancers and posting it on social networks. Allegations, including racial discrimination, are also leveled against the BGBT leadership team, alleging that black members of the dance troupe received discriminatory treatment compared to other members of the team. The plaintiffs also allege that Lizzo and the production company’s crew allegedly did not pay them fairly during the pop star’s European tour. The dancers were reportedly offered only 25 percent of their weekly wages as a down payment during times when they were not on tour, and it was also stated that Lizzo and company chose not to do other work during those breaks.
Two of the three dancers, Davis and Williams, were fired from the corps de ballet, and Rodriguez subsequently retired. The first reaction to the case came from Beyoncé when, during a concert in Boston on Tuesday, in some videos, she appeared to omit Lizzo’s name while performing Break My Soul (Queen’s Remix), a song dedicated to black women in the entertainment industry. and in which Lizzo’s name appears along with those of Nina Simone, Lauryn Hill, and Nicki Minaj.