Michael Buckner for Variety
Lizzo asked a judge to throw out a lawsuit filed against her last month by three of her former dancers. The lawsuit, filed by Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez, accuses the Grammy Award winner of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment—charges that Lizzo’s legal team vehemently denies in a new legal document filed on the evening of Sept. 9. 27.
“This is the first step in the legal process in which Lizzo and her team will demonstrate that they have always practiced what they preached—whether that be promoting body positivity, providing a safe and supportive workplace, or protecting people from harassment of any kind,” a spokesperson for Lizzo’s legal camp said in a statement. . “Any claims to the contrary are ludicrous, and we look forward to proving that in court.”
Newly submitted documents independently reviewed Diversity, say the singer and her touring company Big Grrrl deny “any and all allegations” in the lawsuit and ask that it be dismissed “with prejudice.” It lists more than 30 “affirmative defenses” explaining that “the plaintiffs suffered no injury, loss or damage” and that the plaintiffs are “guilty of dirty hands” (that is, they are not legally entitled to any damages), as well as other notes in response. to the dancer’s initial statements. The case ends with a requirement for a jury trial.
“Lizzo’s response simply consists of boilerplate objections that have no bearing on the case,” Los Angeles attorney Nima Rahmani, who represents the plaintiffs, said in a statement. “However, the main takeaway is that Lizzo agrees to our clients’ request for a jury trial. We look forward to presenting our case in court and allowing a panel of her peers to decide who is telling the truth, Lizzo and her team who continue to shame victims or prosecutors, and the many others who have come forward with similar stories of abuse and harassment.”
Lizzo and her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc., as well as Shirlene Quigley, captain of Lizzo’s dance team, are named in the lawsuit (filed in August) which accuses Lizzo and Quigley of disgracing and influencing the trio of dancers. pressure. sexual harassment in an Amsterdam strip club. Among other things, Lizzo was accused of subjecting a group of dancers to a “torturous” 12-hour rehearsal, which resulted in one of the women losing control of her bladder. Both Davis and Williams were fired, and Rodriguez resigned.
Lizzo posted her lengthy confession on social media in the days following the trio’s complaint. She wrote that the allegations against her were false and “as incredible as they sound and too outrageous to ignore.”
“These sensational stories come from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told that their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional,” she wrote.
Hollywood lawyer Marty Singer will represent Lizzo in the case. He also issued a statement and distributed photographs of the plaintiffs allegedly taken during one of the walks mentioned in their original lawsuit. The plaintiffs alleged they were forced to attend a nude cabaret bar in Paris, but Singer’s statement said the dancers were “happily carousing backstage with the performers after a topless cabaret show” and shared photos of them backstage.
Rahmani and Ron Zambrano, representing Davis, Williams and Rodriguez, then released their own statements in which they called out Singer’s “empty threats” and “victim shaming.”
Last week, another lawsuit was filed by a fashion designer named Asha Daniels, who worked with Lizzo’s camp on her 2023 tour. The document names Lizzo, her production company and tour manager, as well as Lizzo’s wardrobe manager Amanda Nomura. Nomura is accused of playing out stereotypical images of black women, calling female performers “fat,” “useless” and “dumb,” among other offensive behaviors. Daniels is represented by the same legal team as Davis, Williams and Rodriguez.
This all comes on the heels of Lizzo accepting the Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award from the Black Music Action Coalition, an award that recognizes her philanthropic work and commitment to social justice.
Surrounded by dancers from her “The Special Tour,” Lizzo accepted the award and addressed the BMAC audience: “Black Music Action Coalition, you are truly about this action. Thank you so much for this because I needed it right now. God’s timing is always right!” she exclaimed, crying. “I didn’t write a speech because I don’t know what to say in times like these.”
She went on to talk about her humanitarian and activist initiatives, including donating a quarter of a million dollars in June to Black-led organizations that help Black youth, women and the trans community.
“It’s easy to do the right thing when everyone is looking at you, and it’s what you do in those moments when no one is looking that defines who you are,” she said. “And I’m going to continue to create and represent safe spaces for fat black women because that’s what the hell I do!”