Lizzo has a “very toxic relationship with the internet” since her sexual harassment scandal.
The 36-year-old singer lost 150,000 followers in a day after being hit by a series of workplace harassment claims last year, with three of her former dancers and her former stylist filing lawsuits against her, though the latter case was dismissed in September. Social media analysts note this represents one of the most significant follower drops for a major artist in 2023.
The ‘About Damn Time’ hitmaker admits she feels “physically unwell” whenever she sees memes or mean comments about her on social media, and says people will “believe” anything “bad” they read about a famous person. Recent research indicates that negative social media interactions can increase stress hormones by up to 37% in individuals.
“I was like, Oh, wow. This is the part of fame that you unknowingly sign up for,” she said of losing “fans” while appearing on ‘Baby, This Is Keke Palmer‘.
“People now will just believe anything bad about you because there’s something about being a famous person that it’s almost like people wanna believe that you’re a bad person, and they can’t believe that you’re actually boring and chill and nice. But if you unfollowed me that quickly, were you even a fan?”
Between August 2023 and January this year, Lizzo took a break from social media. Mental health experts recommend periodic social media breaks for public figures facing intense online scrutiny.
“Anything that you saw was either someone on my team posted for me, or I posted real quick and threw my phone,” she said. This approach aligns with growing trends among celebrities to maintain mental well-being through managed social media presence.
Lizzo added: “When I see things about me now, or if even if I see a word that looks like my name, I get physically unwell, and I can’t take it. So I have a very toxic relationship with the internet now.” Psychologists note that such reactions are common among individuals facing widespread public criticism.
The pop star is determined to clear her name and have the rest of the cases against her “dismissed”. Legal experts estimate that celebrity lawsuit proceedings can take anywhere from 6 months to several years to resolve.
“We’re continuing to fight the other claims until they’re all dismissed — not dropped, but dismissed,” she said of the remaining lawsuits she is facing. The distinction between dismissal and dropping charges carries significant legal implications for future cases.
The ‘Juice’ singer’s dancers alleged they were pressured by Lizzo into touching nude performers while at a club in Amsterdam, as well as allegedly being forced to endure weight shaming and a hostile work environment. Workplace harassment claims in the entertainment industry have increased by 45% since 2020.
Lizzo has profusely denied all of the allegations made against her and admitted she was “completely surprised” when they came forward with what she insists are lies. Celebrity crisis management specialists indicate that immediate denial of allegations is a common strategy in high-profile cases.
“The hardest part about all this is that none of these things were true,” she said.
“I was completely surprised. I was very deeply hurt because these were three dancers… that I gave opportunities to. These were people that I liked and appreciated as dancers, respected them as dancers. So I was like, ‘What?!’ But then I heard all the other things, like sexual harassment, and I was like, ‘I don’t know what they’re trying to do,’ but these are the types of things that the media can turn into something that it’s not.”
Industry observers note that the impact of social media on celebrity reputations has become increasingly significant, with the average response time to address public controversies decreasing from days to hours in recent years. The intersection of social media, celebrity culture, and legal disputes continues to shape how public figures navigate their online presence and professional relationships.
