Lizzo was “blindsided” by being sued for alleged sexual misconduct and hostile workplace conditions.
The 36-year-old singer was hit by shocking claims in August 2023 from her dancers, who sued the star for sexual and racial harassment and claimed she created a toxic working environment and subjected them to weight-shaming. The case has attracted widespread attention from employment law experts nationwide.
Their complaints infamously included a story about Lizzo allegedly once forcing them to touch nude performers at a nightclub and telling them to eat bananas “protruding” from the female performers’ private parts. These allegations have sparked broader conversations about professional boundaries in the entertainment sector.
Addressing the claims in detail for the first time during an in-depth interview, Lizzo said on the ‘Baby, This is Keke Palmer’ podcast: “2023 was an amazing year for me.” The podcast, which reaches millions of listeners monthly, provided a platform for her first detailed response to the allegations.
“It was a career-high – like, we had the Record of the Year at the Grammys for ‘About Damn Time’. I was on my first arena tour and I got to bring the wonderful ‘Big Grrrl’ dancers from ‘Watch Out for the Big Grrls’ on stage with me every night. Like, I was literally living in my dream. Then the tour ended, and three ex-dancers just completely, like, blindsided me with a lawsuit.”
Lizzo added she was “completely surprised” by the complaint and wasn’t given any warning they were planning to sue. The legal action has raised questions about communication protocols between artists and their performance teams.
She went on: “These were three ex-dancers, so they weren’t on the tour. They didn’t, like, finish the tour out with us. But even regardless of that, these were people that I gave opportunities to. These were people that… I liked and appreciated them 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, they’re trying, well, 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.”
The three backup dancers who sued Lizzo were Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez. Their case has become a significant discussion point in the dance community regarding workplace rights.
They filed a lawsuit against the ‘Good as Hell’ singer and her Big Grrrl Big Touring company. Legal experts note this case could set precedents for workplace conduct standards in the entertainment industry.
Addressing their claims about the alleged incident at a nightclub, Lizzo insisted it was never “mandatory” for her dancers to come out with her and said she invited them out of kindness. The distinction between social and professional obligations has become a key point in the case.
She dismissed most of the allegations as “silly” and “ridiculous”, adding: “But let’s be clear, I did nothing wrong. So I have no regrets, but I do have now this learned experience that is preparing me for the boss that I’m becoming.”
Lizzo has denied all the allegations levied against her despite more accusers coming forward. Employment law specialists are closely monitoring the case’s developments.
One lawsuit was recently dismissed, and an insider close to the singer told Page Six she refuses to settle and won’t stop fighting what she sees as “false” allegations until they are all thrown out. The legal proceedings continue to attract media attention.
The case involving the three dancers still appears to be going to trial as the three plaintiffs’ attorney responded to Lizzo’s podcast comments in a statement. The ongoing litigation has implications for workplace culture in the entertainment industry.
Ron Zambrano told Page Six: “There is an utter lack of awareness by Lizzo failing to see how these young women on her team who are just starting their careers would feel pressured to accept an invitation from their global celebrity boss who rarely hangs out with them. There is a power dynamic in the boss-employee context that Lizzo utterly fails to appreciate. We stand by the claims in the lawsuit and are prepared to prove everything in court with Lizzo on the stand under oath before a jury of her peers, not spouting nonsense and lies rationalising a failure to take accountability on a podcast.”
