Lizzo: More complaints about singer being investigated in wake of lawsuit

Aug 10, 2023 at 10:20 AM
Lizzo: More complaints about singer being investigated in wake of lawsuit

More complaints into Lizzo’s behaviour are being investigated by legal professionals representing her accusers.

Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez, together with a 3rd dancer, Arianna Davis, have filed a lawsuit against the Grammy-winning musician and her production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring (BGBT), which additionally consists of claims of spiritual harassment, incapacity discrimination, assault, and false imprisonment.

Speaking to NBC News, Ron Zambrano stated his agency is now taking a look at recent allegations from six individuals who say they toured with Lizzo, in addition to others who labored on her TV present Lizzo’s Watch Out For The Big Grrrls.

Mr Zambrano stated the allegations are of a “sexually charged environment”, and failure to pay employees, including among the claims are doubtlessly actionable.

After news of the lawsuit emerged, Lizzo issued an announcement on social media saying she was “not the villain”. The singer, who is known for championing body positivity, described the allegations as “unbelievable” and “too outrageous to not be addressed”.

In response, Ms Williams told Sky News: “Her statement is just confirming the pattern of every time somebody speaks up or advocates for themselves, like we’re doing now, we get victim-blamed, we get gaslighted. And she likes to point the finger instead of addressing the issues that are being brought up.”

This is one thing that occurs on an “everyday basis” when working with stars, she stated. “Sadly, we’ve already experienced not only dancers that have worked with her directly, but dancers that are just in the entertainment industry in general, they’ve already come out and they’ve shared their stories.

“They really feel courageous sufficient to share their experiences… earlier than individuals had been simply silent about it, they did not really feel snug sufficient. They did not really feel protected sufficient to name these artists out, to name these administration groups out, and allow them to know, ‘hey, what you are doing is fallacious’.”

Lizzo is a four-time Grammy winner who was named Time’s entertainer of the year in 2019. She is best known for hits including Truth Hurts, Juice, Good As Hell and About Damn Time.

Ms Davis and Ms Williams began dancing with the star after competing on her Amazon reality show Watch Out For The Big Grrrls in 2021, but were both later fired. Ms Rodriguez was hired in the same year after performing in the video for the song Rumours, but resigned earlier this year over the “appalling behaviour”.

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Lizzo accused of ‘gaslighting’

Read extra:
Lizzo’s future is hanging in the balance
‘I am not the villain’: Lizzo responds to dancers’ claims

‘Lizzo does not perceive’

Ms Rodriguez in contrast working for Lizzo to dancing for the likes of Beyoncé and Lady Gaga, saying elsewhere this week: “I mean, working with Beyoncé, you have to be on your P’s and Q’s. Same thing with someone like Janet [Jackson] or Lady Gaga.

“But what they did otherwise and what Lizzo’s not understanding as a businesswoman, is you can nonetheless have this expectation, this stage of expertise and power that you really want round you, however nonetheless present appreciation to your staff.

“There’s a really good balance of that, and I just don’t understand, the more you show that appreciation to your workers and that you care for them and everything that they’re doing for you as they are for you as well, the harder they want to work for you.

“I feel that is the most important distinction that she does not fairly perceive but.”

In her statement responding to the women’s lawsuit, Lizzo said: “Usually I select not to reply to false allegations, however these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed.”

She added: “I am not here to be looked at as a victim, but I also know that I am not the villain that people and the media have portrayed me to be these last few days.”

Sky News has contacted Lizzo’s representatives for remark.