Lizzo is talking out amid sexual harassment and hostile work allegations aimed on the pop star from former dancers.
“I’m not right here to be checked out as a sufferer, however I additionally know that I’m not the villain that individuals and the media have portrayed me to be these previous couple of days,” wrote the Grammy-winning singer in a prolonged assertion on Instagram (under) on Thursday. “There’s nothing I take extra critically than the respect we deserve as girls on the planet.”
This week, Lizzo’s former dancers accused the pop star and her workers of interrogating them about their weight and pressuring them to have interaction in sexually express acts at intercourse exhibits. The dancers, two of whom seem on Lizzo’s actuality present, stated they have been subjected to a hostile work setting and handled sexual harassment, even claiming they have been pushed to have interaction with nude performers.
The trio of dancers — Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez — sued Lizzo (actual title Melissa Viviane Jefferson), her manufacturing firm Large Grrrl Large Touring, Inc. and Shirlene Quigley, captain of the singer’s dance workforce.
When addressing the claims on Thursday, Lizzo known as the previous few days “intestine wrenchingly troublesome and overwhelmingly disappointing,” saying her work ethic, morals and character have been questioned and criticized.
“These sensationalized tales are coming from former workers who’ve already publicly admitted that they have been advised their habits on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional,” Lizzo claimed. “Typically I’ve to make laborious choices but it surely’s by no means my intention to make anybody really feel uncomfortable or like they aren’t valued as an essential a part of the workforce.”
The assertion continued, “I’m very open with my sexuality and expressing myself, however I can’t settle for or permit folks to make use of that openness to make me out to be one thing I’m not.”
In response to Lizzo in a while Monday, Ron Zambrano, the Los Angeles lawyer for Davis, Williams and Rodriguez, stated, partially, in an announcement to The Hollywood Reporter, “Her denial of this reprehensible habits solely provides to our shoppers’ emotional misery. The dismissive feedback and utter lack of empathy are fairly telling about her character and solely serve to attenuate the trauma she has precipitated the plaintiffs and different workers who’ve now come ahead sharing their very own destructive experiences. Whereas Lizzo notes it was by no means her intention ‘to make anybody really feel uncomfortable,’ that’s precisely what she did to the purpose of demoralizing her dancers and flagrantly violating the legislation.”
After performing for years as an indie, underground artist, Lizzo broke on the foremost music scene in 2019 with the No. 1 smash “Fact Hurts.” She earned a robust fan base due to her brimming messages about self-love, physique positivity and inclusivity. She’s received 4 Grammy Awards, collaborated with Ariana Grande, Cardi B, SZA and Missy Elliott and was even name-dropped in Beyoncé’s “Break My Soul” remix alongside iconic musicians like Madonna, Nina Simone, Janet Jackson, Diana Ross, Grace Jones and Aretha Franklin. Earlier this yr she received the file of the yr Grammy for “About Rattling Time,” one other No. 1 hit on the Billboard Scorching 100 chart.
For years Lizzo stated it was laborious to search out plus-size girls as background dancers for her dwell exhibits and music movies. She then launched Watch Out for the Large Grrrls in 2022, which looked for dancers to hitch her world tour. It was successful for Prime Video and received three Emmy Awards, together with greatest competitors program for Lizzo, an government producer on the present. It additionally received excellent directing for a actuality program for Nneka Onuorah and excellent image modifying for a structured actuality or competitors program. Amazon stated in April that it had begun auditioning singers and dancers for season two. Lizzo can be returning to the Emmys with one other nomination: Her HBO Max particular, Lizzo: Reside in Live performance, is up for excellent selection particular (prerecorded), pitting her towards a slew of comedians, together with Norman Lear, Carol Burnett, Trevor Noah, John Mulaney and Wanda Sykes.
Learn Lizzo’s full assertion, under.
Jackie Strause contributed to this story.
Aug. 3, 8:10 a.m. Up to date to incorporate the assertion from lawyer Ron Zambrano.
