What did Lizzo do? All the allegations made by former dancers – from sexual harassment to body shaming

Sign up to Roisin O’Connor’s free weekly publication Now Hear This for the inside observe on all issues music

Get our Now Hear This e-mail at no cost

Pop star Lizzo has shocked followers by saying that she is quitting music, months after denying allegations of sexual harassment and bullying from former members of her dance troupe.

On Friday (29 March), the multi-award-winning artist shared her intention to retire from the business in a social media publish.

“I’m constantly up against lies being told about me for clout & views… being the butt of every joke every single time because of how I look… my character being picked apart by people who don’t know me and disrespecting my name,” her assertion on Instagram learn.

Last 12 months, former members of her dance troupe filed claims of sexual harassment and weight-shaming by Lizzo (born Melissa Jefferson) in a 44-page lawsuit.

In the swimsuit, dancers Arianna Davis, Noelle Rodriguez, and Crystal Williams element allegations of assault, inappropriate sexual behaviour, office misconduct, incapacity discrimination, and spiritual harassment in opposition to Lizzo and her production firm, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc (BGBT).

Lizzo beforehand hit again at the “false allegations” in a press release posted to her social media platforms, including that the claims are “as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed”.

In February, an LA choose denied Lizzo’s request to have the lawsuit dismissed, regardless of dismissing sure accusations.

Here are all the accusations Davis, Rodriguez, and Williams have made in opposition to the “Rumors” hitmaker:

What are the allegations in opposition to Lizzo?

The plaintiffs have accused Lizzo of assault, incapacity discrimination, and sexual harassment in the lawsuit seen by The Independent.

Enjoy limitless entry to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music

Sign up now for a 30-day free trial

Sign up

Enjoy limitless entry to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music

Sign up now for a 30-day free trial

Sign up

They have questioned the method they have been terminated from Lizzo’s manufacturing firm Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc. In the filed grievance, the dancers accused Lizzo of calling consideration to Davis’ weight achieve and later berating after which firing her “on the spot” after she recorded a gathering due to a well being situation.

When Rodriguez objected to Lizzo’s remedy of Davis, and resigned from the forged, Lizzo allegedly “aggressively approached” Rodriquez, who mentioned she thought the 35-year-old would have hit her if one among the different dancers hadn’t intervened.

The accusers have testified to the “sexually charged and uncomfortable environment” they have been allegedly pressured to endure whereas working with Lizzo and her dance captain and co-defendant Quigley.

It is claimed Lizzo “began inviting cast members to take turns touching the nude performers, catching dildos launched from the performers’ vaginas, and eating bananas protruding from the performers’ vaginas” throughout a go to to a strip membership in Amsterdam.

She allegedly pressured Davis “touch the breasts [of] one of the nude women” by “leading a chant goading” her.

“Finally, the chorus became overwhelming, and a mortified Ms Davis acquiesced in an attempt to bring an end to the chants,” the 44-page lawsuit states.

Lizzo allegedly “badgered” a member of her safety staff to get on stage the place “his pants were pulled down”.

“Plaintiffs were aghast with how little regard Lizzo showed for the bodily autonomy of her employees and those around her, especially in the presence of many people whom she employed,” the lawsuit reads.

It is alleged the dancers underwent a “brutal” re-audition after Lizzo grew to become satisfied the forged had been ingesting earlier than exhibits, citing their poor performances.

Davis claims she dirty herself as a result of she was scared of taking a washroom break throughout the 12-hour rehearsal. When she discovered an interval to become clear garments, the wardrobe division allegedly gave her a see-through garment.

“[She] was required to finish the rehearsal, dancing in front of male crew members who were known to sexualise the dancers under less revealing scenarios, while wearing completely transparent shorts and no undergarments,” in accordance to the lawsuit.

Davis claims Lizzo and her choreographer made “thinly veiled” references to her weight achieve, which the singer had allegedly “previously called attention to after noticing it at the South by Southwest music festival”.

She mentioned she felt she wanted to clarify her weight achieve so as to maintain her job, and was “hurt and emotionally drained by being forced” into disclosing she had been identified with binge consuming dysfunction.

Lizzo is claimed to have supplied her day without work from rehearsals, however Davis declined as a result of she didn’t need to be seen as “too weak” to proceed performing with the crew.

‘Sensationalised stories’ from former workers

News of the lawsuit shocked followers of Lizzo, a champion of the body positivity motion and girls’s rights.

Two days later, the singer mentioned the lawsuit was stuffed with “sensationalised stories coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted they were told their behaviour on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional”.

She continued: “I take my music and my performances seriously because at the end of the day I only want to put out the best art that represents me and my fans.

“With passion comes hard work and high standards,” Lizzo added. “Sometimes I have to make hard decisions but it’s never my intention to make anyone feel uncomfortable or like they aren’t valued as an important part of the team.”

The “Juice” singer careworn that she doesn’t need to be seen “as a victim”, however added: “I am not the villain that people and the media have portrayed me to be these last few days.”

She denied fat-shaming any of her workers, and shared she felt “hurt” by the claims in opposition to her, whereas expressing her gratitude for the assist she has acquired.

“I’m hurt but I will not let the good work I’ve done in the world be overshadowed by this. I want to thank everyone who has reached out in support to lift me up during this difficult time,” she completed.

Who else is known as in the lawsuit?

The different defendants embrace Shirlene Quigley, the captain of Lizzo’s dance staff, and Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc.

Davis alleges that Quigley “regularly preached at [her] about what [she] believed to be a shared Christian identity” and it was claimed that she had usually “pushed” her beliefs on members of the dance group and made them really feel “uncomfortable”.

The lawsuit claims Davis’s virginity grew to become a subject of “extreme importance” to Quigley throughout the filming of Watch Out for the Big Grrrls. She allegedly “broadcast” this “intensely personal detail” about Davis “to the world” – together with throughout interviews – with out her permission.

Quigley allegedly made derisive feedback about individuals who engaged in pre-marital intercourse regardless of figuring out some members of the troupe “did not share her views”.

Davis, Williams, and Rodrigues additionally accuse Quigley of “sexually inappropriate behaviour” at work, together with allegedly simulating oral intercourse on a banana in entrance of the forged. They declare this “party trick” left the plaintiffs feeling very uncomfortable.

They additionally declare Quigley made “sexually explicit comments”, together with sharing her sexual fantasies with the forged.

She has been accused of imposing her spiritual beliefs on Rodriguez, a “non-believer”. When Rodriguez requested Quigley to “refrain” from doing this, the dance captain allegedly grew to become “irate and yelled at her”.

The Independent has reached out to Quigley’s representatives for remark.

The claims in opposition to Big Grrrl embrace allegations of racism in the direction of the Black ladies on the dance staff, with members of the administration staff accusing them “of being lazy, unprofessional, and having bad attitudes”.

On 2 February 2024, Judge Mark H Epstein denied Lizzo’s request to have the total case dismissed beneath California’s anti-SLAPP statute – a particular regulation that makes it simpler to shortly finish meritless lawsuits that threaten free speech.

Judge Epstein dismissed a few of the swimsuit’s allegations, together with a sexual harassment allegation involving a nude photoshoot on the set of Watch Out for the Big Grrrls; a incapacity discrimination accusation round one dancer’s allegation that she was fired from Lizzo’s tour after disclosing her psychological well being points; and an allegation stating that Lizzo’s camp deliberately interfered with the dancers’ different job prospects.

However, he has allowed the swimsuit to go forward.

“It is dangerous for the court to weigh in, ham-fisted, into constitutionally protected activity,” the choose wrote in his choice. “But it is equally dangerous to turn a blind eye to allegations of discrimination or other forms of misconduct merely because they take place in a speech-related environment.”

As a performer, Lizzo has been recognized for selling body positivity, ladies’s rights, LGBT+ rights, and anti-bullying. Throughout her profession, she has crafted a globally profitable model of body positivity and self-love, backed up by a discography of empowerment anthems.