Lizzohas broken her silence after three of her former backup dancersfiled a lawsuit against the singerthis week, alleging sexual and racial harassment and accusing her of creating a hostile work environment.
On Thursday, the"About Damn Time"singer, 35, shared alengthy statement on social mediadeclaring that she is “not the villain” and that the allegations being made against her were “too outrageous” not to address.
“These last few days have been gut wrenchingly difficult and overwhelming disappointing,” her post on Instagram began. “My work ethic, morals and respectfulness have been questioned. My character has been criticized. Usually I choose not to respond to false allegations but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous not to be addressed.”
Lizzo in London in February 2023.David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images
David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images
The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court against Lizzo, her production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc., and her dance team captain, Shirlene Quigley.
Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Jefferson, continued to address the claims in her Thursday statement, “These sensationalized stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional.”
“As an artist I have always been very passionate about what I do. 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. 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.”
“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. I am very open with my sexuality and expressing myself but I cannot accept or allow people to use that openness to make me out to be something I am not," she said.
Makiah Green, Jasmine Morrison, Sydney Bell, Arianna Davis, Jayla Sullivan, Isabel Jones, Grace Holden, Guest, Lizzo, Chawnta' Marie Van, Shirlene Quigley, Charity Holloway, Kiara Mooring, Moesha Perez, Asia Banks, Ashley Williams, Crystal Williams, Kevin Beisler, and Alana Balden attend Lizzo’s Watch Out For The Big Grrls Watch Party.JC Olivera/Getty Images for Amazon Studios
JC Olivera/Getty Images for Amazon Studios
The suit also accuses Quigley of proselytizing everyone around her, shaming those who engaged in premarital sex and oversharing her masturbatory habits and sexual fantasies.
The dancers also claim they were subjected to racial harassment from BGBT management, who “treated the Black members of the dance team differently than other members.”
Davis also accused Lizzo of weight shaming, but in her statement responding to the accusations, Lizzo denied this and says that as someone who is “body shamed on a daily basis” she would “absolutely never” do this to someone else.
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“There is nothing I take more seriously than the respect we deserve as women in the world,” she continued. “I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis and would absolutely never criticize or terminate an employee because of their weight.”
Lizzo in December 2022.Getty
Getty
Lizzo’s representatives did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request on Thursday for additional comment.
Additional allegations in the suit include interference with prospective economic advantage and false imprisonment, but not all of the allegations pertain to all of the defendants.
The plantiffs' attorney, Ron Zambrano, claimed to PEOPLE in a statement Thursday that Lizzo’s denial hours earlier had added to his clients' “emotional distress.”
“While Lizzo notes it was never her intention ‘to make anyone feel uncomfortable,’ that is exactly what she did to the point of demoralizing her dancers and flagrantly violating the law.”
Davis and Williams competed on Lizzo’s 2021 Amazon reality show,Watch Out for the Big Grrrlsand then began performing for her, the lawsuit said. They were later fired. Rodriguez was also hired in 2021 after performing in the video for Lizzo’s hit “Rumors,” but she resigned in 2022.
Quigley did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment. A rep for Lizzo’s production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc., could not be reached for comment.
source: people.com
