Lizzo, the Grammy-winning singer, has finally responded to the “sexual harassment” lawsuit filed by three of her former dancers. Lizzo has issued a lengthy and strongly-worded statement on Instagram, calling the allegations against her “false” and “sensationalized.”
Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez have filed a legal case in the Los Angeles County Superior Court, accusing Lizzo and her production company of a series of troubling incidents. The plaintiffs have made grave allegations against the singers, including sexual, religious, and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault, and false imprisonment.
The former dancers have also found support of Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sophia Nahli Allison, who has also made some startling revelations against Lizzo.
Lizzo has broken her silence by responding to these damaging allegations, saying she’s “hurt” but will “not let this overshadow the good work I’ve done.”
Read Lizzo’s complete statement:
“These last few days have been gut-wrenchingly difficult and overwhelmingly disappointing. 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.
“The sensationalized stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted they were told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional.”
“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. There is nothing I take more seriously than the respect we deserve as women in the world. 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.
“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’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.”
One of the dancers hit back at Lizzo
Crystal Williams, who joined Lizzo’s team in 2021 before being sacked, said: “Initially, for me, it further deepened my disappointment regarding how I was feeling and how I was treated. The overall theme is that our experiences were our experiences, and our traumas were our traumas. In bringing that forward, it feels like it was disregarded completely,” Williams told Channel 4.
“It feels like we were made out to be putting out false allegations when that’s not the case. So yes, it was very disheartening to read and feel overlooked, especially when she stands for what she stands for in regards to women’s empowerment – being an advocate for mental health, being an advocate for body positivity – and to just further prove that that’s not the case because nothing was acknowledged in that statement,” the dancer added.
