Lizzo has denied allegations that she sexually harassed, fat-shamed, and created a hostile office for 3 of her ex-dancers who filed a authorized grievance on Tuesday.
The pop singer, 35, broke her silence concerning the lawsuit on Thursday when she shared a press release on social media.
Lizzo referred to as the allegations “false,” “outrageous” and “sensationalized.”
“These previous couple of days have been intestine wrenchingly tough and overwhelmingly disappointing,” Lizzo wrote. “My work ethic, morals and respectfulness have been questioned. My character has been criticized.”
“These sensationalized tales are coming from former staff who’ve already publicly admitted that they have been instructed their habits on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional,” she continued.
“As an artist I’ve all the time been very obsessed with what I do. I take my music and my performances significantly as a result of on the finish of the day I solely need to put out the perfect artwork that represents me and my followers,” she wrote.
The Grammy-winning singer admitted that her ardour for her work is accompanied by “excessive requirements.”
“Generally I’ve to make exhausting selections nevertheless it’s by no means been my intention to make anybody really feel uncomfortable or like they aren’t valued as an necessary a part of the crew,” she defended.
Lizzo mentioned she didn’t need to be “checked out as a sufferer,” however claimed she is “not the villain individuals and the media have portrayed me to be these previous couple of days.”
“I’m very open with my sexuality and expressing myself however I can not settle for or permit individuals to make use of that openness to make me out to be one thing I’m not,” she wrote. “There’s nothing I take extra significantly than the respect we deserve as girls on the earth. I do know what it feels prefer to be physique shamed every day and would completely by no means criticize or terminate an worker due to their weight.”
Lizzo mentioned she is upset to see her work “overshadowed” by information of this lawsuit.
She thanked her supporters for lifting her up in “this tough time.”
On Tuesday, Lizzo, her dance captain Shirlene Quigley and her manufacturing firm Huge Grrrl Huge Touring, Inc. (BGBT) have been sued by three of the star’s ex-dancers, Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez.
Collectively, the three dancers accused Lizzo and her crew of sexual harassment, spiritual and racial harassment, discrimination and a number of other different expenses. There are additionally accusations that Lizzo pressured certainly one of them to work together with a nude performer towards their will in Amsterdam.
Quigley is accused of proselytizing different dancers and shaming those that had premarital intercourse, whereas additionally discussing lewd sexual fantasies, simulating oral intercourse and publicly discussing one of many plaintiffs’ virginity.
The dancers are suing for damages over emotional misery together with unpaid wages, lack of earnings and lawyer’s charges. They’re not employed by Lizzo and her manufacturing firm. Davis and Williams have been fired, whereas Rodriguez resigned.
On Wednesday, Davis and Williams instructed CBS Information that they’re not the one staff to endure underneath Lizzo’s alleged mistreatment. Davis claimed extra staff haven’t come ahead as a result of they’re “so scared for his or her jobs.”
Different ex-employees, together with Lizzo’s former documentary director Sophia Nahli Allison, have supported the dancers’ lawsuit. Allison referred to as Lizzo “boastful, self-centered and unkind.”
Within the lawsuit, Davis alleged she was fat-shamed by Lizzo, who she mentioned implied Davis gained weight throughout her employment. Davis claimed Lizzo didn’t explicitly criticize her weight, however moderately gave “the impression that she wanted to elucidate her weight achieve and disclose intimate private particulars about her life so as to hold her job.”
To CBS, Davis defended her work, no matter her physique sort.
“My dancing capability was the identical, my power was the identical,” she instructed the outlet. “The one factor about me that was totally different was my weight.”
The lawsuit towards Lizzo has been a trending subject on social media because it was filed on Tuesday. Many followers have voiced their disappointment over the allegations, as a lot of Lizzo’s model is targeted on positivity, kindness and acceptance.
Even Beyoncé fanned the flame on Tuesday when she omitted Lizzo’s title from an in-concert efficiency of her track Break My Soul (Queen’s Remix) in Boston. Lizzo’s title usually seems within the lyrics alongside Black greats like Nina Simone, Lauryn Hill and Nicki Minaj, however Queen Bey gave Lizzo the boot.
As a substitute, Beyoncé sang “Badu, Badu, Badu, Badu” — an apparent nod to Erykah Badu, the queen of neo-soul.
— With recordsdata from World Information’ Michelle Butterfield
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