Three former backup dancers are suing Lizzo, claiming that the singer physically threatened, weight-shamed and sexually harassed them, including being pressured to touch nude performers at a club in Amsterdam’s Red Light District.
“The stunning nature of how Lizzo and her management team treated their performers seems to go against everything Lizzo stands for publicly, while privately she weight-shames her dancers and demeans them in ways that are not only illegal but absolutely demoralizing,” said Ron Zambrano, the dancers’ lawyer, in a statement.
The dancers, Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez, filed the lawsuit Tuesday, which alleges a hostile work environment, sexual, religious and racial harassment, assault and false imprisonment, among other things.
According to the lawsuit, Davis had audio-recorded group meetings between the dancers and Lizzo, so Davis could later review the notes Lizzo had given them. When Lizzo found out about it, the suit claims the musician berated Davis and then fired her on the spot.
Rodriguez claimed she told Lizzo that she did not appreciate how Lizzo handled the situation, and then Rodriguez resigned. Lizzo “aggressively approached Ms. Rodriquez, cracking her knuckles, balling her fists, and exclaiming, ‘You’re lucky. You’re so fucking lucky,’” according to the lawsuit. Rodriguez thought Lizzo wanted to hit her and would have if one of the other dancers didn’t intervene. When Lizzo left the room, she allegedly raised both her middle fingers and yelled, “Bye, bitch!”
The lawsuit also said that after a show in February in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Lizzo invited the dancers to a club called Bananenbar in the Red Light District, where there were nude performers. During the outing, the dancers claim Lizzo encouraged them to touch the nude performers, catch dildos “launched from the performers’ vaginas,” and eat bananas “protruding from the performers’ vaginas.” Lizzo then pressured Davis to touch one of the nude performers, according to the lawsuit. When Davis declined, Lizzo began leading a chant encouraging Davis to do it. Davis finally touched the performer. Lizzo also pressured a security guard to get on stage with the performers.
“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 states.
While the outing was not mandatory, dancers believed that if they went, they would be highly favored with Lizzo.
The lawsuit also alleges that Shirlene Quigley, the dancers’ dance captain, preached about Christianity to the dancers. When Rodriguez expressed concern over this, Quigley said, “No job and no one will stop me from talking about the Lord,” according to the lawsuit. Quigley made the dancers uncomfortable when she performed a “party trick” in front of everyone, simulating oral sex on a banana. She also spoke about her masturbation habits and sexual fantasies.
When Quigley found out Davis was a virgin, she kept tabs on it, according to the lawsuit.
Between the U.S. and European legs of the tour in 2022, the dancers claimed that they were not paid and were not allowed to take other jobs. When they asked for a 50% retainer, the tour’s accountant offered them 25%, saying the dancers were “unacceptable and disrespectful” while on tour but never mentioned specific examples.
Toward the end of a dance rehearsal in April, Lizzo told the dancers that they were “not performing up to par” and accused them of drinking alcohol before the shows. Lizzo allegedly said to them that they had to re-audition for their spots. The eight-hour practice lasted 12 hours, while the dancers performed the 90-minute show several times. The dancers were not allowed a break, causing Davis to lose control of her bladder.
The next day, Lizzo met with Davis and questioned Davis’ commitment to the tour. According to the lawsuit, Davis viewed the questioning as “thinly-veiled concerns” about her weight gain, which Lizzo had mentioned previously.
The dancers have suffered “severe emotional distress, anxiety, pain and suffering, physical injuries, physical sickness, medical expenses, future medical expenses, attorneys’ fees, and other damages,” according to the lawsuit.
Lizzo’s reps did not immediately respond to a request for comment.