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Lizzo Denies Allegations Against Her in Lawsuit From Former Dancers
The “About Damn Time” singer issued a lengthy statement defending herself.
Lizzo has spoken.
Earlier this week, 35-year-old Grammy-winning singer was hit with a bombshell lawsuit from three former dancers accusing her of “creating a hostile work environment” and “sexual harassment.” As media outlets reported on the news, Beyoncé seemingly skipped Lizzo’s name in the “Break My Soul” remix at a recent concert from The Renaissance World Tour.
Now, Lizzo has taken to social media to share a lengthy statement defending herself from these accusations.
“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,” the singer wrote on Instagram. “Usually I choose not to respond to false allegations, but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous not to be addressed. 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.”
Lizzo added:
“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,” Lizzo continued. “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.”
She concluded, “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.”
Besides the three former dancers who have filed a lawsuit against Lizzo, the singer was also criticized by Sophia Nahli Allison, the original director attached to the Love, Lizzo documentary released in 2022. “In 2019, I traveled a bit with Lizzo to be the director of her documentary,” the director wrote in a post. “I walked away after about two weeks. I was treated with such disrespect by her.”
Activist Ola Ojewumi also shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) recalling a situation that took place at a Lizzo concert. “I was trampled by a man in my wheelchair at her DC show in 2017. They saw it and brought him on stage with her anyway,” Ojewumi wrote.
It appears that Lizzo will continue to defend herself from all of these allegations that, frankly, have been absolutely shocking for her fans to hear. And yet, it’s hard to ignore a criticism that is coming from so many different individuals who have worked or interacted with Lizzo in different capacities.
We’ll stay tuned for new updates regarding this discourse regarding Lizzo.
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Bernardo Sim is a writer, content creator, and the deputy editor of Out. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida.
Bernardo Sim is a writer, content creator, and the deputy editor of Out. Born in Brazil, he currently lives in South Florida.
