Lizzo Breaks Silence On Sexual Harassment Lawsuit: ‘Completely Blindsided Me’ – News18

Last Updated:December 20, 2024, 18:07 IST

Lizzo said that she was taken aback by the lawsuit and was deeply hurt.

American rapper and singer Lizzo was sued last year by her former background dancers—Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez. The lawsuit accused the singer of creating a hostile work environment, as well as sexual and racial harassment, and weight-shaming. Recently, the 36-year-old broke her silence and spoke publicly for the first time about the harassment lawsuit filed against her.

During a conversation on the ‘Baby, This is Keke Palmer’ podcast, Lizzo shared her side of the story, revealing that she was completely “blindsided” by the unexpected allegations. “I was literally living in my dream, and then the tour ended, and three ex-dancers just completely blindsided me with a lawsuit,” the singer-rapper said in the episode, which was released on December 19.

Lizzo said that she was taken aback by the lawsuit and was deeply hurt. “I was very deeply hurt because, you know, these were three ex-dancers, so they weren’t on the tour, they didn’t finish the tour with us, but even regardless of that, these were people that I gave opportunities to. These were people that I liked and appreciated as dancers, respected them,” said the singer.

The Boys singer was sued twice last year. First, the three ex-dancers filed a lawsuit accusing her of sexual harassment in August. Then, her wardrobe stylist, Asha Daniels, filed a suit a month later, accusing the singer and many from her team of racial and sexual harassment and assault.

In the podcast, Lizzo talked about one of the claims of sexual harassment, sharing that there was “no mandatory invitation” to the dancers to join her at a nude show. She recounted that when she decided to attend the Crazy Horse Paris cabaret, she invited the dancers to join her, and it was up to them if they wanted to join or not. The three who filed the lawsuit against her were among those who joined her at the show. Lizzo revealed that there are photos and videos of the three “smiling and having a good time.”

Further, the 36-year-old American singer dismissed the claims that arose when she invited the dancers to a Banana Bar in Amsterdam. She stated that whatever happened was “consensual.”

Lizzo scored a major victory earlier this month. She was dismissed individually from Asha Daniels’ lawsuit. Talking about it on the podcast, she said, “I got dismissed from the case. We’re continuing to fight the other claims until they’re all dismissed and not dropped, dismissed, which means a judge saw this, and in the court of law, he looked at the evidence and said, ‘Okay, we can’t allow this to go through.’ The evidence was evidencing against the claims, so it is a big victory.”