Lizzo lawsuit: pop singer sued by former dancers over sexual harassment and weight-shaming allegations

Pop star Lizzo is being sued by three of her former dancers who have accused the singer of sexual harassment, weight-shaming and creating a hostile work environment.

The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday (1 August) in Los Angeles by Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez, and includes accusations of sexual, religious and racial harassment, discrimination, assault and false imprisonment.

The incidents are said to have taken place between 2021 and 2023.

According to the lawsuit the dancers were "forced to endure sexually denigrating behaviour" and were "pressured into participating in disturbing sex shows".

Among the claims against Lizzo are that she "pressured Ms Davis to touch the breasts" of a performer in a nightclub in Amsterdam. After resisting, Ms Davis eventually acquiesced "fearing it may harm her future on the team" if she didn’t do so.

Representatives for Lizzo could not be immediately reached for comment.

Lizzo, along with dance choreographer Tanisha Scott, has also been accused of weight-shaming Ms Davis on tour.

In the lawsuit, Ms Davis alleges the two questioned whether she was "struggling with something as she seemed less committed to her role on the dance cast".

Though weight was never explicitly stated, the questions "gave Ms Davis the impression that she needed to explain her weight gain and disclose intimate personal details about her life in order to keep her job", the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit alleges that the dance team’s captain, Shirlene Quigley, pushed her Christian beliefs on performers and derided those who engaged in premarital sex. She is also accused of openly discussing one of the former dancers’ virginity and posting about it on social media.

According to NBC News, the lawsuit does not say whether Lizzo knew about Quigley’s alleged behaviour, but the plaintiffs believe she was aware of complaints brought against Quigley.

Racial discrimination accusations have also been brought against the production company Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc.’s management team, alleging that black members of the dance group were "treated differently" to other members of the team.

The lawsuit claimed they were accused of being "lazy, unprofessional, and having bad attitudes" and these tropes often used "to disparage and discourage" black women with other dancers not treated like this.

The three women have also alleged that Lizzo and the production company team did not pay them fairly while on parts of Lizzo’s European tour.

They claim they were offered only 25% of their weekly compensatory pay during their time not performing on the tour, while other performers received 50% and they also claim they were told not to work on other projects while on tour.

The lawsuit says Ms Davis and Ms Williams met Lizzo in March 2021 while preparing to compete on the reality TV show Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, while Ms Rodriguez was hired later in May 2021 to perform in Lizzo’s Rumours music video.

Ms Davis and Ms Williams were fired from the dance team, and Ms Rodriguez later quit over the treatment of her colleagues.

Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, is known for celebrating her body and self-love. She has spent the majority of this year on tour, with legs in North America, Europe, Oceania and Asia.