In news that has rocked the music industry, Truth Hurts singer Lizzo has been accused of subjecting her backup dancers to weight-shaming as well as forcing them to partake in sexually denigrating behaviour.
Dancers Arianna Davis and Crystal Williams have claimed in a lawsuit filed on Tuesday, seen by Page Six, that they were fired by the singer whilst the third plaintiff Noelle Rodriguez resigned over Lizzo’s behaviour.
Whilst on a trip to Amsterdam in February 2023, the dancers say Lizzo invited them to a night out which ended in Amsterdam’s red light district. The red light district is known for its sex theatres, sex shops and bars.
The lawsuit states, “… things quickly got out of hand. Lizzo began inviting cast members to take turns touching the nude performers, catching dildos launched from the performers’ vaginas, and eating bananas protruding from the performers’ vaginas.”
The lawsuit claims Lizzo “pressured” and “goaded” Davis into touching one of the naked performer’s breasts.
The 35-year-old singer then allegedly deceived them into attending another nude show a month later, “robbing them of the choice not to participate,” the documents state.
Other allegations refer to general bad treatment under Lizzo’s employment.
Davis claims she had no choice but to “soil herself” on stage during an “excruciating” re-audition, “fearing the repercussions” of going to the bathroom.
Lizzo allegedly fired Davis “on the spot” after learning Davis had recorded one of their meetings, although Davis said she only did so to have “a copy of the notes.”
Rodriguez resigned shortly after Davis, citing the “disrespect” Lizzo allegedly showed her.
The lawsuit claims she “feared that Lizzo intended to hit her and would have done so if one of the other dancers had not intervened.”
The plaintiffs are suing for “general and special damages, as well as punitive damages and attorneys’ fees.”
“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 … absolutely demoralizing,” the plaintiffs’ attorney, Ron Zambrano, said in a statement.
Lizzo has built a large reputation around body positivity, even launching her own shapewear brand Yitty.
