Lawyers review at least six more complaints against Lizzo
An attorney for three dancers who performed with Lizzo said his firm was reviewing at least six additional complaints against the singer from people who toured with her or worked on her reality show, Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls.
The Los Angeles-based employment lawyer, Ron Zambrano, told NBC News the new allegations were of a “sexually charged environment” and failure to pay employees.
Last week, Lizzo was hit with claims of sexual harassment, of creating a hostile work environment and of weightshaming.
The three former Lizzo dancers, Arianna Davis, Noelle Rodriguez and Crystal Williams, alleged they were made to touch a performer at an Amsterdam strip club during a tour party. The weight-shaming allegation concerned a dancer with an eating disorder.
Another dancer claimed Lizzo’s dance captain, Shirlene Quigley, ridiculed employees who had premarital sex while sharing lewd sexual fantasies, simulating oral sex and discussing the virginity of one tour member. Zambrano said the plaintiffs believed Lizzo was aware of the complaints against Quigley.
A lawyer for Lizzo, Marty Singer, called the lawsuit “specious”.
Lizzo, whose hits include feminist anthems About Damn Time, Juice and Truth Hurts, denied the allegations, calling them “sensationalised stories” and “overwhelmingly disappointing”.
Zambrano told NBC some of the new claims might be actionable, “but it is too soon to say”. Lizzo did not comment.
The latest sign of trouble for Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, came alongside the cancellation of Jay-Z’s Made in America festival in Philadelphia, which she was scheduled to headline.
The allegations against the fluteplaying star do not appear to have affected her sales, streaming and airplay, NBC said.