Lizzo Scores Legal Win As Former Stylist’s Lawsuit Is Dismissed

BY Erika Marie
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Lizzo performs at Bridgestone Arena  in Nashville , Tenn., Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022.Lizzo 028
Lizzo performs at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville , Tenn., Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022. Lizzo 028 USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Lizzo celebrated a legal victory after a judge ended former stylist Asha Daniels’ harassment and discrimination case.

One of the two major workplace lawsuits connected to Lizzo is no longer headed toward a jury. U.S. District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha granted summary judgment Tuesday to Big Grrrl Big Touring and the remaining defendants in former wardrobe designer Asha Daniels’ case, finding that the evidence she presented was not enough to sustain her harassment and discrimination claims. The Guardian reports that Lizzo had already been removed as an individual defendant in 2024, but she celebrated the new ruling as a broader vindication and told followers she has no intention of settling the separate case still pending against her.

Daniels sued in September 2023 after working for less than three weeks on the European portion of Lizzo’s Special Tour. Her complaint centered largely on alleged conduct inside the wardrobe department, including racist and fatphobic comments, sexual conversations, and mistreatment after she suffered injuries at work. Lizzo disputed the allegations, while her attorneys argued that Daniels never worked directly for the singer and acknowledged that the two had never met.

Accuser Couldn't Prove Her Case

The judge ultimately determined that the conduct Daniels described did not establish the type of gender-based hostility required for her Title VII claims. He also found insufficient evidence that men and women were treated differently in the workplace. Some of the alleged behavior was still characterized as inappropriate or unprofessional, but Aenlle-Rocha concluded that distinction was not enough to create a viable federal discrimination case. Daniels’ disability claim failed as well, with the court finding that injuries to her ankle and foot did not meet the legal requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Lizzo addressed the result without speaking in a video posted to Instagram, instead allowing a written statement to scroll across the screen. “Today I am relieved to announce that I have won the case against me and my touring company, Big Grrl Touring,” she wrote. She emphasized that Daniels had never met her and described the claims as “ridiculous,” before reiterating something she has said throughout the litigation. She plans to keep fighting rather than negotiate settlements simply to make the allegations disappear.

Read More: Lizzo Praised Amsterdam's Banana Sex Show In Resurfaced Interview

Additionally, the ruling also should not be confused with the separate lawsuit brought by former dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez. Their 2023 complaint accused Lizzo and members of her team of sexual harassment, discrimination, and other workplace misconduct. Lizzo has also denied those allegations. A judge dismissed one of their fat-shaming claims in December 2025, but the case remains active.

About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming the Co-Head of Original Content. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, and Amy Luciani—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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