Lizzo Formally Denies Former Backup Dancers' Allegations

BYCaroline Fisher432 Views
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62nd Annual Grammy Awards - Arrivals
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 26: Lizzo attends the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards at Staples Center on January 26, 2020 in Los Angeles, CA. (Photo by David Crotty/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)

According to the filing, the dancers “ratified, acquiesced, condoned and/or approved of” Lizzo's behavior.

In August, three of Lizzo's former backup dancers came forward with allegations about the time they spent working for the hitmaker. According to them, the performer created a hostile work environment. They accuse her of sexual harassment, racial harassment, and more. The dancers came together to sue Lizzo, as well as her touring company and dance captain.

Shortly after the lawsuit was made public, Lizzo took to social media to respond. In a post, she denied the allegations, claiming that they were "devastating" to her. She called the backup dancers' accounts "sensationalized stories from people [she] gave opportunities to," adding that she felt they were "too outrageous not to be addressed." Now, she's issued a former denial of the allegations in the suit. According to Pitchfork, the filing includes more than 30 lines of defense from her team, who claim the plaintiffs “ratified, acquiesced, condoned and/or approved of” her behavior.

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Lizzo Continues To Deny Allegations

Lizzo accepts the Record Of The Year award for “About Damn Time” onstage during the 65th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Following the initial suit, several more former employees came forward with their own allegations against her. Just last week, a woman who worked with her on tour filed a lawsuit against the "Truth Hurts" singer, accusing her of creating a toxic work environment. The woman, Asha Daniels, alleges that Lizzo made her work for 20 hours straight with no breaks. She also accused a member of Lizzo's team, Amanda Nomura, of making racist and fatphobic comments on multiple occasions.

Her team responded promptly with a statement. “As Lizzo receives a Humanitarian Award tonight from the Black Music Action Coalition for the incredible charitable work she has done to lift up all people, an ambulance-chasing lawyer tries to sully this honor by recruiting someone to file a bogus, absurd publicity-stunt lawsuit who, wait for it, never actually met or even spoke with Lizzo," it reads. What do you think of Lizzo formally denying the allegations? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates on Lizzo.

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About The Author
Caroline Fisher is a News Writer at HotNewHipHop from Chicago, Illinois. She started at HNHH this year, and has since spent her time writing about all that is newsworthy in the world of hip-hop. With a drive for hunting down the hottest stories, she enjoys documenting new developments in culture and entertainment. She also has an appreciation for hip-hop and seeks to cover the most important trends and shifts. She has a Bachelor of Arts which she received at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Having graduated in 2022, she majored in English with a concentration in Media, Rhetoric and Cultural Studies. Specializing all things music, pop culture and entertainment, some of her favorite musical artists include Snoop Dogg, OutKast, and Nicki Minaj. When she’s not writing about music she’s also a fan of attending shows, watching the latest movies, staying up-to-date with current events, photography, and poetry.