Lizzo sued by former dancers over alleged sexual harassment

LOS ANGELES — Singer-songwriter Lizzo and her production company are facing a lawsuit by three former dancers over allegations of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment, according to a complaint filed on Tuesday.

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The allegations stem from incidents that allegedly occurred between 2021 and 2023, Rolling Stone reported.

According to Variety, the complaint was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court against Lizzo, 35, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson; her production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc.; and Shirlene Quigley, the captain of Lizzo’s dance team.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit against the four-time Grammy Award winner are Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez, Deadline reported. The trio alleged that they were body shamed, forced to endure a self-described “excruciating” audition for their own jobs after they were accused of drinking on the job, and held to prohibitive “soft hold” retainers, the entertainment news outlet reported.

Other accusations include sexual, religious and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault and false imprisonment, Variety reported.

The lawsuit also alleged that the dancers were pressured to touch nude dancers during a live sex show in Amsterdam’s Red Light District, according to the website.

The three dancers performed with Lizzo between September 2021 and April 2022 during “The Special Tour” and also participated into 2023 for a European tour, according to Rolling Stone.

The accusations against Lizzo also include calling attention to Davis’ weight gain, allegedly calling her out for not being committed to her role on the team, Variety reported.

A representative for Lizzo did not immediately respond to Variety’s request for comment.

The lawsuit also accuses Quigley of trying to convert the dancers to her religion, calling her alleged behavior “unceasing,” Rolling Stone reported. Quigley also allegedly chastised the dancers for having premarital sex, according to court documents.

Quigley did not return Variety’s request for comment.

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