Washington: American rapper and singer Lizzo has publicly addressed the sexual assault lawsuit filed against her by three of her former backup dancers in August 2023, claiming her innocence in a rare and candid interview.
According to E! News, in an interview, the multi-Grammy-winning artist strongly denied the allegations, which included allegations of sexual harassment, weight loss and creating a hostile work environment.
The lawsuit, filed by former dancers Crystal Williams, Ariana Davis and Noel Rodriguez, comes just days after Lizzo completed her special tour.
According to E! News, the plaintiffs claim that Lizzo’s actions, which included allegedly inviting the cast to engage with naked performers in Amsterdam’s red light district, violated their personal boundaries and created a toxic environment on set.
“I was literally living my dream,” Lizzo shared in a prior interview, describing the shock she felt when the lawsuit was filed.
He added, “And then the tour ended, and three ex-dancers completely blindsided me with a lawsuit.”
The ‘Truth Hurts’ singer expressed that the allegations were especially painful because the dancers in question were people she had personally mentored and given opportunities to.
“I was like, ‘What?'” Lizzo recalled, “but then I heard all this other stuff like sexual harassment, and I was like, they’re trying to — well, I don’t know what they’re doing. “I’m trying to–but these are things that the media can turn into something it’s not.”
Despite the serious nature of the allegations, Lizzo stressed her belief that the claims were exaggerated.
“Let’s be clear,” she said firmly, “I did nothing wrong, so I have no regrets.”
According to the lawsuit obtained by E! News, the plaintiffs accused Lizzo of fostering a “hostile, abusive work environment” during their time together.
They also alleged that Lizzo had organized an outing in Amsterdam’s red light district in February 2023, where she allegedly invited dancers to join in with the naked performers, claiming that the situation was inappropriate and Both were inconvenient.
While Lizzo says she has been dismissed from the lawsuit, the dancers’ attorney, Ron Zambrano, said Lizzo remains a defendant in the ongoing sexual harassment case.
He argued that the power imbalance between a global celebrity like Lizzo and her junior dancers could lead to coercion, making it difficult for dancers to decline their invitations without fear of repercussions.
Zambrano said, “Lizzo completely lacks the awareness to see how these young women on her team, who are just starting their careers, would feel pressured to accept an invitation from their global celebrity boss, who might We rarely hang out with them.” In a statement according to E! news.
He added, “There is a power dynamic in the boss-employee context that Lizzo completely fails to appreciate.”
The lawsuit comes shortly after Lizzo publicly addressed similar allegations on social media.
In a post shared on her Instagram in August 2023, the singer strongly denied the allegations and described the stories as “sensationalist”.
He said the allegations were made on behalf of former employees who had already admitted that their behavior on the tour was considered “inappropriate and unprofessional”.
While Lizzo made it clear that she did not want to portray herself as a “victim”, she stressed that she refused to be humiliated.
“I’m very open with my sexuality and how I express myself, but I can’t accept that or allow people to use that openness to make me look like something I’m not,” Lizzo wrote. ”
The singer also stressed her commitment to respecting women and promoting body positivity.
She added, “There’s nothing I take more seriously than the respect we deserve as women in the world.” She added, “I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis and I would never criticize an employee or fire them.” Because of their weight.”
