Lizzo has been accused of screaming at her backup dancers and making them cry.
The pop star is facing a lawsuit from three of her dancers — Crystal Williams, Arianna Davis and Noelle Rodriguez — for alleged sexual harassment, creating a hostile work environment and discrimination which the singer has branded “unbelievable” and “outrageous” – and now their lawyer Ronald Zambrano has spoken out about their story alleging the singer was “was very different privately”.
Zambrano told PEOPLE.com: “The theme that I’m hearing is that there’s an external persona that Lizzo presents, inclusivity and come as you are, but in private, it was very different. And that’s what came across to me in talking to these young ladies. Lizzo was very different privately.”
The attorney went on to speak about an alleged incident in which Rodriguez confronted Lizzo — real name Melissa Jefferson — for allegedly “berating” Davis for making voice notes during rehearsals and then firing her a week after Williams was also dismissed.
Zambrano added: “They were really freaked out that last day when Lizzo started yelling, screaming and getting in people’s faces, and the dancers were … not just the plaintiffs — the other dancers were crying. It was just so intense.”
The three women are suing Lizzo as well as her Big Grrrl Big Touring company and dance team captain, Shirlene Quigley.
The suit also claims the plaintiffs experienced a “sexually charged and uncomfortable” working environment.
The trio alleged while on a concert trip with the Grammy Award-winning artist to Amsterdam in February 2023, Lizzo invited them for a night out on the town that ended in the city’s Red Light District.
They said in their filing: “Things quickly got out of hand. Lizzo began inviting cast members to take turns touching the nude performers, catching dildos launched from the performers’ vaginas, and eating bananas protruding from the performers’ vaginas.”
The dancers added Lizzo allegedly “pressured” and “goaded” Arianna into touching one of the nude performer’s breasts.
The plaintiffs’ attorney said in a statement: “The stunning nature of how Lizzo and her management team treated their performers seems to go against everything Lizzo stands for publicly, while privately she weight-shames her dancers and demeans them in ways that are not only illegal but absolutely demoralising.”
Lizzo has since denounced the lawsuit in a post on Instagram, writing: “These last few days have been gut-wrenchingly difficult and overwhelmingly disappointing.
“My work ethic, morals and respectfulness have been questioned.
“My character has been criticised.
“Usually, I choose not to respond to false allegations, but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous not to be addressed.
“These sensationalised stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behaviour on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional (sic).”