Lizzo is facing more allegations of an “abuse of power”, following a lawsuit in which she was accused of sexual harassment and weight-shaming by three of her former dancers.
Taking to her Instagram Stories on Wednesday, Sophia Nahli Allison, Lizzo’s former documentary director, penned: “I usually do not comment on anything pop culture related.”
“But, in 2019, I travelled a bit with Lizzo to be the director of her documentary.”
Ms Allison alleged: “I witnessed how arrogant, self-centred, and unkind she is. I was not protected and thrown into a sh**ty situation with little support.”
“My spirit said to run as fast as you f**king can and I’m so grateful I trusted my gut. I felt gaslit and was deeply hurt, but I’ve healed.”
“Reading these reports made me realise how dangerous of a situation it was,” the director claimed. “This kind of abuse of power happens far too often. Much love and support to the dancers.”
Three of Lizzo’s former dancers, Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez, claim the singer created a “hostile, abusive work environment”, and that they faced sexual, religious and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault and false imprisonment.
The dancers are also suing Lizzo’s Big Grrrl Big Touring production company and dance captain Shirlene Quigley – who they claim often preached about her Christian views while also sharing “luridly detailed stories about her masturbatory habits and sexual fantasies, occasionally taking breaks to publicly practice her oral sex skills on bananas” in front of the dance crew.
According to the complaint, which was filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court and obtained by E! News, Lizzo made the dancers feel uncomfortable during a trip she organised to Amsterdam’s Red Light District back in February.
The dancers accused the Truth Hurts singer of “inviting cast members to take turns touching the nude performers” at an adult club.
The lawsuit alleges: “The main event of the night was a club called Bananenbar, where patrons are allowed to interact with completely nude performers. While at Bananenbar, things quickly got out of hand.”
The lawsuit continues to allege: “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.”
“Lizzo then turned her attention to Ms Davis and began pressuring Ms.Davis to touch the breasts of one of the nude women performing at the club.”
“Lizzo began leading a chant goading Ms Davis. Ms Davis said three times, loud enough for all to hear, ‘I’m good,’ expressing her desire not to touch the performer.”
Ms Davis claims she eventually gave in because she feared if she didn’t, it would affect her future on the dance team.
The dancers also accused Lizzo of badgering a member of her security team to get on stage, before allegedly pulling down his pants and hitting him with whips, yelling “Take it off!”
The lawsuit also claims: “Lizzo’s and Ms Scott’s questions about Ms Davis’ commitment to the tour were thinly veiled concerns about Ms Davis’ weight gain, which Lizzo had previously called attention to after noticing it at the South by Southwest music festival.”
“Although Lizzo and Ms Scott never explicitly stated it, these questions, accompanied by Lizzo’s statements made after the South by Southwest music festival, gave Ms Davis the impression that she needed to explain her weight gain and disclose intimate personal details about her life in order to keep her job.”
Ms Davis also alleges that she was so fearful of losing her job, that she once soiled herself during an “excruciating” 12-hour rehearsal where dancers were made to re-audition for their spots.
According to the lawsuit, she was later fired “for innocently recording a meeting the dancers had with Lizzo about their performances”.
She claims she took to video because she suffers from an eye condition that sometimes leaves her disoriented in stressful situations.
Ms Williams claims she was fired in a hotel lobby “under the guise of budget cuts”, and Ms Rodriguez says she was so bothered by how Ms Williams and Ms Davis were treated that she resigned.
The lawsuit alleges: “Lizzo aggressively approached Ms. Rodriquez, cracking her knuckles, balling her fists, and exclaiming, ‘You’re lucky. You’re so f**king lucky!’.”
“Ms Rodriguez feared that Lizzo intended to hit her and would have done so if one of the other dancers had not intervened. Neither security nor management did anything to de-escalate the situation. As Lizzo left the room, she raised both her middle fingers and yelled, ‘Bye, bitch!’”
Lizzo’s former dancers are now asking the courts for damages – including unpaid wages, loss of earnings, deferred compensation, employment benefit, emotional distress, medical expenses and attorneys’ fees.
After the lawsuit hit headlines, more of Lizzo’s ex dancers spoke out on social media.
Courtney Hollinquest wrote on her Instagram Stories: “I’m not a part of the lawsuit — but this was very much my experience in my time there. Big shoutout to the dancers who had the courage to bring this to light.”
Quinn Wilson re-shared Courtney’s post, and wrote: “I haven’t been a part of that world for around three years, for a reason. I very much applaude [sic] the dancers’ courage to bring this to light. And I grieve parts of my own experience. I’d appreciate space to understand my feelings.”
Lizzo, whose legal name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, and Shirlene Quigley have not yet commented on the allegations.
