Lizzo has reportedly been dropped from the Super Bowl LVII Halftime Show consideration, after facing a series of shocking allegations from three of her former dancers.
According to DailyMail.com, the 35-year-old was one of the frontrunners being considered by the NFL, but she is no longer in the running amid the ongoing backlash against her.
An insider said: “Talks of Lizzo being a part of the Halftime festivities, or performing the National Anthem, are dead now that she is surrounded by scandal.”
A second source close to the singer has also claimed her team is “desperately trying to come up with a strategy to save her sinking ship.”
“It is becoming more and more difficult with more people coming forth accusing her of extremely inappropriate acts,” the insider said.
“Lizzo has raked in a massive amount of money but her minute is pretty much up it seems and no one knows if she will be able to recover from this.
“If she speaks out, her statements are shredded. If she stays quiet, she is called a coward. Either way, it does not appear at this moment that she can recover from this.”
Earlier this week, lawyers representing three of Lizzo’s former dancers claimed they were reviewing six new complaints against the singer.
According to NBC, the complaints came from people who have toured with the 35-year-old, as well as some who worked on her Amazon Prime Video show.
Attorney Ron Zambrano claimed several of the complaints detail a “sexually charged environment” while others have simply alleged they weren’t paid.
The attorney said: “Some of the claims we are reviewing may be actionable, but it is too soon to say.”
The songstress has been at the centre of a scandal since last week, when three of her former dancers filed a lawsuit against her.
Lizzo has vehemently denied the claims made against her in the lawsuit.
In the lawsuit, Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez accused the singer of creating a “hostile, abusive work environment”, and claimed 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.”
“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”.
Ms Davis also alleges that she was “detained in the room where the meeting had taken place by a member of Lizzo’s security detail” so he could search for the video on her phone.
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.”
Elsewhere, Sophia Nahli Allison, Lizzo’s former documentary director, wrote on her Instagram Stories: “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.”
Lizzo, whose legal name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, has since denied the allegations in a statement shared on social media.
Taking to Instagram last Thursday, the songstress penned: “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 criticized. Usually I choose not to respond to false allegations but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed.”
“These sensationalized stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional,” Lizzo continued to write.
“As an artist I have always been very passionate about what I do. I take my music and my performances seriously because at the end of the day I only want to put out the best art that represents me and my fans.”
“With passion comes hard work and high standards. Sometimes I have to make hard decisions but it’s never my intention to make anyone feel uncomfortable or like they aren’t valued as an important part of the team.”
“I am not here to be looked at as a victim, but also know that I am not the villain that people and the media have portrayed me to be these last few days.”
Lizzo continued: “I am very open with my sexuality and expressing myself but I cannot accept or allow people to use that openness to make me out to be something I am not.”
“There is nothing I take more seriously than the respect we deserve as women in the world. I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis and would absolutely never criticize or terminate an employee because of their weight.”
“I’m hurt but I will not let the good work l’ve done in the world be overshadowed by this. I want to thank everyone who has reached out in support to lift me up during this difficult time,” the songstress concluded.
