Lizzo’s backing dancers claim they “tried to settle” dispute “in-house” but were met with “rebuttal”
Two of the dancers who sued Lizzo for sexual harassment have given an interview, in which they allege they “tried to settle” the dispute “in-house” but were met with a “rebuttal”.
Last week, it was revealed that the singer is being sued by three of her former dancers, who cite accusations of sexual harassment and a hostile work environment.
Crystal Williams, Arianna Davis and Noelle Rodriguez have accused Lizzo of creating a hostile work environment and engaging in sexual harassment among other allegations. Her dance team captain Shirlene Quigley and production company Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc. are also named as defendants in the suit.
Lizzo then responded and said she was “hurt” by the “sensationalised” accusations, and has hired Marty Singer, the lawyer who has worked on recent cases against Jonah Hill, Johnny Depp, Bill Cosby and more.
Now, Williams and Rodriguez have spoken to Sky News and alleged that they tried to “settle” the disagreement “in-house” before filing a lawsuit, but claim they were met with a “rebuttal” from Lizzo’s team.
Williams also addressed a claim made by Lizzo that the dancers were being “unprofessional,” telling Sky News: “I want to clarify the fact that these statements that were made were not addressed to the three of us individually but to the entire dance cast as a collective. It’s not like we were singled out.”
Williams went on to claim that the claims of unprofessionalism came after the dancers asked to be put on a retainer for their work with Lizzo.
“This treatment by management, artists – it’s normal in the entertainment industry,” Rodriguez added, saying that fat-shaming is “something that happens on an everyday basis” in the music industry.
See footage from the interview below.
Three former backup dancers have filed a lawsuit against Lizzo, accusing her of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment
Crystal Williams addresses claims that they had admitted to being "unprofessional"
Lizzo has denied the allegationshttps://t.co/ysfCBeyAJO pic.twitter.com/GYEAQN5ome
— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 7, 2023
Noelle Rodriguez felt she was "singled out" in comparison to her black colleagues while working as a dancer for Lizzo.
She claims others were told they were unprofessional and were sacked, while she was not.
Read more: https://t.co/ysfCBeyAJO
Sky 501 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/k8H0a8Lor2
— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 7, 2023
Lizzo's former dancers Nicole Rodriguez and Crystal Williams explain why they have gone public with their accusations.
They said that they had "tried to settle this in-house" but they were met with "rebuttal."https://t.co/ysfCBeyAJO
— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 7, 2023
“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,” Lizzo said in response to the lawsuit.
“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.”
The three dancers then responded to her statement, saying it was “disheartening” to read. “Initially for me it just further deepened my disappointment in regards to how I was feeling and how I was treated,” Williams told Channel 4 in an interview.
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Will Richards
NME
