Lizzo: Former staff support dancers accusing her of sexual harassment and fat-shaming

Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sophia Nahli Allison has criticised “narcissistic bully” Lizzo as the singer’s reputation continues to be thrown into question.

The documentarian was set to make a film with Lizzo in 2019, but walked away after shadowing the singer for two weeks.

The “Good as Hell” singer has crafted a globally successful brand of body positivity and self-love, backed up by a litany of empowerment anthems. But as the star faces shocking allegations in a new lawsuit, The Independent’s Kate Ng digs into how she got here.

The plaintiffs include Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez, who filed the paperwork at the Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday 1 August.

Claims against the singer include that she invited her employees “to take turns touching nude performers, catching dildos launched from the performers’ vaginas, and eating bananas protruding from the performers’ vaginas” at a strip club in Amsterdam.

She is also accused of fat-shaming Davis, who was fired after Lizzo discovered her recording one of their meetings due to a health condition. “Ms Quigley and Lizzo then took turns berating Ms Davis,” the paperwork reportedly read. “After castigating Ms Davis, Lizzo fired Ms Davis on the spot.”

Quigley also allegedly “made comments deriding people who engaged in pre-marital sex, knowing that some members of the dance cast did not share her views”.

Lyrics from a famous Lizzo song are raising eyebrows in the wake of the lawsuit filed against the singer.

The singer is being sued by her former dancers for alleged sexual harassment and for allegedly establishing a hostile work environment, with the lawsuit claiming that Lizzo “hounded” one of the plaintiffs into touching a nude performer at an Amsterdam strip club.

Since the lawsuit was reported, lyrics from Lizzo’s Cardi B collaboration “Rumors”, released in 2021, are circulating social media.

The lyrics read: “Had to cut some hoes loose, yeah / NDA, no loose lips / Now them hoes tryna sue me / B****, I don’t give two s***s / All the rumors are true, yeah.”

Beyoncé fans have speculated she left out Lizzo’s name during a live performance on Tuesday in light of the recent allegations against her.

Social media users noted Beyoncé altered the lyrics of her song “Break My Soul (The Queen’s Remix)” in which she lists off a number of Black female artists, including Lizzo, Lauryn Hill, Betty Davis, and her sister Solange Knowles.

While performing in Boston, Massachusetts, on Tuesday night, Beyoncé appeared to leave out Lizzo’s name on purpose.

Since reports of the lawsuit began to emerge, several of Lizzo’s previous collaborators have spoken out in support of the accusers.

Courtney Hollinquest, a dancer who used to be a part of Lizzo’s dance troupe, shared an NBC News article about the lawsuit before stating that she had had a similar experience.

“For clarification, I’m not a part of the lawsuit – but this was very much my experience in my time there,” Hollinquest wrote on her Instagram Story on Tuesday. “Big shoutout to the dancers who had the courage to bring this to light.”

Lizzo’s former creative director Quinn Wilson said she “grieves part of my own experience” working with the Grammy winner, asking space “to understand my feelings”.

On her Instagram Story, Sophia Nahli Allison, whose short film A Love Song for Latasha (2019) was nominated for an Oscar, alleged that she exited her role as the director of a Lizzo documentary in 2019 because she “was treated with such disrespect”.

“I usually do not comment on anything pop culture related,” Allison wrote in her post. “But, in 2019, I traveled a bit with Lizzo to be the director of her documentary. I walked away after about two weeks. I was treated with such disrespect by her. I witnessed how arrogant and unkind she is. I was not protected and was thrown into a shitty situation with little support. My spirit said to run as fast as you fucking can and I’m so grateful I trusted by gut. I felt gaslit and was deeply hurt but I’ve healed.”

“Reading these reports made me realize how dangerous of a situation it was,” she added. “This kind of abuse of power happens far too often. Much love and support to the dancers.”