LIZZO’S dancers have today blasted the star’s statement saying their horror allegations were “fabricated”.
The US singer – who often preaches about body positivity – is being sued by three of her former backing dancers for alleged sexual harassment, creating a hostile work environment and discrimination.
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The trio also allege Lizzo, 35, pressured them to engage with nude performers at a club in Amsterdam.
The body positive icon today broke her silence and blasted the allegations as “fabricated”.
Now her former dancers, Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez, have revealed their “shock” over her denial.
In their first UK interview, the trio told Channel 4 News they found Lizzo’s statement to be “disheartening”.
On their initial reaction to Lizzo’s statement, Crystal said: “Initially for me it just further deepened my disappointment in regards to how I was feeling and how I was treated.
“I think the overall theme in all this is that our experiences were our experiences and our traumas were our traumas. In bringing that forward, it feels like it was disregarded completely.
“It feels like we were made out to be putting out false allegations when that’s not the case.”
She added that it was “very disheartening” to read the statement – “especially when she stands for what she stands for in regards to women’s empowerment”.
Adrianna said the ordeal hurts even more because they looked up to Lizzo for such a long time.
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Noelle then added: “I just think it’s disheartening and disappointing.
“It’s shocking to read a statement like that. In her words and the way she’s saying this, it’s invalidating not only our experience that she was there first-hand to witness.
“She mentioned something in this statement [around] protecting women – where was that same sentiment when I stated to her and wanted to talk out things and saying I’m resigning because I feel unsafe, I feel unheard, I’m disrespected.”
Lizzo today broke her silence on the matter, taking to Instagram to slam the claims.
She wrote: “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 behaviour on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional.”
The civil lawsuit filed on Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court also accuses Lizzo, 35, and her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc. of creating a hostile work environment.
The lawsuit claims that after a gig in Amsterdam, Lizzo and her crew went to a sexually themed show at a club in the city’s notorious Red Light District.
It says Lizzo began inviting cast members to take turns touching the nude performers.
But it is alleged the About Damn Time singer led a chant during the show pressuring Arianna to touch the breasts of one of the naked women.
The complaint claims that the chorus became overwhelming and a mortified Arianna reluctantly gave in in a bid to end the chants.
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