A sexual harassment lawsuit against the Grammy-winning musical sensation Lizzo is set to move forward - despite her attempts top block it.
On Friday, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge ruled against Lizzo's attempt to have a sexual harassment lawsuit, filed by several of her former background dancers, dismissed. As reported by PEOPLE, the lawsuit - filed on August 1, 2023 - alleges a disturbing array of workplace violations, including abuse, harassment, discrimination, and more, during the plaintiffs' time working with the musician.
The three plaintiffs - Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez - have come forward with their alleged experiences while working for Lizzo and her company, Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc. Their claims of mistreatment have cast a shadow over the Grammy winner's otherwise positive image.
Los Angeles attorney Ron Zambrano, representing the three women, expressed their satisfaction with the judge's ruling. "We're very pleased with the judge's ruling, and we absolutely consider it a victory on balance," Zambrano stated in a release to PEOPLE.
Although some allegations, such as fat-shaming and a nude photoshoot, were dismissed, the core claims remain, including allegations of sexual, religious, and racial discrimination, sexual harassment, false imprisonment, and assault.
Zambrano emphasized the significance of the ruling, stating, "The ruling also rightfully signals that Lizzo — or any celebrity — is not insulated from this sort of reprehensible conduct merely because she is famous. We now look forward to conducting discovery and preparing the case for trial."
However, Lizzo's spokesperson, Stefan Friedman, expressed a different perspective. "We are pleased that Judge Epstein wisely threw out all or part of four of the plaintiffs’ causes of action. Lizzo is grateful to the judge for seeing through much of the noise and recognizing who she is — a strong woman who exists to lift others up and spread positivity."
"We plan to appeal all elements that the judge chose to keep in the lawsuit and are confident we will prevail," Friedman added.
In a 34-page court document, mention was made of Amsterdam's famous Red Light District called Bananenbar. This reference ties into an incident where Lizzo allegedly insisted that members of her touring team join her at the venue, which showcases nude dancers.
The lawsuit also touches on other troubling allegations, including racial and religious discrimination. The plaintiffs claim that they were forced to participate in prayer circles as part of their work with Lizzo.
In August 2023, Lizzo took to social media to address the allegations, calling them "outrageous."
She stated: "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 not to be addressed."
Lizzo pushed back against what she referred to as "sensationalized stories" and claimed that the plaintiffs had previously been "told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional." She concluded her statement by asserting: "I am not the villain that people and the media have portrayed me to be."
The three plaintiffs had different entry points into their roles with Lizzo. Davis and Williams began working with her in 2021 for the Amazon reality show, Watch Out for the Big Grrrls. Rodriguez, on the other hand, was hired in 2021 after performing in the music video for Lizzo's hit song 'Rumors', but resigned in 2022.
