A complaint was filed in Los Angeles against singer Lizzo, real name Melissa Viviane Jefferson, and her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc. The complaint also brings attention to alleged behavior from Shirlene Quigley, the captain of Lizzo’s dance team. The three dancers – Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez – claim they experienced sexual, religious, and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault, and false imprisonment, among other allegations. Ms. Davis and Ms. Williams were ultimately fired from their positions, while Ms. Rodriguez resigned due to the “appalling behavior.” West Coast Employment Lawyers is representing the plaintiffs.
Part of the lawsuit describes a trip to Amsterdam’s red light district in February 2023, during which performers were allegedly pressured to participate in nights out under the threat of losing their jobs. At a club called Bananenbar, performers were allegedly encouraged by Lizzo to touch nude performers. The complaint states, “Plaintiffs were shocked by how little regard Lizzo showed for the bodily autonomy of her employees and those around her, especially in the presence of many people whom she employed.”
Lizzo, a Grammy-winning singer known for her advocacy of body-positivity and inclusivity, hired plus-sized performers through her reality show “Watch Out For The Big Grrrls.” The dancers accused Lizzo of drawing attention to Ms. Davis’ weight gain and subsequently berating and firing her on the spot after she recorded a meeting due to a health condition. The complaint also alleges that Lizzo directed expletives towards her dancers and acted aggressively towards Ms. Williams by cracking her knuckles and balling her fists.
After being fired, Ms. Davis was allegedly held in a room while a security team member searched her phone. Additionally, it is claimed that Lizzo accused dancers of not performing up to par and accused them of drinking alcohol before shows, despite the dancers never engaging in such behavior. This led to several dancers having to re-audition for their positions under “brutal” criteria, with the possibility of being fired.
The lawsuit also addresses the alleged behavior of Ms. Quigley, who reportedly pushed her Christian beliefs onto the dance group and made them feel uncomfortable. Ms. Quigley also supposedly shared inappropriate details about her sexual habits and performed oral sex on a banana as an unprompted “party trick.” It is unclear from the lawsuit whether Lizzo was aware of these allegations against Ms. Quigley.
Ron Zambrano, attorney for the plaintiffs, expressed disappointment in how Lizzo and her management team treated their performers, stating, “The stunning nature of how Lizzo and her management team treated their performers seems to go against everything Lizzo stands for publicly…while privately she weight-shames her dancers and demeans them in ways that are not only illegal but absolutely demoralizing.”
Representatives for Lizzo have been contacted for comment.
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