An episode of Lizzo’s reality series from 2021 shows the singer encouraging dancers to pose nude as part of a challenge on the talent show to become one of her dancers.
The series, Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, which is available on Prime Video, shows one contestant in particular who is visibly uncomfortable with a naked photo shoot challenge – Arianna Davis. Davis is now one of three dancers suing Lizzo for alleged sexual harassment.
Davis is one of three plaintiffs, alongside fellow contestant Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez, who was hired after impressing Lizzo with her performance in the singer’s music video for the song “Rumors”.
The lawsuit, which was filed on Tuesday (1 August), alleges that Lizzo “hounded” one of the plaintiffs into touching a nude performer at an Amsterdam strip club. It also alleges that Lizzo pressured Davis to touch the breasts of one of the nude women. It’s claimed the singer, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, led a chant goading her to do so when she refused.
Watch Out for the Big Grrrls viewers might remember Davis as one of the contestants who was shown to feel uncomfortable during an episode in which Lizzo asked the dancers to pose nude.
The synopsis for the installment reads: “In this emotional episode Lizzo encourages the girls to break through the negativity and past body trauma by embracing their curves fully through a nude photo shoot, but not all the dancers are comfortable with shedding their clothes and exposing the skin they’re in.”
After being told what Lizzo had planned for them, Davis immediately said: “Oh my god, I don’t know.”
Detecting Davis’ hesitation, Lizzo replied: “Arianna, how you feeling? Uh-oh,” to which Davis told her: “I’m OK. Yeah I just... I’m, like, a little worried about that.”
Lizzo continued: “Listen, it’s scary and it’s wild, but I’ll tell you a huge part of my self-love journey and my journey with body confidence came with being in the buff. I am an exhibitionist so that’s a little easier to get to. But that feeling of liberation is what I really want you ladies to experience. Listen, we are gonna make sure that you feel comfortable every step of the way and we take care of you and we respect your boundaries every step of the way.”
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These words didn’t assuage Davis’s concerns, though, and later on in the episode, she suggested she felt not getting naked might scupper her chances at winning the chance to be hired by Lizzo.
Speaking to the camera, Davis, who was tearful, said: “I’ve been having a little bit of a hard time with the nude photoshoot. I wanna really participate. It’s kind of getting to me a little bit. I am a little bit more modest, and I think that might hinder my chances of being a Big Grrrl. I think I can be naked emotionally and mentally without being naked physically.”
Arianna Davis, who is suing Lizzo, expressed discomfort at nude photoshoot task on ‘Watch Out for the Big Grrrls’— (Prime Video)
Echoing these concerns to fellow contestant Moesha Perez, Davis told her: “I feel like that they might just be like, ‘Oh she didn’t accept the challenge.’”
Later in the episode, Lizzo explained: “I’m assessing them on their choreography, but also I’m looking for: ‘Are you comfortable in your own skin?’” before praising Sydney, a contestant who she said was “mentally and emotionally prepared” for the nude photo shoot.
It’s Perez who ultimately encouraged Davis to do the photoshoot in a way that made her feel comfortable, telling her: “But it’s something you’re not comfortable with and your comfortability comes first. So if there’s something you really don’t wanna do, then you don’t have to feel forced to do it ‘cause you still have a say.”
Davis decided to take part in the photoshoot, opting to wear her swimsuit. After, she stated: “I didn’t sacrifice who I was, but I also embraced the challenge.”
The Independent has contacted Lizzo and Prime Video for comment.
Lizzo tasked ‘Watch Out for the Big Grrrls’ competitors with posing nude – but some were not some comfortable— (Prime Video)
The 44-page suit against Lizzo, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court and obtained by The Independent, further alleges that Lizzo and her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring are responsible for assault, racial and religious harassment, fat-shaming, disability discrimination, and false imprisonment.
“Plaintiffs were aghast with 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,” the complaint reads.
Lyrics of one of Lizzo’s famous songs are now raising eyebrows in the wake of the allegations against the singer.
