Lizzo’s dancers have released a statement defending the singer after she was sued by former members of her troupe.
The “Good As Hell” singer is being sued by former members of her dance troupe over a number of allegations, including sexual harassment and weight shaming.
Lizzo, 35, has denied the allegations, “calling them gut-wrenchingly difficult and overwhelmingly disappointing”.
According to the legal filing, the musician, who is known for her brand of self-love empowerment pop, is claimed to have pressured one of her dancers, Arianna Davis into touching a nude performer at an Amsterdam strip club earlier this year.
It is also alleged that Lizzo – real name Melissa Jefferson – set up a humiliating 12-hour re-audition for her dancers, and fostered a hostile work environment.
On Thursday (17 August), a statement was shared on the Instagram page representing Lizzo’s current group of dancers, known as the Big Grrrls and Big Boiiis.
In their open letter, the group thanked Lizzo for her work on the recent Special tour, which concluded in July following shows at arenas and festivals across the world, including Glastonbury.
Stating that they had “the time of our lives” on tour, the group said: “We have been so honoured to share the stage with such amazing talent.
“The commitment to character and culture taking precedence over every movement and moment has been one of the Greatest lessons and Blessings that we could possibly ask for.”
They continued: “THANK YOU to Lizzo for shattering limitations and kicking in the door way for the Big Grrrl & Big Boiii Dancers to do what we love!
“Not only for us, but for women and all people breaking barriers… So grateful that the standards and existence of beauty in THIS team goes beyond the surface.”
The statement was accompanied by behind-the-scenes footage from the tour.
In the lawsuit against Lizzo, which was filed by three of her former dancers on 1 August, the singer and her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring are accused of for assault, racial and religious harassment, fat-shaming, disability discrimination, and false imprisonment.
One week after the suit was filed, the attorney representing the accusers said his firm is reviewing complaints from at least six other people who claim to have worked with the singer.
Lizzo on stage with her dancers— (AP)
In her statement denying the original allegations, Lizzo said: “These sensationalised stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behaviour on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional.
“There is nothing I take more seriously than the respect we deserve as women in the world, I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis and would absolutely never criticise or terminate an employee because of their weight.”
Earlier this week, Beyoncé showed support for the singer, saying she “loved” her on stage during a performance of “Break My Soul (The Queens Remix)” at her Renaissance tour.
Weeks before, when the lawsuit was filed against Lizzo, fans had speculated that Beyoncé had deliberately omitted the singer’s name in the lyrics of the same track.
