Lizzo performs on the Governors Ball Music Competition within the Queens borough of New York in June.

Andy Kropa/Invision/AP

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Andy Kropa/Invision/AP

Lizzo performs on the Governors Ball Music Competition within the Queens borough of New York in June.

Andy Kropa/Invision/AP

Three skilled dancers are demanding a jury trial of their lawsuit in opposition to Lizzo — a four-time Grammy-winning artist recognized for celebrating physique positivity — for allegedly making a hostile work setting. The allegations embrace sexual, racial and spiritual harassment and false imprisonment.

The go well with introduced in opposition to 35-year-old Melissa Viviane Jefferson, professionally often called Lizzo, was filed on the Los Angeles County Superior Courtroom on Tuesday. It paints an image of an allegedly hostile work setting, in stark distinction to how she portrays herself to the general public.

The lawsuit, obtained by the plaintiff’s attorneys at West Coast Employment Attorneys (WCEL), features a slew of accusations in opposition to the artist, her manufacturing firm Huge Grrrl Huge Touring Inc., in addition to the captain of her dance crew, Shirlene Quigley.

Lizzo’s former dancers, Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez filed a complete of 9 expenses in opposition to the Grammy profitable artist and her crew spanning from Could 2021 to Could 2023. Throughout that point the dancers had been “weight-shamed, pressured to endure sexually denigrating conduct and preaching about sexuality and Christianity, and had been pressured into collaborating in disturbing intercourse exhibits,” in keeping with a WCEL assertion.

“The gorgeous nature of how Lizzo and her administration crew handled their performers appears to go in opposition to every thing Lizzo stands for publicly, whereas privately she weight-shames her dancers and demeans them in methods that aren’t solely unlawful however completely demoralizing,” WCEL legal professional Ron Zambrano stated in a press release.

Lizzo was dubbed the “undisputed queen of TikTok” by Billboard journal final December after raking in probably the most video views on the social media platform in 2022. She’s lengthy been a backer of physique positivity and self-love, encouraging listeners and followers to be snug in their very own pores and skin.

NPR tried to succeed in Lizzo’s representatives for remark however a response was not acquired earlier than publication.

The 44-page criticism alleges the performer does not at all times follow what she preaches.

The lawsuit alleges Lizzo, her manufacturing firm and Quigley created an “insupportable” hostile work setting which incorporates, however is just not restricted to, “Defendants’ repeated publicity of Plaintiffs to nudity in opposition to their will, and pervasive behavior of sharing lewd fantasies and tales of sexual encounters.”

The paperwork element one event the place Lizzo allegedly pressured Davis, Rodriguez and Williams — and the remainder of her workers — to interact with nude performers in Amsterdam’s red-light district, during which Davis repeatedly stated she did not wish to and was “hounded” by Lizzo because of this.

One of many complaints alleges that Lizzo aggressively confronted Rodriguez, who was resigning due to how the pop star had handled Davis. The criticism alleges Lizzo stormed towards the dancer balling her palms into fists and cracking her knuckles whereas shouting profanities. Lizzo was restrained, in keeping with the court docket paperwork, however Rodriguez feared Lizzo was going to assault her.

One other cost accuses Lizzo of falsely imprisoning Davis in a room, preserving her there in opposition to her will till she allowed tour employees to look her telephone and iCloud storage.

Two of the plaintiffs, Davis and Williams, first met Lizzo in March 2021, whereas competing as contestants on the fact TV present, Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Huge Grrrls, for an opportunity to affix the star’s dwell exhibits. Rodriguez was employed in Could 2021, as a dancer for Lizzo’s “Rumors” music video and stayed on with the dance crew.

Davis and Williams had been finally fired, however Rodriguez resigned citing Lizzo’s conduct, in keeping with the WCEL assertion.