Lizzo makes first statement since being hit with hostile workplace lawsuit
Lizzo calls allegations against her "as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous not to be addressed"
Lizzo is “not the villain that people and the media have portrayed [her] to be these last few days.” So says Lizzo herself, in the singer’s first statement since news broke that three of her former dancers had filed a lawsuit against her. Since then, a handful of other former associates have come forward to substantiate claims that Lizzo fostered a toxic work environment on her tour, while the lawsuit details additional allegations ranging from sexual harassment to weight shaming.
“These last few days have been gut wrenchingly difficult and overwhelmingly disappointing. My work ethic, morals and respectfulness have been questioned. My character has been criticized,” Lizzo wrote in the statement shared to social media. “Usually I choose not to respond to false allegations but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous not to be addressed.”
The artist claimed that the “sensationalized stories” came from ex-employees who had admitted to “inappropriate and unprofessional” behavior while touring with Lizzo. She went on to seemingly address the allegation that she put her dancers through a grueling second audition (after they’d already been working on the tour), during which one dancer was so anxious about keeping her job that she ended up soiling herself rather than use the bathroom. “With passion comes hard work and high standards,” Lizzo wrote. “Sometimes I have to make hard decisions but it’s never my intention to make anyone feel uncomfortable or like they aren’t valued as an important part of the team.”