Earlier this year, Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Lizzo was rocked by several allegations of sexual harassment and of fostering a toxic work environment.
This week, the singer’s legal woes continue as a fashion designer, who toured with Lizzo earlier this year, filed a lawsuit against her and her team members, claiming she was forced to work in a “racist and sexualized” environment.
Asha Daniels, who designed wardrobe for Lizzo’s dancers, claimed she experienced “degradation, forced physical labor, denial of medical care, sexual harassment, and racial harassment” while on tour.
“Almost immediately, Plaintiff was introduced to the culture of racism and bullying on Lizzo’s tour,” the lawsuit alleged. Daniels claims the dancers were “forced to change in and out of their clothing in small, tight, changing areas during all the shows with little to no privacy whatsoever” while crew members who were “primarily white males, would lewdly gawk, sneer, and giggle while watching the dancers rush through their outfit changes.”
Lizzo accepts the Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award and says, “I’m going to continue to put on, represent, and create safe spaces for Black, fat women because that’s what the fuck I do.” pic.twitter.com/aWskYSMM1r
— mya. (@myabriabe) September 22, 2023
In a recent interview, the fashion designer opened up about the abuse she says she experienced while working with the star.
“I felt like I was living in a madhouse. It was totally shocking,” Daniels told NBC News. “I was listening to this Black woman on this huge stage have this message of self-love and caring for others and being empathetic and being strong and standing up for others. And I was witnessing myself, the dancers and the background vocalists and my local team in every city be harassed and bullied regularly.”
Lizzo has denied all of the allegations against her. However, Daniels’ legal team believes she must be held accountable.
“Lizzo is the boss so the buck stops with her,” Daniels’ lawyer, Ron Zambrano, said in a statement. “She has created a sexualized and racially charged environment on her tours that her management staff sees as condoning such behavior, and so it continues unchecked. Lizzo certainly knows what’s going on but chooses not to put an end to this disgusting and illegal conduct and participates herself.”
Zambrano also represents three of Lizzo’s former dancers, who sued the singer and her production company.
