Lizzo performs on the Governors Ball Music Festival 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 Festival 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 atmosphere. The allegations embody sexual, racial and spiritual harassment and false imprisonment.

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

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

Lizzo’s former dancers, Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez filed a complete of 9 fees in opposition to the Grammy successful artist and her staff spanning from May 2021 to May 2023. During that point the dancers had been “weight-shamed, forced to endure sexually denigrating behavior and preaching about sexuality and Christianity, and were pressured into participating in disturbing sex shows,” in accordance with a WCEL assertion.

“The stunning nature of how Lizzo and her management team treated their performers seems to go against everything Lizzo stands for publicly, while privately she weight-shames her dancers and demeans them in ways that are not only illegal but absolutely demoralizing,” WCEL lawyer Ron Zambrano mentioned in an announcement.

Lizzo was dubbed the “undisputed queen of TikTok” by Billboard magazine final December after raking in probably the most video views on the social media platform in 2022. She’s lengthy been a backer of body 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 grievance alleges the performer does not at all times apply what she preaches.

The lawsuit alleges Lizzo, her manufacturing firm and Quigley created an “intolerable” hostile work atmosphere which incorporates, however just isn’t restricted to, “Defendants’ repeated exposure of Plaintiffs to nudity against their will, and pervasive habit 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 have interaction with nude performers in Amsterdam’s red-light district, during which Davis repeatedly mentioned she did not need to and was “hounded” by Lizzo because of this.

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

Another cost accuses Lizzo of falsely imprisoning Davis in a room, protecting her there in opposition to her will till she allowed tour employees to go looking her telephone and iCloud storage.

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

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