Lizzo Says She Was ‘Surprised’ By The Lawsuit Against Her

Lizzo has opened up concerning the sexual harassment lawsuit filed in opposition to her final 12 months.

The “Reality Hurts” singer was accused of harassment final August by three of her backup dancers — Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez — however the singer was dismissed from the case. Her firm, Large Grrrl Large Touring, Inc., continues to be named within the lawsuit.

The dancers accused Lizzo of forcing them to the touch nude performers and eat “bananas protruding from the performers’ v-ginas” at Bananenbar, a membership in Amsterdam, whereas on tour.

In response to PEOPLE, Lizzo opened up in regards to the lawsuit throughout an episode of “Baby, This Is Keke Palmer” on Thursday. The “Boys” singer stated she wanted time to course of the allegations.

Lizzo had simply completed her “Watch Out for the Large Grrrls” tour when she was “blindsided” by the lawsuit.

“I used to be actually dwelling in my dream, after which the tour ended, and three ex-dancers simply fully, like, blindsided me with a lawsuit,” she recalled, including that she was “fully stunned.”

Lizzo additionally stated that she was “deeply harm” given the chance she’d supplied the dancers with.

“I used to be very deeply harm as a result of these had been three ex-dancers, in order that they weren’t on the tour. They did not, like, end the tour out with us. However even no matter that, these had been people who I gave alternatives to,” she stated.

Lizzo revealed that she did not even invite the dancers to the Bananenbar bar, and the expertise has resulted in her having extra boundaries the place her staff are involved.

“I’ve been that means to get this off my chest,” she famous, including that she initially went to the membership alone earlier than others joined her. “I did not take them wherever. They got here to the membership I used to be at, and it was no necessary invitation,” she stated. “I did not even know that these two explicit dancers had been coming thoughts, you. Solely two of them got here, though all three of them stated they did, it was solely two I did not even know they had been coming.”

In response toPEOPLE, Lizzo was accused of encouraging the dancers to catch dildos despatched flying from the v-ginas of performers on the Bananenbar. She was additionally accused of encouraging the dancers to take turns “consuming bananas protruding from the performers’ v-ginas.”

Lizzo went on to say that the night was enjoyable however “every thing was consensual.” 

Lizzo added that she’d finished “nothing mistaken,” and he or she appreciated the three dancers previous to the lawsuit. She was notably offended by the sexual harassment declare.

“These had been people who — I appreciated them and appreciated them as dancers, revered them as dancers,” Lizzo stated.

“So I used to be like, what? However then I heard all the opposite issues like sexual harassment, and I used to be like, they’re making an attempt properly, I do not know what they’re making an attempt to do, however these are the forms of issues that the media can flip into one thing that it is not… Let’s be clear, I did nothing mistaken.”

Lizzo denied the accusations on Instagram again in 2023 and referred to as the allegations “false.”

“These previous few days have been gut-wrenchingly troublesome and overwhelmingly disappointing. My work ethic, morals and respectfulness have been questioned,” she wrote.

The Grammy Award winner additionally stated that the accusations had been “sensationalized”

“My character has been criticized. Often I select not to answer false allegations however these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed. These sensationalized tales are coming from former staff who’ve already publicly admitted that they had been advised their conduct on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional.”

Lizzo was additionally sued in September of 2023 by her former wardrobe stylist, Asha Daniels. Daniels claimed that the “Rumors” singer harassed and bullied herself, the dancers and background singers whereas on tour with the artist.

“I used to be witnessing myself, the dancers and the background vocalists and my native staff in each metropolis be harassed and bullied repeatedly,” Daniels stated.

“A choose noticed this, and within the court docket of legislation, he regarded on the proof and stated, ‘OK. We will not permit this to undergo,'” stated Lizzo, noting that she was dismissed from the lawsuit, however the grievance stands.

Daniels’ lawyer, Ron Zambrano, famous that the lawsuit continues to be lively and doesn’t absolve the singer from wrongdoing.

“The lawsuit continues to be very lively and has not been dismissed,” he stated. “The ruling was not for lack of proof, however somewhat on procedural jurisdictional grounds. It under no circumstances absolves Lizzo of the egregious claims that occurred on her watch.”