At least six more people considering joining lawsuit against Lizzo, says plaintiffs’ lawyer
![<i>Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images</i><br/>Lizzo attends The 2023 Met Gala on May 1 in New York City. The attorney for the plaintiffs in the complaint against Lizzo tells CNN that “at least” six more inquiries have come in from other people with similar stories about the singer.](https://ktvz.b-cdn.net/2023/08/cnn-L19jb21wb25lbnRzL2ltYWdlL2luc3RhbmNlcy9sZWRlLWNiNzMwMTBkOWZjNjY3NjIwYTI2OWJmNzg1NzhmZjkw-L19wYWdlcy9oXzY0MjUyMDU3OGY2YmM3ZDg5Y2NhMjk4OTZhY2Q5OGIx-1440x810.jpg)
Lizzo attends The 2023 Met Gala on May 1 in New York City. The attorney for the plaintiffs in the complaint against Lizzo tells CNN that “at least” six more inquiries have come in from other people with similar stories about the singer.
By Marianne Garvey
(CNN) — The attorney for the plaintiffs in the complaint against Lizzo tells CNN that “at least” six more inquiries have come in from other people with similar stories about the singer.
Ron Zambrano, the plaintiffs’ attorney and a partner and employment litigation chair at West Coast Employment Lawyers, said, “We have received at least six inquiries from other people with similar stories since we filed the complaint.”
Lizzo has been sued by three former dancers who claim they were subjected to a hostile work environment and harassment while they were employed as her dancers.
“Noelle, Crystal and Arianna have bravely spoken out and shared their experiences, opening the door for others to feel empowered to do the same. Some of the claims we are reviewing involve allegations of a sexually charged environment and failure to pay employees and may be actionable, but it is too soon to say,” Zambrano said.
CNN has reached out to Lizzo’s representatives for comment.
The complaint, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court last week and obtained by CNN, also names her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc. (BGBT) and a person described as “dance cast captain” as defendants.
One of the three plaintiffs said she was encouraged by the singer to “take turns touching the nude performers” while out at a club in Amsterdam’s Red Light District while on tour in February, despite having expressed numerous times she had no desire to touch the performers.
Another plaintiff said Lizzo expressed “thinly veiled” concerns about the plaintiff’s “weight gain,” according to the lawsuit, resulting in the plaintiff feeling pressured to “explain her weight gain and disclose intimate personal details about her life in order to keep her job.”
The plaintiffs also claim they were subjected to racial and religious discrimination.
Later last week, Lizzo took to Instagram to say she was “hurt” by the allegations.
“These last few days have been gut wrenchingly difficult and overwhelmingly disappointing,” her statement read. “My work ethic, morals and respectfulness have been questioned. Usually I choose not to respond to false allegations but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed.”
“These sensationalized stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional,” Lizzo wrote in her response.
“As an artist, I have always been very passionate about what I do. I take my music and my performances seriously because at the end of the day, I only want to put out the best art that represents me and my fans. With passion comes hard, work and high standards.”
“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,” she wrote, adding she is “not here to be looked at as a victim, but I also know that I am not the villain that people in the media have portrayed me to be these last few days.”
“There is nothing I take more seriously than the respect we deserve as women in the world. I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis, and would absolutely never criticize or terminate an employee because of their weight,” Lizzo continued. “I am hurt, but I will not let the good work I’ve done in the world be overshadowed by this. I want to thank everyone who has reached out and support to lift me up during this difficult time.”
The-CNN-Wire
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CNN’s Chloe Melas, Alli Rosenbloom and Lisa Respers France contributed to this report.