Lizzo associates come forward with negative experiences in the wake of hostile workplace lawsuit

In the wake of a new lawsuit, fans are trying to square Lizzo, the pop star who positioned herself as a beacon of positivity, with the boss who allegedly perpetrated sexual harassment and created a hostile working environment for her dancers. Some people are looking towards the singer’s own words, as on the track where she facetiously concedes that “all the rumors are true.” “Had to cut some hoes loose, yeah/NDA, no loose lips/Now them hoes tryna sue me/Bitch, I don’t give two shits,” she raps in the now-viral clip.

You don’t have to take Lizzo’s word for it, even if “Rumors” may call to mind a certain I Think You Should Leave sketch. After details of the lawsuit hit the Internet, more former associates of Lizzo’s came forward to share their personal experiences working with the Grammy winner. Another former dancer, Courtney Hollinquest, reposted a link to the lawsuit on her Instagram Story, following it up by saying, “For clarification, I’m not apart [sic] of the lawsuit—but this was very much my experience in my time there. Big shoutout to the dancers who had the courage to bring this to light.”

Quinn Whitney Wilson, Lizzo’s former creative director, shared several highlighted portions of the lawsuit on her own Instagram Story, reposting Hollinquest’s statement with the message with the comment, “echoing what @cquestt said. “I haven’t been apart of that world for around three years, for a reason. I very much applaude [sic] the dancers courage to bring this to light. and I grieve parts of my own experience. I’d appreciate space to understand my feelings.” (“Only a few know what we’ve been through,” Hollinquest replied to Wilson’s post.)

Wilson also boosted a post from artist Asha Efia, who implied that she had quit working with Lizzo due to similar negative experiences. “I have always followed my gut on [people]. And I believe everything always comes back around. I’ve watched it happen every time. It’s really not that hard to run a business and be kind/treat [people] with respect. That feels like the bare minimums of holding a position of leadership. I really don’t believe in being a POS ‘boss,’” she wrote. Sharing the post, Wilson noted that “I’ll admire this woman forever. Shes intuitive & unwavering in her sense of self… I compromised my beliefs when she stood her ground and forever will I respect her for doing that.”

Documentary filmmaker Sophia Nahli Allison also spoke up about her own interaction with Lizzo, writing that “in 2019, I traveled a bit with Lizzo to be the director of her documentary. I walked away after about 2 weeks. I was treated with such disrespect by her. I witnessed how arrogant, self-centered, and unkind she is. I was not protected and was thrown into a shitty situation with little support. My spirit said to run as fast as you fucking can and I’m so grateful I trusted my gut.” She continued, “I felt gaslit and was deeply hurt, but I’ve healed. Reading these reports made me realize how dangerous of a situation it was. This kind of abuse of power happens far too often.” Allison sent “love and support to the dancers,” noting that she was “Sharing this because validating other Black women’s experiences is deeply important to me.”

As yet, Lizzo has not made any statement on the lawsuit. Her dance captain Shirlene Quigley, also named as a defendant in the suit, hasn’t made any comment either, though she has made several posts to Instagram since the news broke. One of the main accusations against Quigley is that she “took every opportunity to proselytize” about her religious beliefs “to any and all in her presence regardless of protestations,” and that she supposedly pressured one dancer over her lack of faith. Seemingly in response, Quigley posted on her Instagram a video of herself saying “God loves you… so much, no matter what you’re going through. Even if you don’t love him, he loves you.” On her IG Story, she posted quotes encouraging people to love their enemies and that “A woman who has God in her heart fights her battles differently.” All of this seems to corroborate the allegations in the suit.

While some will certainly wish to see how this suit plays out in court (should it get that far), the fall-out for Lizzo has been swift, reputation-wise. Even Beyoncé, who included Lizzo as one of the women she’s been celebrating on her Renaissance Tour, seems to be distancing herself from the situation—video from Tuesday’s tour stop showed the singer conspicuously closing her mouth when “Lizzo” came up on the list. Clearly, it’s not just the fans who are disappointed.