Lizzo has reportedly filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit made by her former stylist, which accused her of harassment and discrimination.
The allegations emerged earlier this year, when a member of Lizzo’s wardrobe department filed a lawsuit against the pop star and her touring team – citing illegal retaliatory termination, racial and sexual harassment, and a hostile work environment.
According to a report by Music News, the attorney representing Lizzo filed a motion to dismiss the “meritless and salacious” complaint in the Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday (December 15). It also claimed that the former “disgruntled” employee “failed to perform the work that she was assigned” before she “refused to show up for work”.
They also claim that the stylist was terminated after less than three weeks of employment for “abandoning her post” on the day of Lizzo’s concert in Paris, France in March, and argued that the case should be dismissed as it was filed in the wrong jurisdiction as the plaintiff “is a New York resident who worked for a Delaware corporation in Europe”.
Responding to the pop star’s attempt to dismiss the lawsuit, the plaintiff’s lawyer Ron Zambrando said: “This motion was expected and is yet another Hail Mary by Lizzo’s team to try to shift blame to the victims, as she has done to the three other plaintiffs who have sued her for similar allegations of harassment, disability discrimination and retaliatory termination.”
He continued: “Lizzo and her lawyers can continue trying to rationalise her illegal and wretched conduct, but we remain committed to seeking justice for our clients and look forward to our day in court where Lizzo can explain her behaviour in a public forum.”
Lizzo attends Femme It Forward Give Her FlowHERS Gala 2023 at The Beverly Hilton on November 10, 2023. CREDIT: Robin L Marshall/WireImage/Getty Images
This isn’t the first time that Lizzo has faced legal action from her former employees. Back in August, news broke that three former backup dancers for the singer had filed lawsuits against her, accusing her of creating a hostile work environment and engaging in sexual harassment, among other allegations.
The incidents are alleged to have taken place between 2021 and 2023. In response, Lizzo denied all accusations – describing the lawsuit filed by the ex-dancers as a “fabricated sob story” before filing a motion asking the court to dismiss it.
The motion asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit under the anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) statute, which has the power to strike down lawsuits that threaten free speech.
In August, the lawyer representing the three dancers claimed that his firm were reviewing at least six new complaints about the singer.
It was also reported elsewhere that in January, 14 of Lizzo’s dancers received a settlement for another dispute relating to footage from the 2022 documentary Love, Lizzo. The dancers claimed that a scene where they discuss misogyny, racism and weight-shaming was used without authorisation. Lizzo’s lawyer commented that the singer “had nothing to do” with the dispute and “knew nothing about it”.
Lizzo performs at Spark Arena on July 26, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand. CREDIT: Dave Simpson/WireImage/Getty Images
Lizzo continues to deny all allegations made against her, and it is not yet clear whether or not the lawsuit raised by the stylist will be dismissed by the Los Angeles Superior Court.
In other Lizzo news, last month the singer took to social media to share that she is currently working on new music, herself and her trust issues with the world.
Posting a photo of herself posing in a bathroom, she wrote: “I’m working.. on music, myself, relationships with people and food, my anxiety, my body, my business, and my trust issues with the world.. but they are deep now, deeper than they’ve ever been. Xoxo.”
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