Lizzo achieved a significant victory this week in a lawsuit filed by her former wardrobe stylist, Asha Daniels, according to Rolling Stone. Daniels accused the singer of fostering a hostile work environment during her 2023 European tour.
In September 2023, Daniels filed a lawsuit against Lizzo, wardrobe manager Amanda Nomura and the tour manager, Carlina Gugliotta. Daniels, who didn’t directly work with Lizzo, placed most of her allegations on Nomura.
The lawsuit claimed Nomura made racist and fatphobic comments and mocked Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Jefferson, and her background dancers with “stereotypical impressions of Black women.” Daniels also accused Nomura of mistreating her on the job.
“I’m coming in to work with someone who has physically assaulted me, with someone who’s threatened me, someone who is not allowing me to go eat when I need to eat,” Daniels said in a September 2023 interview with ABC News.
Judge rules Lizzo cannot be sued
Court documents obtained by Rolling Stone revealed a federal judge in Los Angeles ruled this week Daniels didn’t have the legal standing to sue Lizzo directly. The judge stated that Lizzo’s touring and payroll companies were Daniels’ employers, not Lizzo herself.
However, the lawsuit against Lizzo’s touring company remains active.
Related lawsuit from dancers
Daniels’ allegations emerged just one month after three of Lizzo’s former dancers filed a separate lawsuit against the singer, accusing her of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment.
The dancers alleged that Lizzo made comments about one of their weights, pressured one to touch a nude performer at an Amsterdam club, and forced them into what they called an “excruciating” audition after accusing them of drinking on the job.
As of March 2024, the dancers’ lawsuit remains on hold. It’s unclear when the case will proceed.
Prior settlement for dancers
The Los Angeles Times reported that months before the dancers filed their lawsuit, 14 of Lizzo’s dancers received a separate settlement. The more than $109,000 payout stemmed from claims about unauthorized footage used in the 2022 HBO Max documentary, “Love, Lizzo.”
