Lizzo’s Team Claps Back at ‘Meritless’ Lawsuit from Former Tour Staffer
Lizzo’s legal team says a former employee’s lawsuit is “absurd” and demands the case be dismissed before trial.
Is this just a publicity stunt or something more serious? Lizzo’s lawyers are calling a discrimination lawsuit from a former wardrobe assistant completely baseless, and they want it gone before it ever reaches a jury.
In new court documents filed Friday, July 18, and reviewed by PEOPLE, Lizzo’s legal team didn’t hold back. Led by attorney Martin Singer, they described plaintiff Asha Daniels as a “brazen liar” who’s trying to get attention.
Singer argued that Daniels (who worked on Lizzo’s Special Tour in Europe) has “an unquenchable thirst for free publicity,” and called the lawsuit “meritless,” “absurd,” and driven by “personal vendettas,” according to a report from the outlet.
“Daniels is not a victim of discrimination or harassment,” Singer claimed in the filing.
What’s This Lawsuit About?
Back in September 2023, Asha Daniels filed a complaint against Lizzo’s touring company, Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc., saying she was mistreated while working on the tour. She claims she was denied medical care, faced racist and fat-phobic remarks, and was exposed to a toxic work environment that led to anxiety and PTSD.
She also says there was a “culture of racism and bullying” behind the scenes.
Lizzo’s Team Fires Back
This isn’t the first time Lizzo’s lawyers have asked the court to throw out Daniels’ claims. They already tried once in December 2023, saying Daniels was unreliable, didn’t do her job, and even skipped work.
In the new motion, Lizzo’s team insists Daniels:
- Was inexperienced
- Didn’t follow safety rules or tour protocol
- Didn’t want to keep working on the tour
“She offers no specific information to support her claims or a single witness or document to corroborate her absurd allegations,” said Martin Singer as reported by PEOPLE.
Daniels’ Lawyer Isn’t Backing Down
Daniels’ attorney, Ron Zambrano, isn’t fazed. He says they were expecting this kind of move and they’re ready.
“The motion is meritless, and the defense knows it… It won’t work,” Ron Zambrano told PEOPLE.
Zambrano believes the case is strong enough to go to trial, and that Lizzo’s team is just trying to dodge accountability.
What Happens Next?
If the judge doesn’t throw out the case, a jury trial is expected later this year, according to Billboard.
This case is separate from a different 2023 lawsuit from three of Lizzo’s former backup dancers, who claimed they were sexually harassed and discriminated against while touring. Some of those claims have already been dismissed, but other parts of that lawsuit are still moving forward.
Lizzo Speaks Out
In a recent Women’s Health cover story, Lizzo opened up about how these lawsuits have affected her mental health:
“I pushed everyone away. I wasn’t even talking to my therapist… I wasn’t myself anymore,” she said.
She says the experience made her paranoid and isolated, and that the backlash caught her totally off guard.
