Before 2023 comes to an end, Lizzo is making a big move in the racial and sexual harassment lawsuit filed by former wardrobe stylist Asha Daniels. According to Deadline, on Friday, the Grammy winner’s legal team filed a motion to dismiss the suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court. The “Truth Hurts”artist’s lawyer, Marty Singer, called Daniels’ suit “meritless and salacious action after less than three weeks of employment by BGBT.”
Lizzo’s team is seeking to dismiss the charges because Daniels is a New York resident who worked for Lizzo’s Delaware-based production company, Big Grrrls Big Touring Inc., while it was in Europe and the filing was made in California. The “Juice” singer’s motion also claims that Daniels was fired for failing to properly perform her duties and that she “played hooky” during a tour stop in Paris.
“During her brief employment by BGBT, Plaintiff refused to comply with instructions from her supervisors and tour management, failed to perform the work that she was assigned and, eventually, just played hooky and refused to show up for work,” the motion states. “Unsurprisingly, she was terminated after abandoning her post on the day of a concert in Paris, France.”
Daniels’ lawyer, Ron Zambrano, reacted to the filing in a statement provided to The Root.
“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,” Zambrano said in the statement. “Lizzo and her lawyers can continue trying to rationalize 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 behavior in a public forum.”
As previously reported by The Root, in September, Daniels filed a lawsuit accusing the superstar and her production company of “sexual and racial harassment, disability discrimination, retaliation and assault.” Her suit followed an August filing by three of the “Special” singer’s former dancers who named Lizzo, her company and dance captain Shirleen Quigley in a suit alleging “sexual, religious and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault and false imprisonment, among other things.”
Lizzo has called the allegations “false” and “unbelievable.” Her team previously filed a motion to dismiss the suit filed by her former backup dancers.
In the aftermath of the lawsuits, the “Good as Hell” singer completed her world tour and was honored with the Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award at the Black Music Action Coalition. She’s received support from her current backup dancers, SZA and Beyoncé. While there’s no denying that her reputation might have been damaged from the lawsuit, it seems like she’s not dealing with the same instant downfall that some of her male colleagues are.