American singer Lizzo is planning to sue three of her former backup dancers who have instituted a lawsuit against her over claims of sexual harassment.
Crystal Williams, 24, Noelle Rodriguez, 25 and Arianna Davis, 26 are accusing the 35-year-old Grammy-winner of sexual and racial harassment and creating a hostile work environment.
The trio claim the plus-sized pop icon dragged them along to degrading sex shows while touring Europe in February and March.
However, Lizzo has vehemently denied the allegations against her in the lawsuit which accused her of pressuring the employees to touch nude performers at a club in Amsterdam, among other claims that included weight shaming.
Lizzo’s lawyer has said the star intends to sue her former backup dancers for “malicious prosecution” following their current lawsuit lodged against her.
“We intend to sue for malicious prosecution after she prevails and these specious claims are dismissed,” Lizzo’s attorney Martin Singer said in a statement on Wednesday 23 August.
Malicious prosecution refers to the act of filing a lawsuit against someone even though the case has no merit.
“The lawsuit is a sham,” Singer added in the statement.
In their lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim that Lizzo did not tell them that the performers at Crazy Horse would be naked, thereby “robbing them of the choice not to participate”.
Elsewhere in the lawsuit, it is alleged that Lizzo pressured one of the plaintiffs into touching a nude performer at the Bananenbar strip club in Amsterdam.
“Lizzo began inviting cast members to take turns touching the nude performers, catching dildos launched from the performers’ vaginas, and eating bananas protruding from the performers’ vaginas,” the dancers claimed.
