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It seems Lizzo will have to defend her name against more allegations. Another former tour employee has filed a lawsuit claiming that she experienced hostile work conditions.
TMZ is reporting that Asha Daniels has filed a formal legal grievance against the entertainer. On Thursday, September 21 the complaint was filed at Los Angeles County Superior Court. The Hill obtained the documentation which states that Daniels experienced “degradation, forced physical labor, denial of medical care, sexual harassment, and racial harassment” when she worked in wardrobe for Lizzo’s tour starting in February 2023.
The filing goes into further detail on Asha’s time on the road with the singer. “Almost immediately, Plaintiff was introduced to the culture of racism and bullying on Lizzo’s tour,” the lawsuit stated. It added that the her dance team was “forced to change in and out of their clothing in small, tight, changing areas during all the shows with little to no privacy whatsoever” while staff members, who were reported to be primarily white males, crew “would lewdly gawk, sneer, and giggle while watching the dancers rush through their outfit changes.”
Daniels also says that the executive who offered her the position, Amanda Nomura, was especially toxic. She says Nomura, a Black woman, would frequently mock Lizzo and other women of color calling them “dumb”, “fat” and “useless.” Additionally, she says that she was asked to tone down her clothing choices as Lizzo would allegedly get upset if her boyfriend was around attractive women.
Asha also states that management was aware of Nomura’s behavior including tour manager Carlina Gugliotta who suggested Asha secretly record Amanda. Eventually, the plaintiff decided not to fearing secretly recording Nomura would be unethical and or unlawful. Daniels is represented by Neama Rahmani, the same lawyer who represented the three former dancers who filed against the “Special” singer back in August.
Lizzo’s spokesperson Stefan Friedman has responded to the new lawsuit saying the allegations are absurd. “As Lizzo receives a Humanitarian Award tonight from the Black Music Action Coalition for the incredible charitable work she has done to lift up all people, an ambulance-chasing lawyer tries to sully this honor by recruiting someone to file a bogus, absurd publicity-stunt lawsuit who, wait for it, never actually met or even spoke with Lizzo.”
He went on to add, “We will pay this as much attention as it deserves. None.”
