Lizzo is celebrating a legal victory after a federal judge dismissed a harassment and discrimination lawsuit brought against her touring company by a former wardrobe assistant. The singer took to Instagram to announce the outcome, writing that «the truth has prevailed» and that «all the ridiculous claims» had been dismissed.
The case was filed by Asha Daniels, who worked on the European leg of Lizzo's 2023 «Special» tour. Daniels accused members of the singer's team of sexual and racial harassment, disability discrimination, and creating a hostile working environment. Lizzo and her representatives denied the allegations from the start, and the singer herself was dropped from the case in December 2024, leaving her touring company Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc. as the remaining defendant.
On Tuesday, US District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha dismissed Daniels' remaining claims, effectively ending the case unless her legal team decides to challenge the ruling. According to Billboard, the judge acknowledged that some of the alleged behavior had been «inappropriate and unprofessional,» but found it was not sufficient to prove harassment or discrimination under the law.
In her Instagram video, Lizzo addressed the specifics of the claim, noting that Daniels worked on the tour for less than three weeks and that the suit even included an allegation about a broken acrylic nail. «It was all so shocking because I was being sued by someone who admittedly never met me,» Lizzo said. «I prayed for the truth to come out and thanks to my incredible lawyers, the truth has prevailed.» She added that she would «continue to fight every vicious claim» made against her and her businesses.
Daniels' lawyer, Ron Zambrano, expressed disappointment with the ruling, arguing that the court assessed the alleged incidents too narrowly rather than considering their combined impact on the working environment. «We respectfully disagree with the Court's approach and are considering appropriate next steps,» he said.
The dismissal does not affect a separate lawsuit filed against Lizzo in August 2023 by former dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez. The trio accused Lizzo of sexual harassment and creating a hostile working environment during their time with her between 2021 and 2023. She has denied all of their allegations. A claim that Lizzo fat-shamed Davis and later fired her was dismissed last December, but the rest of that case remains ongoing.
Speaking about that lawsuit in May, Lizzo said she would not agree to an out-of-court settlement. «I'm fighting the case because I know that it's not true,» she explained. «I'm not afraid of the truth. The truth is less salacious than the headlines.»
The legal developments come as Lizzo navigates a shifting music landscape. She released her fifth album, «Bitch,» in June. After the record failed to reach the top 100 in either the UK or US, she said she had been forced to reconsider her musical relationship with the public. «I was really stressed and really sad for a few days because this is some of my best stuff,» she said. «I had to come to terms with the fact that not only is the music industry different, but also my relationship and my connection musically with the world is different.»