Ex-Wardrobe Designer Alleges Racist, Fatphobic Work Environment

Topline

Pop star Lizzo and several members of her team were hit with another lawsuit Thursday claiming she condoned a work environment that promoted fatphobia, racism and sexual harassment, this time from a former wardrobe designer who claims the singer stood by while her wardrobe manager referred to Black women on the tour as “dumb,” “useless” and “fat.”

Lizzo performs at Spark Arena on July 26, 2023, in Auckland, New Zealand.

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Key Facts

Asha Daniels, who was hired as a clothing designer and seamstress on Lizzo’s tour in February, said in a complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court she was subject to racial and sexual harassment, disability discrimination, illegal retaliation and assault, among other claims.

A majority of Daniels’ complaints center around Lizzo’s wardrobe manager, Amanda Nomura, who she says made racist and fatphobic comments, mocked Lizzo and her backup dancers and did “an offensive stereotypical impression of a Black woman.” (Nomura is listed as a defendant.)

Daniels says Nomura forced performers to change in front of a majority male stage crew who would “lewdly gawk” at them, forced Daniels to work on her feet after she injured her ankle at work and fired her “without notice or reason.”

Daniels says she was also made uncomfortable when Nomura, the crew and Lizzo’s management team openly discussed hiring sex workers and buying hard drugs while on tour in Amsterdam.

Also named in the complaint are Lizzo’s production company Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc. and her tour manager, Carlina Gugliotta—the lawsuit says Daniels suffered severe emotional distress, anxiety, pain and suffering, physical injuries and physical sickness as a result of her time on tour and seeks an unspecified amount of damages.

Stefan Friedman, a spokesman for Lizzo, on Thursday told NBC News her team would pay the lawsuit “as much attention as it deserves: None.”

Representatives for Lizzo’s management company did not immediately respond to Forbes’ request for comment Thursday.

Lizzo and her backup dancers perform onstage during the opening night of The Special Tour at FLA … [+] Live Arena on September 23, 2022, in Sunrise, Florida.

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Crucial Quote

“Lizzo is the boss, so the buck stops with her,” Daniels’ attorney Ron Zambrano said in a statement.

Key Background

Three former stage dancers sued Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Viviane Jefferson, last month for allegedly promoting a culture of sexual harassment, religious harassment and body shaming. Plaintiffs Crystal Williams, Arianna Davis and Noelle Rodriguez said she shamed her dancers for gaining weight and allowed a hostile work environment to persist under her watch, claims that are echoed in Daniels’ Thursday suit. Lizzo denied those allegations and claimed the accusers “were told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional.” The three plaintiffs said Shirlene Quigley, the captain of Lizzo’s dance team, wasn’t stopped from berating other dancers, just like Daniels alleges Nomura wasn’t stopped from harassing those she managed. Daniels’ complaints about behavior on the tour stop in Amsterdam also echoed claims from the original suit that Lizzo pressured a former dancer to engage with nude performers at a club in the city. Daniels alleges she took her complaints to Gugliotta and believes the tour manager spoke with Lizzo herself about them, but nothing was done. The suit filed last month does not specify if Lizzo was aware of the allegations regarding her dance captain. Lizzo, a five-time American Music Awards nominee, rose to fame amid messages of self-love and body positivity.

Tangent

Lizzo is set to receive the Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award from the Black Music Action Coalition on Thursday. The award was announced several weeks ago and the organization called Lizzo and fellow honoree Sylvia Rhone “trailblazers who have made immense impact within the music industry and beyond.” The award gala will take place Thursday night at The Beverly Hilton.

Surprising Fact

Lizzo hired Hollywood lawyer to the stars Marty Singer to represent her in the initial lawsuit. His list of former clients include Bill Cosby, Charlie Sheen, Zooey Deschannel and Kim Kardashian. Several weeks ago, he alleged that photos and videos of the initial plaintiffs praising the star are a direct contradiction to the claims they’ve made in court.