Just hours after singer Lizzo was sued by three of her former backup dancers who accused her of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment, another dancer and a director are making similar accusations.
The 35-year-old singer was sued by her ex-dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez, alleging she made them perform sexual acts with a banana and that she privately shamed all of her dancers while staying out a public image of body positivity.
After the lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles on Tuesday, two more women came forward with similar claims: dancer Courtney Hollinquest and director Sophia Nahli Allison.
Hollinquest was a former backup dancer for the singer, who took to her Instagram story to share an NBC News headline about the lawsuit, before shedding some light on her own experience.
“To clarify, I’m not part of the lawsuit, but this was very much my experience in my time there,” Hollinquest began.
Lawsuit: Just hours after singer Lizzo was sued by three of her former backup dancers who accused her of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment, another dancer and a director make similar allegations
Former dancer: Hollinquest was a former backup dancer for the singer, who used her Instagram Story to share an NBC News headline about the lawsuit, before shedding some light on her own experience
Experience: “Just to clarify, I’m not part of the lawsuit — but this was very much my experience in my time there,” Hollinquest began
“Kudos to the dancers who had the courage to bring this to light,” she added, with a black prayer hand emoji and a black hand heart emoji.
Quinn Wilson, who previously served as Lizzo’s creative director, also shared Hollinquest’s Instagram story and added her own insight.
“Following what @cquestt said. I haven’t been part of that world for three years for a reason,” Wilson said in her own caption.
“I applaud the dancers’ courage in bringing this to light. And I mourn parts of my own experience. I’d like to have room to understand my feelings,’ Wilson concluded.
Hollinquest added in her own caption, “My sister forever. Only a few knew what we went through… Love you Quinn.”
Hollinquest added in another Instagram story post, “To know me is to know that I love the community – and that my eternal mission is to create safe spaces, especially for BIPOC women.”
“This remains my goal whether I’m dancing, making TV or organizing events, and it’s only grown stronger through my experiences – good + bad,” she continued.
“Grateful for the people who have trusted me this far, and know that the ethos will never change, only grow,” she added, giving a shout out to @baileworld and @friedplantains.la “for helping me have given the platform to do just that. ‘
Allison opened up that she doesn’t normally “comment on anything pop culture,” though she shared that “I did a little bit of traveling with Lizzo in 2019 to be the director of her documentary.”
To know: Hollinquest added in another Instagram story post, “To know me is to know that I love community – and that my eternal mission is to create safe spaces, especially for BIPOC women”
Allison: Allison opened up that she doesn’t normally “comment on anything pop culture,” though she shared that “in 2019, I kind of traveled with Lizzo to be the director of her documentary.”
“I walked out after about 2 weeks. I was treated so disrespectfully by her. I saw how self-centered, arrogant and unkind she is,” Allison added.
“I was not protected and was thrown into a dire situation with little support. My mind told me to run as fast as you could and I’m so thankful I trusted my gut,” she continued.
“I felt gaslit and was deeply hurt, but I am healed. Reading these reports made me realize how dangerous the situation was. This kind of abuse of power is far too common. Much love and support to the dancers,’ she concluded.
In the original lawsuit, Lizzo is accused of “inviting cast members to take turns touching the naked performers” at an Amsterdam strip club.
She reportedly encouraged “catching dildos launched from the performers’ vaginas and eating bananas sticking out of the performers’ vaginas.”
Ron Zambrano, the women’s attorney, said in the lawsuit, which was first revealed by NBC News, “The astounding nature of how Lizzo and her management team treated their artists seems to go against everything Lizzo publicly stands for.”
“While privately shaming and humiliating her dancers in a way that is not only illegal but absolutely demoralizing.”
Lizzo isn’t the only named defendant in the case, which was filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Lawsuit: The original lawsuit allegedly accuses Lizzo of “inviting cast members to take turns touching the naked performers” at an Amsterdam strip club
Encouraged: She reportedly encouraged “catching dildos being launched from the performers’ vaginas and eating bananas sticking out of the performers’ vaginas”
Demeans: ‘While privately shaming and humiliating her dancers in a way that is not only illegal, but absolutely demoralizing’
Filed: Lizzo isn’t the only named defendant in the case, which was filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court
Her dance captain, Shirlene Quigley, also faces a slew of accusations.
According to the lawsuit, Quigley shared “lewd sexual fantasies” and publicly discussed the virginity of one of the accusers, while berating those who had premarital sex.
Complaints for all damages include: hostile work environment, sexual harassment, religious harassment, racial harassment, disability discrimination, and failure to prevent or remedy harassment.
Lizzo is specifically charged with disability discrimination, creating a hostile work environment, sexual harassment and failure to stop said issues.
Her tour company Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc. is also named as a defendant.