Lizzo Explains Why She Won't Fight Back Against Lawsuits Because 'I'm Not a Fighter, I'm a Lover'

Lizzo addressed lawsuits brought by former employees and dancers during an interview with Willie Geist on Sunday TODAY on 4 October, saying, 'I'm not a fighter, I'm a lover.'

The 38-year-old singer, whose real name is Melissa Jefferson, discussed the legal claims after a federal judge granted summary judgment to her touring company in one case. A separate lawsuit filed by three former backup dancers remains active, although some claims have been dismissed during the litigation.

Lizzo Lawsuit Against Touring Company Ends

The interview followed the dismissal of the remaining claims in a 2023 lawsuit filed by former wardrobe stylist Asha Daniels against Lizzo's touring company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc. Lizzo had previously been dismissed as an individual defendant in the case.

On 1 September, US District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha granted Big Grrrl Big Touring's motion for summary judgment, ending the remaining claims in Daniels' federal case. The judgment concerned the company, not a finding against Lizzo personally.

Daniels had alleged that she experienced bullying, racial and sexual harassment and other workplace misconduct while working on Lizzo's tour. Her complaint also described what she characterised as a 'culture of racism and bullying.'

The ruling did not amount to a finding that every factual allegation made by Daniels was false. Rather, the court concluded that the evidence was insufficient to establish the legal claims that remained before it.

Judge Aenlle-Rocha wrote that Daniels 'did not identify any conduct' that would demonstrate 'general hostility to women in the workplace or disparate treatment of men and women.'

That distinction is important. A court granting summary judgment on the remaining legal claims is not the same as ruling that every disputed event described by a claimant was fabricated.

After the judgment, Lizzo posted a video on social media and said she was 'relieved' that what she called 'shocking' allegations had been dismissed.

'I prayed for the truth to come out, and thanks to my incredible lawyers, the truth has prevailed,' she wrote over the video. 'The truth matters more to me than anything, and I told y'all I will not settle and will continue to fight until every vicious claim that has been made against me and my businesses.'

Daniels' attorney, Ron Zambrano, said in a statement shared with PEOPLE that he was disappointed by the ruling and that his legal team was 'considering appropriate next steps.'

What Lizzo Said About the Allegations

During the interview, Geist asked Lizzo whether she felt the need to defend herself against the allegations.

'I'm not a fighter, I'm a lover,' she replied.

She said the public controversy had forced her to accept that perceptions of her were no longer entirely within her control.

'I had to make peace with the fact that there's a version of Lizzo that exists now that the world controls the narrative and I don't. But what I can control is who I really am,' she said.

Lizzo did not address the individual allegations in detail during the interview. Instead, she focused on her work, personal growth and the parts of her life she said she could still control.

'I think that is the business that I'm in now, because I do realise it's a headline game,' she said. 'I'm like, okay, how many headlines can I have out there about the things that I'm doing that I'm proud of? And that I actually did?'

She described the experience as 'an opportunity for growth,' saying it had encouraged her to confront aspects of herself she did not like.

'And then the person you become at the end of that is someone you couldn't even imagine, and you fall in love with them,' she said.

Dancers' Lawsuit Remains Active

A separate lawsuit was filed in August 2023 by former backup dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

The dancers accused Lizzo, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc. and dance-team captain Shirlene Quigley of sexual, racial and religious harassment, as well as other alleged workplace misconduct.

Those claims remain allegations made by the plaintiffs. They have not been adjudicated at trial.

The dancers' lawsuit remains active, although some claims have been dismissed during the litigation. Its current status differs from the Daniels case, where the federal court granted summary judgment to Big Grrrl Big Touring on 1 September.

For now, Lizzo has said she intends to focus on her work, personal growth and the aspects of her life that she can control while the separate lawsuit continues.