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Lizzo at the Nos-Alive Festival in Oeiras, Portugal, in July 2023.
EPA LUSA
In 2023, allegations made by former dancers rocked Lizzo's career. Now, for the first time, the singer is speaking more openly than ever about the crisis, her depression, and the fallout from the allegations.
After nearly three years, Lizzo has spoken out in detail for the first time about the allegations that rocked her career. In August 2023, three former dancers filed a lawsuit against the singer and her tour team. Among other things, they accuse them of sexual harassment, religious and racial discrimination, and creating a hostile work environment.
In addition, Lizzo is alleged to have pressured the dancers to participate in sexual performances during a visit to an Amsterdam strip club. An initial allegation of fat-shaming was later dropped and is no longer part of the proceedings. The remaining charges are still being heard in court. Lizzo firmly denies all allegations and has announced that she intends to fight the case in court rather than settle out of court.
In an interview with the British newspaper “The Guardian”, Lizzo speaks in detail about the allegations for the first time. The American singer once again denies the allegations and, at the same time, describes how deeply the lawsuit took a psychological toll on her. “I was deeply suicidal,” she says in retrospect. At times, she even withdrew from her closest family members.
Lizzo is convinced that the allegations continue to cast a shadow over her music to this day.
"The criticism of my music isn't about the music at all anymore," she says. "It's about me."
She also sees the failure of her new album, *Bitch*, in this context. The album failed to make the Top 100 on the charts in both the U.S. and the U.K.
In the interview, however, Lizzo admits that she had been too trusting when dealing with those around her.
At the beginning of her career, she viewed her employees as friends. “I thought we were a family,” she says. It wasn’t until later that she realized this wasn’t true for everyone.
Nevertheless, she doesn't want to let anyone take away her openness. “I can't let other people's opinions change me. The only thing that can change me is myself.”
Speaking surprisingly candidly about fame, the singer says, “Being famous doesn’t solve any problems. It doesn’t make you happier. It doesn’t cure depression. And it doesn’t make your friends any more genuine.”
Lizzo is particularly critical of the tone of discourse online. “We live in a culture where everyone wants to post the most hurtful comment,” she says. “Cruelty is all the rage these days.”
At the same time, she rejects the accusation that her significant weight loss contradicts her previous message of body positivity. She says she lost weight for health reasons, and rumors that she is being treated with the weight-loss injection Ozempic are false.
At the end of the interview, the singer draws a clear line between her stage persona and her private life.
"Lizzo is standing up for Melissa today," she says, referring to her real name, Melissa Jefferson.
The pop star could go on stage and give interviews. “Melissa needs to be protected. This girl with a good heart and honest intentions needs that protection.”
Lizzo says today that she has come to terms with what she went through—even though the public is still mainly talking about the allegations.
"For me, all that is behind me," she says. "I won't let it destroy me."
13.07.2026, 20:34
