Lizzo announced on Friday that she was quitting music because she was “tired of being dragged down by everyone in my life and on the internet.”
“I just want to make music, make people happy, and help the world be a little better than I could have imagined,” she posted on Instagram.
The “Truth Hurts” singer went on to criticize the “lies” she said were being told about her.
“But I started to feel like the world didn’t want me to be a part of it,” she continued. “I often encounter lies about me for the sake of clout and perspective.”
Lizzo has been accused of sexual harassment in a lawsuit filed by three of her former dancers. The lawsuit accuses Lizzo of creating a hostile work environment and sexually harassing employees, which the singer denies. She also faces a separate lawsuit from another former employee alleging that Lizzo allowed her team to engage in bullying, harassment and racial discrimination.
In a March 29 statement, the singer went on to say that she’s tired of “being the butt of jokes every time because of my appearance…my character is being picked apart and disrespected by people who don’t know me by name.”
“I didn’t sign up for this,” she concluded. “I quit.”
Lizzo’s team did not immediately respond to TODAY.com’s request for comment.
Lizzo, born Melissa Viviane Jefferson, has made headlines recently for her political activism and her clothing brand Yitty.
Lizzo joined numerous other celebrities as well as former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama at a fundraiser for President Joe Biden at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Thursday.
Lizzo changes attitude on body positivity
In an interview published a few days ago by The New York Times about her clothing brand Yitty’s new shapewear-influenced swimwear line, Lizzo did not appear to indicate that she planned to leave the clothing or music industries and declined to discuss the ongoing lawsuit.
However, she promoted Yitty’s new range and opened up about her weight, revealing she had been “methodical and losing weight very slowly”.
She noted that since she’s not currently on tour, she has more time to take care of herself.
“I take time every day to put some love into my body,” she told The Times. “I never regret going for a walk or doing Pilates.”
She added that how she feels about her body “changes every day.”
“I don’t lie every day and say I love my body,” she told the outlet. “Some days I love my body and other days I feel less positive.”
Once considered a champion of body positivity, she also revealed to The Times that she is now more focused on “body neutrality.”
“The idea of body positivity has broken away from outdated mainstream ideas,” she said. “It has evolved into body neutrality.”
Where does the lawsuit stand with her three former backup dancers?
Three of Lizzo’s former backup dancers — Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noel Rodriguez — filed a lawsuit in August 2023, accusing the singer of creating a hostile job environment and sexually harassing employees.
Lizzo has denied all of the allegations against her in the lawsuit, calling them “false,” “incredible” and “outrageous.”
The dancers’ lawsuit also names dance captain Shirlene Quigley and Lizzo’s production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc., as defendants, and accuses Quigley of proselytizing to dancers and shaming those who engage in premarital sex.
Quigley called the accusations “baseless” and wrote in a February Instagram post, “Sooner or later the truth will come out and I look forward to telling it when the time is right.”
In February 2024, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge denied the singer’s request to dismiss the backup dancers’ lawsuit.
Judge Mark H. Epstein did choose to dismiss some of the plaintiffs’ claims against Lizzo and her team, including that Lizzo fat-shamed one of her dancers.
Stefan Friedman, a spokesman for Lizzo, said in a statement at the time that the team was “pleased” that Epstein chose to dismiss “all or part of the plaintiffs’ causes of action.”
“Lizzo is grateful to the judge for seeing through much of the noise and recognizing who she is — a strong woman who exists to inspire others and spread positivity,” Friedman said. “We plan to remain grateful for the judge’s choice to remain in the lawsuit We will appeal everything in and are confident we will win.”
Fashion designer also sues Lizzo
Lizzo is also facing another lawsuit filed by a former employee, fashion designer Asha Daniels.
In a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court in September 2023, Daniels said the musician allowed bullying, harassment and racial discrimination during her tours.
Daniels said in the lawsuit that costume manager Amanda Nomura did offend stereotypes of black women by calling performers “fat,” “useless” and “stupid” and forcing them to work on stage with a predominantly white male stage crew. Change clothes in front of you. who would “gawk obscenely” at them. At the time the lawsuit was filed, NBC News attempted to contact Nomura for comment but was unsuccessful.
Lizzo’s spokesman, Friedman, told NBC News at the time of the filing that Daniels’ lawsuit is a “bogus, ridiculous publicity stunt lawsuit” from someone who “has never actually met or even spoken to Lizzo. “People.
“We will give it due attention,” the statement read. “There is none.”
The lawsuit is ongoing.
This article originally appeared on NBCNews.com