​Major blow for Lizzo amid shock claims ​

The 2023 Made In America festival, which Lizzo was set to co-headline alongside SZA, has been cancelled a week after she was hit with a sexual harassment lawsuit.

“Due to severe circumstances outside of production control, the 2023 Made In America festival will no longer be taking place,” organisers tweeted Tuesday, as reported by Page Six. 

“This decision has been difficult and has not been made lightly nor without immense deliberation.”

Organisers said the festival, which was slated to take place on Sept. 2 and Sept. 3 in Philadelphia, “has a legacy of delivering exceptional experiences for music fans and concert goers, and it is our commitment to always deliver a top-tier festival experience.”

All ticket holders “will be refunded at original point of purchase” and the annual event is expected to return to Philly’s Benjamin Franklin Parkway in 2024.

pic.twitter.com/gt9PqKCINR

— Made In America Festival (@MIAFestival) August 8, 2023

Made In America has been run by Jay-Z’s Roc Nation since 2012. The only other time the event has been cancelled was in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.

SZA and Lizzo were set to headline the music festival with accompanying performances from Latto, Coco Jones, Ice Spice, Miguel, Tems, Metro Boomin, Coi Lera, Lil Yachty, Doechii, Lola Brooke and more.

There was no mention of the Juice singer’s ongoing legal drama in their statement.
 

Last week, the Grammy winner — born Melissa Jefferson — was hit with a lawsuit from three of her former backup dancers — Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez — for allegedly subjecting them to weight-shaming, sexually denigrating behaviour and pressuring them to participate in disturbing sex shows.

In the suit obtained by Page Six at the time, the dancers alleged the Truth Hurts singer, 35, invited them out to the Red Light District of Amsterdam during a concert trip in February 2023.

The plaintiffs claimed in the docs that “things quickly got out of hand” after “Lizzo began inviting cast members to take turns touching the nude performers, catching dildos launched from the performers’ vaginas, and eating bananas protruding from the performers’ vaginas.”

Per the lawsuit, Lizzo allegedly “pressured” and “goaded” Davis into touching the breasts of one of the nude performers.
 

The women are suing the pop star, Big Grrrl Big Touring and the singer’s dance captain, Shirlene Quigley, for general and special damages, as well as punitive damages and attorneys’ fees.

Lizzo, however, hit back against the allegations, saying in a written statement last Thursday that her “work ethic, morals and respectfulness have been questioned.”

“My character has been criticised,” the musician added. “Usually I choose not to respond to false allegations but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous to not be addressed.”

Lizzo said the “sensationalised” claims came from former employees who “already publicly admitted” that their behaviour while touring with her had been “inappropriate and unprofessional.”
 

The About Damn Time singer said that though she is “very open with my sexuality and expressing myself,” she cannot allow people to use that to make her out to “be something I am not.”

“I am hurt but I will not let the good work I’ve done in the world be overshadowed by this,” she concluded. “I want to thank everyone who has reached out in support to lift me up during this difficult time.”

Davis, Williams and Rodriguez were not pleased with their former boss’ “dismissive” comment.

“Lizzo has failed her own brand and has let down her fans,” they said in a statement to Page SixThursday via their lawyer, Ron Zambrano.

“While Lizzo notes it was never her intention ‘to make anyone feel uncomfortable,’ that is exactly what she did to the point of demoralising her dancers and flagrantly violating the law.”

This article originally appeared in Page Six and was reproduced with permission