Lizzo clarifies she’s not quitting music, just ‘negative energy’
The musician was accused of sexual harassment and fostering a toxic workplace environment in two lawsuits last year
By Jon Blistein
Lizzo clarified that her “I Quit” Instagram post last week was not about leaving music, but her intention to “quit giving any negative energy attention.”
In a video shared on social media Tuesday, April 2, the musician — who’s currently facing sexual harassment and hostile workplace environment allegations — said: “What I’m not gonna quit is the joy of my life, which is making music, which is connecting to people. Cause I know I’m not alone. In no way, shape, or form am I the only person who is experiencing that negative voice that seems to be louder than the positive.”
In the original post, Lizzo said she was “tired of putting up with being dragged by everyone in my life and on the internet.” While she did not specifically mention the harassment and misconduct lawsuit filed last year by three of her former dancers, she did say, “I’m constantly up against lies being told about me for clout & views… being the butt of the joke every single time because of how I look… my character being picked apart by people who don’t know me and disrespecting my name.”
Lizzo also stated in that first post that all she wanted to do was “make music and make people happy,” a sentiment she reiterated in her video. “If I can just give one person the inspiration or motivation to stand up for themselves and say they quit letting negative people win, negative comments win, then I’ve done even more than I could’ve hoped for,” she said. “With that being said, I’m going to keep moving forward, I’m going to keep being me. Once again, I just want to say thank you. The love that I have received — means more than you know.”
Along with the complaint filed by three of Lizzo former dancers last August, her former tour wardrobe designer filed a separate suit accusing Lizzo and her team of racial and sexual harassment, disability discrimination, illegal retaliatory termination, and assault.
Lizzo has denied the accusations, previously issuing a statement that read: “I am not here to be looked at as a victim, but I also know that I am not the villain that people and the media have portrayed me to be these last few days. There is nothing I take more seriously than the respect we deserve as women in the world. I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis and would absolutely never criticise or terminate an employee because of their weight.”