Judge dismisses a stylist's lawsuit against singer Lizzo's touring company

A federal judge has dismissed the harassment and discrimination lawsuit brought against Lizzo's touring company by former wardrobe assistant Asha Daniels. US District Judge Fernando Aenlle-Rocha ruled on September 1, ending the case unless Daniels' team appeals.

Daniels worked on the European leg of the Special tour in 2023 and accused members of the team of sexual and racial harassment, disability discrimination and creating a hostile working environment. She never met the singer, who was dropped from the case as an individual defendant in December 2024, leaving Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc. as the remaining defendant.

The judge found that Daniels had not identified conduct demonstrating general hostility to women in the workplace or disparate treatment of men and women. He described some of the alleged behaviour as inappropriate and unprofessional, while placing it within what the Supreme Court has called the ordinary tribulations of the workplace. Claims that a wardrobe manager used racial slurs were dismissed for lack of evidence.

"I prayed for the truth to come out and thanks to my incredible lawyers, the truth has prevailed," Lizzo wrote on Instagram. She described the dismissed allegations as ridiculous claims from a wardrobe assistant who worked on tour for less than three weeks.

Daniels' lawyer Ron Zambrano said his side was disappointed and believed the evidence should have gone to a jury, arguing the court had assessed the incidents too narrowly instead of weighing their combined effect. He said they are considering appropriate next steps.

The ruling does not touch the separate case brought in August 2023 by former dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez, which is still running. Lizzo has denied all of those allegations and said in May that she will not settle. Her fifth album, BITCH, arrived in June, and the pop, rnb and soul and hip-hop singer said afterwards that she had to accept her musical relationship with the public had changed. Other long-running artist cases logged here include Kenneth Petty telling a judge settlement talks are over and Taylor Swift winning a copyright dismissal.