LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Noelle Rodriguez, a 25-year-old dancer from Texas, has become a prominent figure in the ongoing lawsuit against Lizzo, the Grammy-winning singer. Noelle, along with two other former dancers, Arianna Davis, and Crystal Williams, filed a lawsuit against Lizzo, her production company, and the dance captain Shirlene Quigley, accusing them of sexual, religious, and racial harassment, among other explosive allegations.
However, Noelle's experience with Lizzo was far from smooth sailing. She allegedly faced mistreatment and witnessed the alleged mistreatment of her fellow dancers, Arianna and Crystal. Noelle claims she raised concerns with a manager about Williams' firing after Lizzo allegedly warned that she had "eyes and ears everywhere," which made her feel disrespected and so she even threatened to resign.
'You’re so f**king lucky!'
Furthermore, it is alleged that “Lizzo aggressively approached Ms Rodriquez, cracking her knuckles, balling her fists, and exclaiming, ‘You’re lucky. You’re so f****ng lucky!’” the suit alleges. “Ms Rodriguez feared that Lizzo intended to hit her and would have done so if one of the other dancers had not intervened. As Lizzo left the room, she raised both her middle fingers and yelled, ‘Bye, b***h!’” the complaint reads. In another troubling incident, Lizzo's dance captain, Quigley is reported to have been allegedly pressuring Noelle to become a Christian and that's when Noelle's fellow dancers intervened.
The lawsuit claims that Quigley responded by saying, "No job and no one will stop me from talking about the Lord." The lawsuit further accuses Lizzo of forcing Noelle and the other dancers to touch a nude performer at a strip club in Amsterdam, creating an uncomfortable atmosphere and compromising their boundaries. Additionally, the dancers were allegedly subjected to an "excruciating" 12-hour audition after being falsely accused of drinking on the job.
Who is Noelle Rodriguez?
Noelle's journey with Lizzo began when she appeared in the music video for the singer's hit track 'Rumors.' This pivotal moment led her to join Lizzo's dance team, where she worked tirelessly as a background dancer for performances and music videos. Her talent and dedication also earned her opportunities to dance for renowned artists like Beyonce, Sam Smith, and Janet Jackson. She previously starred as a background dancer in the first season of 'Euphoria' and as a model for GAP and Kim Kardashian's SKIMS.
In a heartfelt Instagram post, Noelle expressed her commitment to standing up against disrespect and not tolerating mistreatment. "If they want to make an example of me, I will gladly be one. Hopefully we can be an example of dedication, courage, and persistence under fire. I also hope to be an example of not tolerating nonsense, too. It brings me peace to be at a point in my career where I can say NO to disrespect."
'It was about damn time!'
"I stand strong in walking away from spaces that don't serve me, and more importantly, don't deserve me. My talent, my character, and reputation speaks volumes on its own. Know your worth and never be afraid to use your voice. Stand up for what is right regardless of who is committing the wrong. Excited for what is to come. And to be quite honest it was about damn time," she concluded.
As a result of the alleged mistreatment, the plaintiffs are seeking general and special damages, as well as punitive damages and attorneys' fees. The lawsuit does not specify a monetary amount. “The stunning nature of how Lizzo and her management team treated their performers seems to go against everything Lizzo stands for publicly, while privately she weight-shames her dancers and demeans them in ways that are … absolutely demoralizing,” the plaintiffs’ attorney, Ron Zambrano, said in a statement.
