A clothing designer has come forward with allegations of experiencing discrimination and harassment while working with Lizzo during her 2023 tour. Asha Daniels, who collaborated with Lizzo's backing dancers, has accused Amanda Nomura, Lizzo's wardrobe manager, of making "racist and fat-phobic comments." Daniels shared her ordeal with 'NBC News,' expressing her shock and dismay, stating, "I felt like I was living in a madhouse."
Lizzo is currently facing legal action from three of her backing dancers, and now, her wardrobe manager, Amanda Nomura, is also under scrutiny for allegedly contradicting the empowering message conveyed by Lizzo's music.
Daniels expressed her disillusionment, saying, "I was listening to this black woman on this huge stage have this message of self-love and caring for others and being empathetic and being strong and standing up for others. And I was witnessing myself, the dancers, and the background vocalists, and my local team in every city be harassed and bullied regularly."
According to Daniels, Nomura repeatedly made derogatory comments, even resorting to offensive stereotypical impressions of black women while mocking both Lizzo and her background dancers. Daniels further claimed that Nomura would derogatorily refer to black women on the tour as 'dumb,' 'useless,' and 'fat.'
Asha Daniels, who began her work on Lizzo's tour in February 2023, has also alleged instances of sexual harassment from Lizzo's management. Shockingly, she stated that discussions regarding the potential hiring of sex workers for lewd acts during their tour in Amsterdam were openly held among Nomura, the crew, and Lizzo's management team.
Adding to her grievances, Daniels asserted that she was subjected to grueling work conditions, often working 20-hour days and seven days a week.
The lawsuit names Lizzo, aged 35, alongside her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring, tour manager Carlina Gugliotta, and Amanda Nomura. Lizzo vehemently denies all of these allegations. Lizzo's spokesperson, Stefan Friedman, issued a statement in response to the allegations, saying, "We will pay this as much attention as it deserves. None."
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