Lawsuit Dismissed
Federal Judge Dismisses Remaining Claims in Lawsuit Against Lizzo's Touring Company
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Key Points
1
The judge found no evidence that Amanda Nomura uttered racial slurs or directed racially offensive language toward Daniels.
2
Daniels’ tenure on Lizzo’s European tour was brief—she worked for less than three weeks on the tour.
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By end of 2024, eight causes of action had been dismissed; the court later dismissed the remaining seven claims, leaving no surviving counts against the company.
4
The court ruled that the injuries described (including the foot being run over by a heavy clothes rack) do not qualify as disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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Lizzo was removed as an individual defendant in December 2024; she publicly expressed relief at the ruling and said she would continue to fight unfounded claims.
A federal judge has granted summary judgment in favor of Lizzo's touring company Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc., dismissing all remaining claims in a lawsuit filed by former wardrobe assistant Asha Daniels. Detroit BinNews reported that Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha ruled there was no evidence of racial slurs, sexual harassment, or disability discrimination. The decision wipes away all 15 causes of action, giving Lizzo's touring operation a complete legal victory on this matter.
Lizzo responded to the ruling on Instagram, saying Enstarz: "Today I am relieved to announce that I have won the case against me and my touring company. I prayed for the truth to come out, and thanks to my incredible lawyers, the truth has prevailed." Lizzo was removed as an individual defendant in December 2024. The lawsuit stemmed from her 2023 European tour, during which Daniels worked for less than three weeks.
How the Court Dismissed Harassment Claims
The judge ruled that alleged incidents—including offensive remarks and a clothing rack rolling over Daniels' foot—fell into "ordinary workplace tribulations" and did not meet the legal bar for Title VII discrimination claims, according to K97FM. The court found no evidence that tour wardrobe manager Amanda Nomura directed racial slurs or offensive language at Daniels. For a workplace hostile environment claim to succeed, conduct must be severe or pervasive enough to alter working conditions.
Defense attorney Melissa Glass told Enstarz the ruling was a "total victory for Lizzo, her touring company, and the other defendants. There was never any basis for Ms. Daniels to sue." The judge also ruled the foot injury from the clothes rack incident did not qualify as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act. By late 2024, eight of the original 15 claims had already been dismissed, leaving only seven to be addressed at summary judgment.
Daniels' Brief Tenure on the European Tour
Asha Daniels worked as a wardrobe assistant on Lizzo's 2023 European leg of "The Special Tour" for less than three weeks before abandoning her post in Paris, Detroit BinNews reported. Critically, the court noted that Daniels had never met or spoken directly with Lizzo during her employment. This short tenure and lack of contact with the artist herself weakened claims of discrimination tied to Lizzo's personal conduct or knowledge.
Plaintiff's Attorney Criticizes the Narrow Ruling
Ron Zambrano, who represented Asha Daniels, argued to Kiss1067 that the judge's decision improperly analyzed incidents in isolation rather than examining them as part of a larger hostile culture. Zambrano contended the ruling Kiss1067 "appears to minimize evidence of a sexually charged work environment by assessing incidents too narrowly." The attorney suggested that examining the incidents together—rather than one by one—would have painted a different picture of the workplace environment.
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