Federal judge Fernando Aenlle-Rocha dismissed a harassment and discrimination lawsuit brought against Lizzo and her production company, Big Grrrl Touring, on Tuesday, September 1. The ruling brings a complete end to the legal battle initiated by former stylist Asha Daniels in September 2023.
The dismissal arrives after a sequence of court decisions that steadily narrowed the scope of the litigation. A federal judge previously ruled that Daniels couldn’t sue Lizzo or tour manager Carlina Gugliotta as individuals, setting the stage for Tuesday’s summary judgment in favor of the production company. Lizzo herself was dismissed from the case in 2024, and the new ruling means that Big Grrrl Touring is off the hook as well. With the final complaint resolved, Lizzo — real name Melissa Jefferson — responded via Instagram with a silent video showing her standing solemnly in front of a camera while a text statement rolled on the screen, expressing relief over the outcome.
“Today I am relieved to announce that I have won the case against me and my touring company Big Grrrl Touring.”
Lizzo
Disputed Claims and the Defense Response
The underlying legal action began in September 2023 when designer and wardrobe assistant Asha Daniels filed a complaint alleging that the singer and her associates created a sexualized, racially charged and illegal work environment
. In her public statement following the ruling, she pushed back specifically against the nature of the allegations.
“All the ridiculous claims by a wardrobe assistant who worked on tour for less than 3 weeks (including a claim they broke an acrylic nail) have been dismissed.”
Lizzo
The musician added that the litigation was “shockingbecause she was being sued by someone who
admittedly never met me”. Throughout the proceedings, the Yitty founder consistently and vehemently denied all claims of sexual harassment, as well as racial, gender, and disability discrimination.
“I prayed for the truth to come out and thanks to my incredible lawyers, the truth has prevailed. The truth matters more to me than anything, and I told y’all I will continue to fight every vicious claim that has been made against me and my businesses. I’m grateful to God and my team for another victory. I will continue to use my platform to spread positivity and light to the world.”
Lizzo
Plaintiff Legal Team Disagrees With Court Approach
While the defense celebrated the resolution, legal representatives for the plaintiff signaled strong disagreement with the judicial reasoning behind the summary judgment. Ron Zambrano, lead counsel for Daniels, issued a formal statement to Billboard addressing the court’s evaluation of the workplace environment.
“In our view, the ruling appears to minimize evidence of a sexually charged work environment by assessing incidents too narrowly … rather than considering their cumulative impact.”
Ron Zambrano, Lead Counsel for Daniels
Zambrano added that they respectfully disagree with the Court's approach and are considering appropriate next steps
regarding the litigation.
Remaining Legal Battles and Pending Actions
Although the case brought by Daniels is fully resolved following Lizzo’s earlier dismissal from the individual complaint in 2024 and the recent clearance of Big Grrrl Touring, legal challenges for the artist continue on a separate front. A separate lawsuit filed by three former backup dancers against Lizzo, her production company, and dance captain Shirlene Quigley remains pending in the courts.
Attorneys representing the musician have previously denied the allegations in that case, characterizing it as a fabricated sob story
launched by “opportunists” seeking a quick payday,
leaving the broader legal contest unresolved as proceedings move forward.
