Lizzo Can’t Stop Discussing 2023 Lawsuits Despite Legal Victories

Lizzo sat down with Willie Geist at Books of Wonder in New York to discuss her new children’s book, her journey from classically trained flute prodigy to Grammy-winning superstar, and the legal battles that continue to define her public narrative.

Although the lawsuits filed against her in 2023 have been dismissed, the singer still can’t move past the controversy that threatened to derail her career.

The pop star, born Melissa Viviane Jefferson, has spent the last three years navigating a legal minefield.

Two separate lawsuits were filed against her and her production company by former employees in 2023, alleging sexual harassment, a hostile work environment, and weight-shaming.

Despite the dismissals, Lizzo continues to grapple with how these cases have affected her public image and personal well-being.

“I had to make peace with the fact that there’s a version of Lizzo that exists now that the world controls,” she told Geist. “The world controls the narrative and I don’t. But what I can control is who I really am.”

This statement encapsulates the core struggle Lizzo faces: the disconnect between the legal victories she’s achieved and the persistent public perception shaped by the initial allegations.

Even as courts have ruled in her favor, the singer acknowledges that the damage to her reputation may be irreversible in the court of public opinion.

When asked whether she wants to fight back against the narrative, Lizzo revealed her strategy for moving forward.

“You know, I’m not a fighter. I’m a lover. I think that is the business that I’m in now because I do realize it’s a headline game. I’m like, ‘Okay, how many headlines can I have out there about the things that I’m doing that I’m proud of and that I actually did.'”

Rather than engaging in a prolonged legal battle through the media, Lizzo has chosen to focus on positive projects, like her new children’s book “Lil Lizzo Meets Sasha B. Flootin’,” to reshape her public image.

The book tells the story of a young girl finding confidence, inspired by Lizzo’s own journey and her Instagram character Sasha B. Flootin, who has amassed 300,000 followers.

Yet despite this forward-thinking approach, Lizzo cannot seem to escape the shadow of the lawsuits.

When discussing what she learned from the three-year ordeal, she reflected on the personal growth that came from adversity.

“My biggest takeaway is that everything that happens to you, good or bad, is an opportunity for growth. It’s an opportunity for self-reflection and to learn about yourself and to even if you don’t like parts of yourself, deal with it and work on it. And then, the person you become at the end of that is like someone you couldn’t even imagine and you fall in love with them.”