Lizzo‘s fifth studio album, “B-TCH,” released early this month, received a lukewarm response, making a difficult return to music for the Grammy-winning singer. Many are speculating concerning the album’s underwhelming performance, with some mentioning Lizzo’s involvement in an ongoing lawsuit against her former backup dancers.
Her primary accusers are speaking out about Lizzo’s latest album and the way it could have impacted her profession.
Lizzo’s latest album, “B-TCH,” has struggled to match the success of her previous releases, prompting some critics to explain it as a flop.
The album sold just over 2,600 copies in its first week, together with 2.7 million on-demand streams, with sales plummeting to 650 units the second week. In contrast, her 2022 album, “Special,” debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, with 39,000 copies sold in the primary week.
While many aspects could have contributed to the album’s underwhelming performance, many imagine it’s partly attributable to Lizzo’s ongoing legal battle together with her former dancers, Noelle Rodriguez, Arianna Davis, and Crystal Williams.
The three spoke with CNN, saying they’ve mixed feelings concerning the trajectory of Lizzo’s profession. No matter their emotions, they claim their intention in filing the lawsuit was to not “take down” Lizzo. “It was never an intention to take down a plus-size woman of color specifically,” Rodriguez said.
The Dancers Are Committed To Pursuing The Case
Lizzo’s former dancers say it isn’t their place to speak concerning the state of the singer’s profession. Speaking on behalf of the group, Rodriguez said, “I don’t really think it’s our place to debate and even have an opinion on how her profession goes at this point, when that wasn’t even our reason for filing in the primary place.”
In 2023, Rodriguez, Davis, and Williams filed a lawsuit against Lizzo and her production company, claiming body-shaming, sexual harassment, and workplace hostility. The legal battle continues to be ongoing.
Rodriguez added that the lawsuit wasn’t a “smear campaign” against Lizzo. Slightly, they need to hold the singer accountable for the values she has built her public image around.
“I feel if anything, looking back, I’ve actually had some sadness within the indisputable fact that it has impacted her profession,” Rodriguez said.
Lizzo Has Consistently Denied The Allegations
In August 2023, Lizzo, dance captain Shirlene Quigley, and production company Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc. were named in a lawsuit, through which Rodriguez, Davis, and Williams alleged they were sexually harassed, worked in a hostile environment, and were body-shamed, along with other allegations, comparable to religious and racial harassment, and false imprisonment.
Lizzo clapped back on the accusations, saying the claims were “false” and “outrageous.” In 2024, she spoke concerning the controversy, saying she was “deeply hurt” and completely blindsided by the lawsuit. “These were people who I liked and appreciated as dancers, respected them as dancers. So I used to be like, ‘What?!’” Lizzo said, adamantly denying all of the claims.
“The toughest part about all that is that none of these items were true,” the singer said.
What Stays Of The Dancers’ Lawsuit Against The Singer?
In December 2025, a judge dismissed the dancers’ fat-shaming allegations from the lawsuit, which Lizzo considered a small win. “There was no evidence I fired them because they gained weight. They were fired for taking a personal recording of me without my consent and sending it off to ex-employees,” the singer noted.
Nevertheless, the vast majority of the lawsuit will still move forward with the sexual harassment and hostile work environment claims. Lizzo is adamant about fighting the case in court. In a video she posted on TikTok, the singer wrote that she doesn’t plan to settle and “might be fighting each claim until the reality is out.”
The case is currently before the California Court of Appeal, and each parties are awaiting a court date for oral argument.
Lizzo Addressed Her Low Album Sales
On the “Proto Pop” podcast, the singer candidly talked concerning the lukewarm response to her latest album, admitting that she took it to heart. “I feel that there was like, 24 hours of my life where I based my success and my value on a number. And I feel that was soul-crushing,” she explained.
Even before the album’s release, Lizzo took to social media, saying her record label, Atlantic Records, did not market it properly. Furthermore, Lizzo cited the changing music landscape as one in all the explanations behind her album’s poor industrial performance.
Despite the challenges, Lizzo noted that she isn’t in a rush for people to attach together with her music and believes “B-TCH” has a few of the “best stuff” she’s ever written.