Lizzo has issued a formal denial in response to the harrasment lawsuit filed by three of her former dancers last month. In her answer to the complaint—filed in a Los Angeles court on Wednesday, September 27, and viewed by Pitchfork—Lizzo and her lawyers also requested the dismissal of the lawsuit without prejudice while, like the plaintiffs, demanding a jury trial.

Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez are suing Lizzo, the Big Grrrl Big Touring production company, and dance captain Shirlene Quigley. Through the the complaint, the women accuse Lizzo of sexual harassment, disability discrimination, racial harassment, and creating a hostile work environment. After the lawsuit became public knowledge, Lizzo released a statement on social media denying the allegations, calling them “false,” “unbelievable,” and “outrageous.”

In the new filing, Lizzo’s lawyers issue a general denial and over 30 lines of defense explaining why they believe the lawsuit doesn’t hold water. The attorneys also claim that plaintiffs “ratified, acquiesced, condoned and/or approved of” Lizzo’s acts, as well as those of Big Grrl Big Touring production company and Shirlene Quigley.

In a statement shared with Pitchfork, the plaintiffs’ attorney, Neama Rahmani, wrote:

Lizzo’s answer merely consists of boilerplate objections that have nothing to do with the case. That said, the key takeaway is that Lizzo is agreeing to our clients’ demand for a jury trial. We look forward to presenting our case in court and letting a panel of her peers decide who is telling the truth, Lizzo and her team who continue to shame the victims or the plaintiffs and so many others who have come forward sharing similar stories of abuse and harassment.

Last week, Lizzo’s former tour employee Asha Daniels sued the singer over subpar working conditions, alleging that she was denied breaks during 20-hour shifts. She also claimed that Amanda Nomura, a member of Lizzo’s team, called Black women on the tour “dumb,” “useless,” and “fat.”

https://pitchfork.com/news/lizzo-denies-claims-in-formal-response-to-harassment-lawsuit