Beyoncé leaves out Lizzo's name during 'Break My Soul' performance amid sexual harassment allegations
Anish Vij
Featured Image Credit: Instagram/lizzobeeating/beyonce
Beyoncé appeared to leave out Lizzo's name during a live performance amid sexual harassment allegations made by three of the 'About Damn Time' singer's former dancers.
Queen Bey was performing 'Break My Soul' during her Renaissance tour in Boston, Massachusetts, on Tuesday night (1 August).
However, that same evening, Lizzo - real name Melissa Viviane Jefferson - and her production company were sued by three former dancers over alleged sexual harassment and a 'hostile work environment'.
The lawsuit was made against the rapper and production company Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc (BGBT).
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Her three former dancers - Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez - claim they were subject to sexual, religious and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault and false imprisonment, among other allegations.
In part, the lawsuit details a trip to Amsterdam’s red light district, in February 2023, in which performers were allegedly pressured to come along on nights out through fear of losing their jobs.
One visit to a club named Bananenbar allegedly resulted in performers being encouraged to touch nude performers by Lizzo.
“Plaintiffs were aghast with how little regard Lizzo showed for the bodily autonomy of her employees and those around her, especially in the presence of many people whom she employed,” the complaint read.
Lawyer Ron Zambrano added: "The stunning nature of how Lizzo and her management team treated their performers seems to go against everything Lizzo stands for publicly, while privately she weight-shames her dancers and demeans them in ways that are not only illegal but absolutely demoralizing."
As the allegations were made on the same night of the Beyoncé concert, it seems that the 41-year-old left Lizzo's name out of her song.
The lyric mentioning Lizzo goes: 'Betty Davis, Solange Knowles / [Erykah Badu], Lizzo, Kelly Rowl' (You know you can do it)'
As seen in concert footage on social media, Queen B replaces Lizzo's line with four repetitions of 'Badu'.
Beyoncé seemingly skips over Lizzo’s name during the Queens Remix performance of ‘Break My Soul’ tonight at the Renaissance World Tour.
— Pop Base (@PopBase) August 2, 2023
She instead repeats Erykah Badu’s name four times.
pic.twitter.com/KhCC3TBbLF
This comes after Lizzo posted a heartfelt Instagram video in June, sharing the moment Beyoncé displayed her name over the crowd during her Renaissance tour.
“In that moment I was thinking about baby me, listening to Happy Face by destiny’s child and crying myself to sleep because of bullies,” Lizzo wrote in the post.
“I thought about Beyoncé jumping into the room where Tina Turner was waiting to meet her for the first time
“I think of what we all mean to people and how cyclical it is.
“We are all so infinitesimally and maximally connected and significant. It’s an honor. Thank You @beyonce.”
Tyla has contacted Beyoncé, Lizzo's representatives and the dancers' attorney for comment.