Lizzo’s future is hanging in the balance – will she survive?
Body positivity is Lizzo’s brand.
No stranger to the subject of fat shaming, the singer – whose real name is real name Melissa Viviane Jefferson – has been credited with changing the narrative around plus-size women, calling out sizeist behaviour and refusing to conform to industry stereotypes as she cranks out the hits in a rainbow array of skin-tight leotards and bodysuits.
She’s won four Grammys, and in 2019 was named Time’s entertainer of the year. Her 2023 Glastonbury set on the festival’s main stage was met with critical acclaim. And she’s been credited with single-handedly raising the profile of woodwind, making it officially cool to play the flute.
Pic: AP
But now, with claims she is guilty of weight shaming and sexual harassment – accusations the 35-year-old singer, songwriter, rapper and flautist strongly denies – her future is hanging in the balance.
Three of Lizzo’s former dancers have filed a civil lawsuit against her and her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring Inc (BGBT) – including accusations she pressured one to touch a nude performer at an Amsterdam strip club, and made comments about one performer putting on weight before firing her.
Two of the dancers had won their roles on Lizzo’s Emmy-winning reality show Watch Out For The Big Grrrls, which offers plus-sized dancers the chance to compete to be part of her team.
Two days after the lawsuit was publicly announced, Lizzo posted a statement on Instagram, calling the allegations against her false – and labelling them “unbelievable,” “outrageous,” and “sensationalised”.
She said she was passionate about her art, and that “with passion comes hard work and high standards,” adding “sometimes I have to make hard decisions”.
In turn, Lizzo accused “people and the media” of portraying her as a “villain”.
She then touched on the very reason there’s been such a showbiz stir over the claims, telling her fans: “I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis and would absolutely never criticise or terminate an employee because of their weight.”
For a long time in the shiny and glamourous world of showbiz, thinness and fame have been so firmly intertwined as to be virtually inseparable. Lizzo exploded that myth – bursting onto the scene and refusing to be told she needed to be a size zero in order to make it.
The accusations against her must sting particularly hard due to the fact she’s previously spoken so openly about her struggles with body issues from an early age and experiencing body shaming herself due to her weight.
Advocating body confidence, and a role model to many, she gave a long overdue boost to the visibility of plus-sized women in entertainment.
Pic: AP
But when Beyonce skipped a reference to Lizzo in a live performance of Break My Soul (The Queens Remix) on Tuesday night, many saw it as an early snub, signalling the star’s potential cancellation.
And Lizzo’s product is more than just herself or her music – there’s also the bandwagon of merchandise that comes with any bona fide US star. You can buy Lizzo T-shirts, trackies and hoodies – and even a Lizzo thong with Juice (the title of her 2019 hit) plastered across the front.
It seems likely that sales of the merch may now slow – at least until the lawsuit is concluded – as fans try to work out if hers is a label they want to be associated with.
Further accusations against Lizzo have followed news of the lawsuit, with Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sophia Nahli Allison posting statements on social media, supporting the claims of the three backing dancers, and calling Lizzo “arrogant, self-centred, and unkind”.
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Lizzo dancer: ‘I was terrified for my job’
Nahli Allison had been due to direct a documentary about the star, travelling with her in 2019, but said she dropped out of the project after two weeks after being treated with “such disrespect by her”.
She accused Lizzo of creating “an extremely toxic and hostile working environment” – calling her “a narcissistic bully,” claiming the singer has “built her brand off lies”, and saying “her image and ‘message’ was a curated facade”.
Following Lizzo’s response to the accusations, the law firm representing the three former dancers says the singer has “failed her own brand and let down her fans” – adding that her words were an attempt to “minimise the trauma” she’s alleged to have caused. They also say more people have been in touch with them since the women came forward.
It’s not the first time Lizzo – who as a songwriter makes her living from words – has been in the firing line over perceived insensitivity to others.
Pic: James McCauley/Shutterstock
Last year, a lyric from her song Grrrls generated controversy after using a derogatory term for the condition spastic cerebral palsy.
The lyric was eventually changed, with Lizzo saying at the time: “As a fat black woman in America, I’ve had many hurtful words used against me so I understand the power words can have (whether intentionally or in my case, unintentionally).”
The singer now finds herself on the defensive again – with many who previously felt empowered and emboldened by her body positive messages now likely to be questioning the value of words and actions some claim are counterfeit and empty.
Lizzo performs with her dancers at the 65th annual Grammys
With her reality show commissioned for a second season, there will now also be eyes on the reaction of Amazon Studios (who produce the show along with the singer’s production company Lizzo Bangers). They have previously hailed the singer as “one of the most exciting, creative, joyful artists in the industry”.
When launching auditions in April, Lizzo herself said: “I’ve witnessed lives change through this show and I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue making space for even more Big Grrrls around the world to shine and break down barriers across this industry.”
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Known for leading chants of “I love you, you are beautiful and you can do anything” during her gigs, the authenticity needed to make those kind of affirmations feel inspiring rather than icky is now under scrutiny.
Lizzo now risks seeing her triple-charged brand – with all the colour, vibrancy and pizzazz associated with her work – turn from positive to negative in the blink of an eye.
She plays a superhero in her latest glossy music video, but in reality, Lizzo’s superpower – her all-embracing body positivity – could turn out to be her kryptonite if it’s proved she didn’t live by the standards she set for others. The forthcoming lawsuit will decide if she’s cast as the hero or “villain” of that story.
Sky News has contacted Lizzo for comment.
OpenAI has completed its transition to a for-profit company, after court battles and public criticism from one of its founders, Elon Musk.
The company’s for-profit arm will become a public benefit corporation – a company type that must consider both the mission and shareholder interests.
But the non-profit arm will retain control over it to make sure OpenAI sticks to its mission of developing artificial intelligence to the “benefit of all humanity”.
The restructuring will make it easier for OpenAI to profit from its AI, which the company says will help it to realise its goal of developing artificial general intelligence (AGI).
AGI would mean AI can perform any intellectual task that a human can. It is often seen as the holy grail for AI companies.
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In a call on Tuesday, OpenAI’s chief executive Sam Altman said “the most likely path” for the newly formed business is that it becomes publicly traded on the stock market, “given the capital needs that we’ll have and sort of the size of the company”.
The company also announced that Microsoft, a long-time backer of OpenAI, will now hold a roughly 27% stake in its new for-profit corporation, a slightly bigger share than OpenAI’s own nonprofit.
“We will be keeping a close eye on OpenAI to ensure ongoing adherence to its charitable mission and the protection of the safety of all Californians,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
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OpenAI said it completed its restructuring “after nearly a year of engaging in constructive dialogue” with the offices in both states.
“OpenAI has completed its recapitalization, simplifying its corporate structure,” said a blog post Tuesday from Bret Taylor, the chair of OpenAI’s board of directors.
“The nonprofit remains in control of the for-profit, and now has a direct path to major resources before AGI arrives.”
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When OpenAI initially suggested restructuring, Mr Musk asked a judge to block this from happening.
He launched a legal case against the company in 2024, accusing it of a breach of contract.
Mr Musk accused the ChatGPT developer of transforming into “a closed-source de facto subsidiary of the largest technology company, Microsoft”, according to a court filing.
“It is not just developing but is actually refining an AGI [artificial general intelligence] to maximise profits for Microsoft, rather than for the benefit of humanity,” the court filing said.
A legal battle ensued and earlier this year, Mr Musk offered to buy OpenAI for $97.4bn (£78.7bn) – an offer that was quickly rejected by Mr Altman, who told Sky News: “The company is not for sale.”
After announcing the changes on Tuesday, Mr Altman said:
“California is my home, and I love it here, and when I talked to Attorney General Bonta two weeks ago I made clear that we were not going to do what those other companies do and threaten to leave if sued.
“We really wanted to figure this out and are really happy about where it all landed – and very much appreciate the work of the Attorney General.”
Fourteen people have died after the US launched its latest attacks on boats in the eastern Pacific Ocean, which it says were transporting illegal drugs to the country.
It brings the total number of dead from 13 airstrikes to 57, amid increasing tensions between the US and the governments of both Colombia and Venezuela.
A 30-second video posted on X by the US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, showed four vessels exploding on Monday on what he said were the orders of US President Donald Trump.
Analysis: Is Trump going to attack Venezuela?
One of the boats appears to be piled high with packages.
Mr Hegseth, who is with Mr Trump on a tour of Asia, said US forces carried out “three lethal kinetic strikes on four vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organisations (DTO) trafficking narcotics”.
They were identified as drug boats by US intelligence, he said, travelling on “known narco-trafficking routes, and carrying narcotics”.
A total of 14 “male narco-terrorists” onboard were killed, he said, “with one survivor”, who was rescued by Mexican authorities.
Narco-terrorists “have killed more Americans than Al-Qaeda, and they will be treated the same. We will track them, we will network them, and then, we will hunt and kill them,” he added.
The condition and whereabouts of the survivor are not known.
President Trump and Japan’s Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, in Tokyo on Tuesday. Pic: AP
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaking to troops on the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, in Japan. Pic: Reuters
It is the latest in a series of attacks on boats the US says have been carrying drugs in both the Pacific and Caribbean, and comes as Washington continues its military build-up in the latter, deploying guided-missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine and thousands of troops.
The administration has ordered the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier and its supporting strike group to the region, and it is expected to reach the Caribbean in the coming weeks.
Mr Trump has accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of leading a drug-trafficking organisation, which he denies.
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September- ‘drug boat’ attacked by US military
Mr Maduro has repeatedly claimed that the US wants to drive him from power, while some in Venezuela believe the military build-up is aimed at destabilising his government and ultimately forcing regime change in Caracas.
Mr Trump has also authorised the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela.
The Pentagon has provided little information about any of the strikes, including the quantity of drugs the boats allegedly carried and the identities of those killed.
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Democrats in Washington have asked whether the attacks comply with the laws of war, while legal experts have asked why the US Coast Guard, the main US maritime law enforcement agency, hasn’t been involved and why other efforts to stop the shipments have not been tried first.
Venezuela’s government says the strikes are illegal, amount to murder, and are acts of aggression.
In August, the Trump administration doubled its reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million (£38m).
US warships in the region, the green light for covert operations, and deadly strikes on what the Trump administration claims are “narco terrorists” – could America’s next move be to strike Venezuela?
President Donald Trump has accused President Nicolas Maduro of leading an organised crime gang (without providing evidence) and declined to answer when questioned if the CIA has the authority to assassinate him.
In return, the Venezuelan leader has accused Mr Trump of seeking regime change and of “fabricating a new eternal war” against his country, as he appealed to the American people for peace.
The rhetoric coming out of the White House, coupled with the presence of military ships in the region, has raised questions about a possible armed conflict between the US and Venezuela.
The question in the air is: Will the US actually attack Venezuela?
The USS Gravely destroyer arrives in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on 26 October. Pic: AP
What are US warships doing?
The docking of the USS Gravely guided missile destroyer in the capital of Trinidad and Tobago – just 25 miles from the coast of Venezuela – is the latest incident to escalate tensions.
Venezuela’s government condemned the arrival and called it a provocation by Trinidad and Tobago and the US.
The USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier – the largest warship in the world – is also moving closer to Venezuela.
Satellite image shows USS Gerald R Ford on 25 October off the coast of Croatia, a day after the announcement it would be deployed to the Caribbean. Pic: EU Copernicus
It comes as the US has acknowledged carrying out at least seven strikes since September on vessels near Venezuela that it claims were transporting drugs, killing at least 32 people.
Venezuela’s government says the strikes are illegal, amount to murder, and are acts of aggression.
Earlier this month, Trump confirmed he has authorised the CIA to carry out covert operations – including lethal operations – in Venezuela.
The CIA has a long history of operations in Latin America, with actions varying widely from direct paramilitary engagement to intelligence gathering and support roles with little to no physical footprint.
What could happen?
To get an idea of what could happen next, Sky News spoke to Dr Carlos Solar, an expert on Latin American security at the RUSI defence thinktank.
He says the level of military strategy the US is applying around Venezuela seems “unproportionate” for the task of tackling drug trafficking.
In Venezuela, the government has civilians trained in the use of weapons to defend the country in the event of a US attack. Pic: AP
“A build-up this size can only suggest there’s a strategic military goal,” he added.
Dr Solar says the role of the CIA is “not surprising”, as the US often deploys spying capabilities in countries deemed adversarial.
“With the chances of a military conflict looming, having the most intelligence capable on the ground would be reasonable.”
The world’s largest warship, the USS Gerald R Ford, has been tasked to the Caribbean. File pic: Reuters
Asked what could happen next, Dr Solar told Sky News: “One scenario is Trump authorises a round of long-range precision attacks in Venezuela’s territory linked to drug trafficking operations, eventually forcing Maduro to reciprocate later.
“We saw this early in the year when the US attacked Iran’s nuclear facilitates and Tehran returned missiles to US bases in Qatar.
“If the US decides to move more strongly, destroying all critical military targets from the Venezuelan forces, then the US could have Maduro surrender and leave the country immediately.
“This would be the least disruptive without causing greater destabilisation of the country.”
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Venezuelan President: ‘We don’t want a war’
What does Trump say about Venezuela?
Trump said his reasons for the strikes on vessels were the migration of Venezuelans, allegedly including former prisoners, to the US – and drug trafficking.
“I authorised for two reasons really,” he said. “Number one, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America…they came in through the border. They came in because we had an open border,” he told reporters. “And the other thing are drugs.”
He has accused Venezuela of trafficking huge amounts of cocaine into the US, and alleged Mr Maduro is the leader of the Tren de Aragua gang – a claim most of his own intelligence agencies do not support.
President Donald Trump is currently on a tour of Asia. Pic: Reuters
The US leader has not provided evidence for the claim about prisoners, and Sky News chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay pointed out the fentanyl drug that is causing destruction in America is largely manufactured in Mexico, not Venezuela.
“We are looking at land now, because we’ve got the sea very well under control,” Mr Trump added. It is not clear what actions this could entail.
The Pentagon recently disclosed to US Congress that the president has determined the US is engaged in “a non-international armed conflict” with drug cartels.
When asked if the CIA has the authority to execute Maduro, which would be a massive intervention, Trump declined to answer. Instead, he said: “I think Venezuela is feeling heat.”
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Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro. Pic: Reuters
What does Venezuela’s leader say?
Maduro has been in power since 2013, including re-elections in contests marred by accusations of fraud.
The last decade has seen his country gripped by spiralling hyperinflation and a humanitarian crisis that has seen an estimated eight million Venezuelans flee the country.
As the USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier moved closer to Venezuela, Maduro accused the US government of “fabricating a new eternal war” against his country.
Venezuelan ambassador to the UN, Samuel Moncada, holds a newspaper article about a recent US military strike. Pic: Reuters
“They promised they would never again get involved in a war, and they are fabricating a war that we will avoid,” he said in a national address.
“They are fabricating an extravagant narrative, a vulgar, criminal and totally fake one,” he added, perhaps a reference to Trump’s claim that he is the leader of the Tren de Aragua gang and that his country trafficks cocaine into the US.
“Venezuela is a country that does not produce cocaine leaves.”
Members of Venezuela’s Bolivarian National Guard. Pic: Reuters
Tren de Aragua, which traces its roots to a Venezuelan prison, is not known for having a big role in global drug trafficking but instead for its involvement in contract killings, extortion, and people smuggling.
Venezuela has raised a complaint to the UN Security Council and demanded accountability from the US.
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