Lizzo says the intense public fallout surrounding a 2023 workplace lawsuit coincided with anxiety attacks, including one frightening episode while she was driving on a freeway.
Lizzo discussed the experience on the September 17 episode of Angie Martinez‘s IRL podcast. In the conversation, reported by Complex, she said she began experiencing anxiety attacks after allegations against her became public in 2023.
Lizzo recalled driving on a freeway when her hands became numb and she struggled to maintain control of the car. She said she eventually got off the freeway, stopped at a gas station and received help after speaking with her doctor, who told her she was experiencing a panic attack.
The singer connected the episode to the emotional pressure she felt as the allegations circulated publicly. She told Martinez that the reaction surrounding the case affected her deeply, describing the experience as an attack on the values and public identity she had spent years presenting.
The underlying legal dispute began when former dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez filed a 2023 lawsuit alleging sexual harassment and a hostile work environment. Lizzo has denied the allegations. A fat-shaming claim in the dancers’ case was dismissed in December 2025, while other portions of that lawsuit remain ongoing.
A separate lawsuit filed by former wardrobe stylist Asha Daniels against Big Grrrl Big Touring was dismissed in September 2026. Lizzo has previously said she refused to settle the dancers’ case and expects the remaining claims against her to be dismissed.
Her latest interview is Lizzo’s personal account of how the public controversy affected her and does not determine the merits of the still-pending legal claims. The case itself continues through the courts while she speaks more openly about the period surrounding it.
More News, Fabolous Recalls Amsterdam Weed Cake That Left Him Stuck Mid-Tattoo
Federal Prosecutors Challenge OG 3Three’s $200K Bond Release Ahead of New Hearing
September 22, 2026
