Lizzo received the Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award at the Black Music Action Coalition Gala on Thursday night. The award was presented to her by some of her Big Grrrl backup dancers amid the pop star facing legal action from some other Big Grrrls, who have accused Lizzo of creating a toxic workplace on tour. The dancers praised their boss for being a “trailblazer” and “philanthropist” and showered love upon her from the stage.
“Black Music Action Coalition, y’all really are about that action. Thank you so much for this, because I needed this right now. God’s timing is always on time!” Lizzo said while accepting the award (per Variety), an apparent veiled reference to her current controversy. “I didn’t write a speech because I don’t know what to say in times like these.”
Lizzo went on to say, “It’s easy to do the right thing when everybody’s watching you, and it’s what you do in those moments when nobody’s watching that defines who you are. And I’m going to continue to be who I am, no matter who’s watching. I’m going to continue to shine a light on the people who are helping people, because they deserve it. I’m going to continue to amplify the voices of marginalized people because I have a microphone and I know how to use it. And, I’m going to continue to put on and represent safe spaces for fat Black women, because that’s what the fuck I do!”
Not long before the BMAC Gala, Lizzo was hit with a second lawsuit from a designer who claimed the singer allowed bullying in the wardrobe department to go unchecked on her Special Tour. Lizzo’s team claimed the filing on Thursday was an attempt to “sully” her acceptance of the award and in a statement called it “a bogus, absurd publicity-stunt lawsuit” from someone who “never actually met or even spoke with Lizzo.”
