Lizzo Felt 'Blindsided' by Former Dancers' Accusations in Lawsuit: Source (Exclusive)

Lizzo was caught off guard by the lawsuit filed on Tuesday by three of her former dancers alleging sexual and racial harassment and accusing her of creating a hostile work environment, a source says.

A source close to Lizzo's team told PEOPLE, "She's been building and building her life and career, and getting achievement after achievement. It blindsided her and her team and is a wakeup call that all of that can be instantly diminished by something like this, just overnight."

Lizzo's rep and attorney have yet to respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

In a statement to PEOPLE Saturday, the plantiffs' attorney, Ron Zambrano, said, "There is no doubt that Lizzo has built quite a career for herself, and she has certainly achieved a lot. However, her success and popularity does not give her the right to treat her employees with such disrespect in violation of numerous laws. We’re happy to hear that this has been a wakeup call for her as maybe she can now acknowledge the pain and distress that she caused the plaintiffs."

On Thursday, the "About Damn Time" singer, 35, broke her silence and shared a lengthy statement on social media declaring that she is “not the villain” and that the allegations being made against her were “too outrageous” not to address.

“These last few days have been gut wrenchingly difficult and overwhelming disappointing,” her post on Instagram began. “My work ethic, morals and respectfulness have been questioned. My character has been criticized. Usually I choose not to respond to false allegations but these are as unbelievable as they sound and too outrageous not to be addressed.”

The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court against Lizzo, her production company, Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc., and her dance team captain, Shirlene Quigley.

In the suit, provided to PEOPLE by the plaintiffs’ law firm, Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez allege that they were pressured by Lizzo into touching nude performers at a club in Amsterdam and were subjected to weight shaming. 

Lizzo, whose real name is Melissa Jefferson, continued to address the allegations in her Thursday statement, “These sensationalized stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional.”

“As an artist I have always been very passionate about what I do. I take my music and my performances seriously because at the end of the day I only want to put out the best art that represents me and my fans. With passion comes hard work and high standards. Sometimes I have to make hard decisions but it’s never my intention to make anyone feel uncomfortable or like they aren’t valued as an important part of the team.”

“I am not here to be looked at as a victim, but I also know that I am not the villain that people and the media have portrayed me to be these last few days. I am very open with my sexuality and expressing myself but I cannot accept or allow people to use that openness to make me out to be something I am not," she said.

The suit also accuses Quigley of proselytizing everyone around her, shaming those who engaged in premarital sex and oversharing her masturbatory habits and sexual fantasies.

Quigley also denied the accusations in an Instagram post on Friday, writing, "It is with a heavy heart thatI address the recent accusations that have surfaced over the past few days. I was to categorically state that these accusations are not only baseless but also profoundly hurtful."

The dancers also allege they endured racial harassment from BGBT management, who "treated the Black members of the dance team differently than other members."

Davis also accused Lizzo of weight shaming, but in her statement responding to the accusations, Lizzo denied this and says that as someone who is “body shamed on a daily basis” she would “absolutely never” do this to someone else. 

“There is nothing I take more seriously than the respect we deserve as women in the world,” she explained. “I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis and would absolutely never criticize or terminate an employee because of their weight.”

The statement concluded, “I’m hurt but I will not let the good work I’ve done in this world be overshadowed by this. I want to thank everyone who has reached out in support to lift me up during this difficult time.”

Additional allegations in the suit include interference with prospective economic advantage and false imprisonment, but not all of the allegations pertain to all of the defendants.

In a statement to PEOPLE on Thursday, Zambrano claimed that Lizzo's denial hours earlier had added to his clients' "emotional distress."

“Lizzo has failed her own brand and has let down her fans. Her denial of this reprehensible behavior only adds to our clients’ emotional distress. The dismissive comments and utter lack of empathy are quite telling about her character and only serve to minimize the trauma she has caused the plaintiffs and other employees who have now come forward sharing their own negative experiences," he wrote.

He added, "While Lizzo notes it was never her intention ‘to make anyone feel uncomfortable,’ that is exactly what she did to the point of demoralizing her dancers and flagrantly violating the law.”