Lizzo Vows to 'Continue to Be Who I Am, No Matter Who's Watching' amid Legal Troubles

Lizzo is speaking out amid her ongoing legal woes.

The “Truth Hurts” singer, 35, was given the Quincy Jones Humanitarian Award at the 2023 Black Music Action Coalition Gala on Thursday, and gave an emotional speech when she was presented with the accolade by her current "Big Grrrrls" and "Big Boys" dancers.

“It's easy to do the right thing when everybody's watching you, and it's what you do in those moments where nobody's watching that defines who you are,” Lizzo — who wore a black strapless gown and black elbow-length gloves — said in her acceptance speech. “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,” she said. “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 and create safe spaces for Black fat women because that's what the f--- I do,” she added.

In June, the singer donated a quarter of a million dollars to Black-led organizations dedicated to helping Black communities like The Marsha P. Johnson Institute, Black Girls Smile, Save Our Sisters and the Sphinx Organization, which earned her the award.

Her "Big Grrrrls" and "Big Boys" appeared to show solidarity with Lizzo on the evening, chanting, "We love her. We are and we will forever be L-I-Z-Z-O B-I-G G-R-R-L-S, we the best!"

In August, three of Lizzo’s former backup dancers — Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez —  filed a lawsuit against the singer for alleged sexual and racial harassment and creating a hostile work environment. They claimed they were pressured by Lizzo into touching nude performers while at a club in Amsterdam and were body-shamed.

In response, the "About Damn Time" singer 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.

“There is nothing I take more seriously than the respect we deserve as women in the world,” Lizzo said in the statement. “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.”

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Earlier this week, the Grammy winner was hit with another lawsuit from fashion designer Asha Daniels, who alleged that while Lizzo preached body positivity and inclusion, her employees were forced to work in a “racist and sexualized” environment.

“I was listening to this Black woman on this huge stage have this message of self-love and caring for others and being empathetic and being strong and standing up for others. And I was witnessing myself, the dancers and the background vocalists and my local team in every city be harassed and bullied regularly,” Daniels said, per NBC News. 

Lizzo's rep Stefan Friedman replied to the latest allegation by telling PEOPLE in a statement: “As Lizzo receives a Humanitarian Award from the Black Music Action Coalition for the incredible charitable work she has done to lift up all people, an ambulance-chasing lawyer tries to sully this honor by recruiting someone to file a bogus, absurd publicity-stunt lawsuit who, wait for it, never actually met or even spoke with Lizzo. We will pay this as much attention as it deserves. None.”