Lizzo blossoms and blooms on the cover of Vanity Fair‘s November issue.
Currently rocking stages across the world on her ‘Special Tour,’ the chart-topping performer seized the feature to open up about the triumphant and trying chapters of her fascinating narrative.
Indeed, during the candid interview, she clapped back at claims that she makes “music for White people,” wardrobe choices, the flute controversy, and more.
Head below for pics and quotes…
On Realizing She Could Sing:
“I grew up around gospel singers. I mean Jazmine Sullivan–type voices. My first singing voice was a rock voice in my progressive rock band when I was 19 or 20…very Mars Volta–influenced. That gave me the [vocal] power I’ve got now. It wasn’t until 2015 when I realized I have a very powerful singing voice with a lot of soul.
[I still] had to prove myself with Special that I can make good music.”
On Claims She Makes Music for White People
“That is probably the biggest criticism I’ve received, and it is such a critical conversation when it comes to Black artists. When Black people see a lot of white people in the audience, they think, ‘Well this isn’t for me, this is for them.’ The thing is, when a Black artist reaches a certain level of popularity, it’s going to be a predominantly white crowd.
I am not making music for white people. I am a Black woman, I am making music from my Black experience, for me to heal myself [from] the experience we call life. If I can help other people, hell yeah. Because we are the most marginalized and neglected people in this country. We need self-love and self-love anthems more than anybody. So am I making music for that girl right there who looks like me, who grew up in a city where she was under-appreciated and picked on and made to feel un-beautiful? Yes. It blows my mind when people say I’m not making music from a Black perspective—how could I not do that as a Black artist?”
On Her Wardrobe Choices:
“When it’s sexual, it’s mine. When it’s sexualized, someone is doing it to me or taking it from me.
Black women are hyper-sexualized all the time, and masculinized simultaneously. Because of the structure of racism, if you’re thinner and lighter, or your features are narrow, you’re closer to being a woman.
After [Beyoncé’s ‘Single Ladies’] it seemed like it became the industry standard for everyone,” she says. “I wanted to be like a dancer and also, it was kind of political and feminist in my eyes to have me, a full-figured dancer, wearing leotards, showing and celebrating curves and being Olympian in strength, endurance, and flexibility.”
I wanted to be like a dancer and also, it was kind of political and feminist in my eyes to have me, a full-figured dancer, wearing leotards, showing and celebrating curves and being Olympian in strength, endurance, and flexibility.”
On The Flute Controversy:
“When people look back at the crystal flute, they’re going to see me playing it. They’re going to see that it was owned by James Madison, but they’re going to see how far we’ve had to come for someone like me to be playing it in the nation’s capital, and I think that that’s a cool thing. I don’t want to leave history in the hands of people who uphold oppression and racism. My job as someone who has a platform is to reshape history.”
She makes positive music. And it Sad that its black ppl saying that her positive music is white ppl. Speaks volumes of just where black folks r. Because how is lizzo’s not black music. 🙄 some of us aren’t here for the constant s**, violence, drugs, drinking, and misogyny in most of music by other black artists today
This! Spot on
She is making trash “music” for all the gh3tto black lives don’t matter s**** girls.
Apparently grammar doesn’t matter in your world either 🥴. BLM foreva ✊🏽✊🏽✊🏽💋
My thing with Lizzo is, she makes great music but she’s very crass and trashy. Her antics turned a lot of people off from her music and takes away from her actual talent. That’s why she only sold 60th first week with a #1 single….
She’s not adhering to societal norms that assume all over weight people should be ashamed of their weight, hide themselves, and work tirelessly until they can attain the societal standard of beauty and s***. The type of self affirmation that Lizzo in her has in her own skin makes a lot of sheep uncomfortable.
She needs to build an actual fanbase first….
You NEED to be more original, lol
If Elvis, Eminem, Iggy Azalea & Jack Harlow can make Black Music, then Lizzo can make whatever she want.
F*ck y’all
The same Black ppl who criticize Lizzo will support a Jack Harlow or Iggy Azalea.
So who cares about their opinion when they have all the wiggas at the cookout, lol
Exactly!! Get those coins Lizzy Beth 💯
There’s not just one way to be black. We’re a multifaceted people with many different experiences. We’re not a monolith and do not all think and/or act the same. We should allow space for our differences.
@Hmmm – great comment
Her new album is amazing! People sleeping on it.
I was rocking with her until she made the assertion that “when a Black artist reaches a certain level of popularity, it’s going to be a predominantly white crowd.”
That’s completely BS. I was just at a Mary J show— predominantly black audience. Beyoncé will have a predominantly black audience. So will Rihanna. Hell, even Mariah Carey will play to a sold out black audience in the US.
Lizzo should realize who her audience actually is. She may not be making music exclusively for that audience as is asserted by some critics, but she can’t deny that at the end of the day, her music connects with a specific demographic.
but demographically speaking White people are the majority race in the US… her point is, if you reach the top of the charts or peak commercial success in the country, then you’re speaking to White people. are Black artists supposed to purposefully not seek excellent commercial success in order to ‘remain true’ to themselves? this is what she’s talking about.
And she could’ve went deeper cause Rap male artists, most of them Black, who reach their commercial peak will sell mostly to White audiences too but they don’t have to face these type of accusations Lizzo is facing.
Your all clearly sad to have a discussion a out black music for white peoples black music for black people. Music is UNIVERSAL it is for everyone. Who cares who is in the audience or buying the album or single. Just be grateful people are!!
Black people are haters!!! They said the same thing about Whitney in the 80’s and it brought her to tears!!!! Now y’all angry over Kim K calling Whitney a crackhead. It be your own people!!!!
Fake outrage….
Her new song is flopping
Mary j still doing 20,000 arenas with mostly black people in attendance lizzo a sellout and that new single flopped 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Cardi can’t even sell out tickets at a dive bar of 20 seats in a back alley lmaoooooooooo 🤣
Lizzo makes the kinda cheesy pop music that they play in Forever21 and Target. That’s just what it is. Her music whilst very catchy doesn’t have a soulful sound that attracts Black people. She min as well just own that.
Jack Harlow make cheesy bubblegum Hip-Hop music.
What’s the difference?? lol
His music isn’t anymore soulful than Lizzo.
Eminem, a white man, is the biggest-selling Hip-Hop artist of all-time. Cry about it then make peace with it 💋
And ppl will buy cocaine if you sell it to them. Doesn’t make it good, lol
I couldn’t care less how many records Eminem have sold. Musically he’s done NOTHING we haven’t seen in Hip-Hop from other Rappers.
So what is to cry about other than seeing ur struggle FACE…
Now that’s something I would cry about, lol