Grammy winner Lizzo is openly discussing the finer points of her crossover success and the largely white fan base that frequently accompanies it.
Vanity Fair’s November cover story featured an exclusive interview with the 34-year-old music superstar, Melissa Viviane Jefferson, who talked about her artistic path and the meaning behind her music. Despite her enormous fame, Lizzo brazenly declared that she doesn’t write music with a particular racial audience in mind. Her music, on the other hand, is a genuine manifestation of her Black experience and a way for her to cope with the difficulties of life.
With songs like “Juice,” “Good As Hell,” and the most recent “About Damn Time,” Lizzo has unquestionably made an impression in the pop genre, while having origins in R&B, hip-hop, and gospel. Lizzo insisted that her main audience is Black women, even if she has a varied fan base that includes a lot of white people after making her breakthrough in 2019 with “Cuz I Luv You.”
“More than anyone else, we need self-love and self-love anthems,” Lizzo said passionately. Black women who, like her, have experienced bullying, social pressures, and undervaluation are the target audience for her music. She believes that her dedication to making music from a Black perspective is an essential part of her identity as a Black artist, hence she finds it confusing when detractors challenge it.
Regarding her recent debate over James Madison’s 200-year-old crystal flute, a founding father, Lizzo feels that Black women in America still need to make great strides. She openly expressed how depressed she was, saying that Black women have never been treated correctly or with respect throughout history. Lizzo emphasises the need for progress, especially for people like herself, a fat Black woman, and sees optimism developing when those with privilege hold themselves accountable.
Lizzo’s involvement makes her dedication to social causes clear. She gave $500,000 to the National Network of Abortion Funds and Planned Parenthood after Roe v. Wade was overturned in June. It’s noteworthy that Live Nation, her tour promoter, matched this donation with an extra $500,000. Lizzo ascribes the ruling’s substantial racial component to the nation’s widespread problem of white male supremacy, which she believes is supported by white women among others.
throughout summary, Lizzo explores the intricacies of race, identity, and activism throughout her journey, which goes beyond music. Her unreserved attitude and dedication to her heritage support her message of self-love, making her a potent voice in the varied and changing cultural scene of today.
