Opinion | Lizzo is changing the face of music

Louisa Marshall
Editor-in-Chief

I don’t need a therapist, I listen to Lizzo. 

I need to stop being critical of my body because Lizzo will know. 

These are just two of the positive messages circulating the internet with self-loving goddess and talent extraordinaire Lizzo at the center of attention and I couldn’t be here for it more. Lizzo – born in 1988 in Detroit, Michigan as Melissa Jefferson – skyrocketed in the charts with self-love anthems like “Good as Hell” and post-break up bops like “Truth Hurts.” She’s taken the music world by storm, not just for her catchy tracks, but for her bold, unapologetic personality.

We’ve had cultural music icons in the past, with performers like Jennifer Lopez and Madonna coming to mind. Body conscious and proud of their status in the industry, these icons pushed the envelope for what women in the music industry were capable of. Perhaps even Miley Cyrus can be categorized as a proud, boundary-breaking role model, as swinging butt-naked on a wrecking ball must have motivated some women to love their own skin. But many of these past performers lack the cultural relevance that Lizzo brings to every performance. 

For longer than most can recall, females in the music industry were forced into a box that defined what they were supposed to look like, what they were supposed to wear and what music they were persuaded to create. Iconic tracks would be accompanied by a laundry list of writers, producers and editors. Music videos would be dictated by choreographers, hair and makeup artists and designers. The icons were, for what seems like forever, shoved into a space that was inauthentic.

And while I am by no means discrediting the progress that former pop queens made within their own right, Lizzo is breaking down barriers. She appeared nude on the cover of her latest album “Cuz I Love You,” thereby showing the music industry and everyone who listens to her music that bold is beautiful, that authentic women are not all size zeros with perfectly cinched waists. She consistently performs in bold leotards, is surrounded by singers and dancers of every creed and when the crowd thought the barriers couldn’t be broken down any more, Lizzo busts out her traditional musical instrument, the flute. She is bold and unapologetic and actively shows so many people, who never saw themselves as cultural icons, that authenticity is the greatest power. 

The MTV Music Awards aired Aug. 26 – and while some people talked about Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello’s steamy performance of Senorita – others were talking about the truly awe-inspiring performance Lizzo gave of “Truth Hurts” and “Good as Hell,” an utterly dynamic duo of songs. Starting her set center stage, it became clear to the audience that Lizzo was performing in front of a giant, inflatable buttocks. Her backup dancers were not a stereotypical tribe of sameness, but rather a group of women representing every shape and size. Icons like Queen Latifah cheered Lizzo on during her performance, which resulted in the singer engaging with the crowd all while wearing a bright yellow leotard. 

“I can honestly say that Lizzo has made me love myself,” read one comment on YouTube under her MTV performance. “As a plus size teen, this made me feel loved. I actually cried,” read another. 

Some may be wondering why Lizzo’s fame has erupted in front of our eyes, but to me, it’s pretty simple. She is showing the world that black is beautiful, that curves should be celebrated and that self-love is the greatest gift we can give ourselves. So Lizzo, I am ready to see you and Sasha Flute take on the world. I can’t wait to watch.