Entertainment
Missy Elliott Is So Here For Lizzo's Body Posi Lyrics & Badass Beats & TBH, Same
OK, so if you didn't already know, singer Lizzo is having a major moment. She released her brand new single "Juice" on January 4 and it has taken the world by storm. But if you're not familiar with Lizzo's work, fear not. I'm here to give you a crash course on this emerging star, with the 5 top Lizzo songs that will make your 2019.
Lizzo (born Melissa Jefferson) is an alt hip-hop singer and rapper from Houston, Texas, and she's here to save music. In 2011, she moved to Minnesota, where she became part of various musical groups including female three-piece rap group The Chalice. Now the singer is killing it with her solo career, and winning attention from world-famous artists such as Missy Elliot and Chris Martin. Elliot tweeted that Lizzo was "so talented" and "a good spirited person", while Martin included the the Minnesota local in a Twitter roundup of his favourite songs.
Not only can the singer take us to church with her pipes, she's also a huge advocate of self love and body positivity — yas queen. In an interview with the New York Times, Lizzo said "I made a commitment to feel good music ... I had to show my belly a lot of attention, a lot of love." Her back-up dancers, The Big Grrrls, are an all-female plus-size dance troupe and, when speaking to Vogue about them, Lizzo said:
“I want another artist to see the big girls onstage doing the splits and entertaining the crowd at size 16, 18 and I want that artist to say ‘Who cares about their size? They’re great dancers.’ I want Beyoncé to see my dancers and say ‘Come with me!’”
The artist currently has two albums under her belt, Lizzobangers and Big Grrl Small World, and an EP called Coconut Oil, all of which explore themes of race, sexuality, and body positivity. Going by a recent interview with the Guardian, it seems Lizzo's new album is set to drop sometime very soon, and it's sure to be filled with even more bangers. But, until then, we can enjoy these 5 epic tunes:
1"Juice"
With a music video that draws inspiration from '70s talk shows and TV commercials, "Juice" will be in your head all day. This tune celebrates self-love, and the up-beat tempo is sure to give you that much-needed confidence boost when you're feeling low.
22."Good As Hell"
You might recognise this track, released in 2016, as it's one of Lizzo's most famous. In 2018, it was ranked by NPR as 44 on a list of the 200 best songs by female and non-binary artists in the 21st century. Another self-care song reminding us, "you're a star, you can touch the sky." Here, Lizzo gives listeners breakup advice in an anthem that is guaranteed to put a pep in your step.
33."Truth Hurts"
Lizzo tweeted about the meaning behind her line, "Why men great til they gotta be great," in the song "Truth Hurts": "men hold the highest seats of power on the planet. They're constantly appointed greatness and yet cannot seem to do any good with it." Amen sister. This song is full of clever word play and sauce by the bucketload as she touches on gender inequality, race, and even samples the reggae hit "Bam Bam" by Sister Nancy.
44."Fitness"
This track is body positivity at its finest. In the music video, Lizzo champions the female body by featuring women of all shapes and sizes. "Booty vicious/mind yo bidness," seems to be a subtle play on the 2009 track Fergalicious, but the focus here is on how the woman feels about herself, instead how she looks from a male perspective. The artist has called this track her "Declaration of Independence from the bullsh*t." Lizzo, we're with you.
55."Boys"
Speaking to Out about her track "Boys," Lizzo said, "I want these boys to know they could be my next victim... if they play their cards right." In this song, Lizzo shows that she doesn't discriminate (she likes "Mississippi boys, inner-city boys, playboys, and gay boys," and then some), and fully embraces her sexuality. Preach.
