Lizzo Fires Back At “White Music” Criticism

Lizzo has responded to critics who have complained that she makes “White Music.” Speaking with Howard Stern on his radio show, the “About Damn Time” singer labeled the comments “very hurtful.”

“[It is] very hurtful only because I am a Black woman,” Lizzo explained. “I feel like it challenges my identity and who I am. It diminishes that, which I think is really hurtful. And on the other end, I’m making funky, soulful, feel-good music that is so similar to a lot of Black music that was made for Black people in the ’70s and ’80s.”

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 22: Lizzo performs during her ‘Cuz I Love You Too Tour’ at Radio City Music Hall on September 22, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Steven Ferdman/Getty Images)

She continued: “Then, on top of that, my message is literally for everybody and anybody. And I don’t try to gatekeep my message from people. So, all three of those things from me, and I’m like, you don’t even get me at all. I feel like a lot of people truthfully don’t get me, which is why I wanted to do the documentary. I feel like y’all don’t get me. Y’all don’t know where I came from. And now, I don’t want to answer no more questions about this shit. I just want to show the world who I am.”

Lizzo previously addressed the same remarks during an interview with Vanity Fair in October. At the time, she described her music as stemming from “my Black experience.”

Her interview with Howard Stern comes after the release of her new HBO documentary, Love, Lizzo. She also released her fourth studio album, Special, in 2022. The project later peaked at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart.

Check out Lizzo’s discussion with Howard Stern below.

[Via]