With empowering songs and an authentic look at her life, Lizzo is reshaping how we think and act when it comes to self love.
Without fail, an unofficial anthem accompanies every summer. In 2017, it was undoubtedly “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber. The summer of 2018 saw Drake and his hit “Nice for What” taking over the radio and social media. This year, the race for the coveted unofficial song of summer was a little tighter, but according to the Billboard charts, it belonged to Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road.” But despite reaching the top of the Billboard charts at the beginning of September, I would argue that this summer belonged to none other than Lizzo.
With hits like “Juice,” “Good as Hell” and, of course, “Truth Hurts,” Lizzo, born Melissa Jefferson, became a musical force to be reckoned with. The 31-year-old singer, rapper and flutist spent the summer singing and dancing her heart out all while preaching to her 5.1 million Instagram and 941 thousand Twitter followers about authentic self love.
If you listen to any of Lizzo’s big hits, the first thing you’ll probably notice are the beats and rhythm. With a mix of funk, pop and hip hop, it’s a challenge to not instantly start tapping your foot and swaying when you hear one of her songs. But if you wade through the infectious hooks and melodies, you’ll confront the glaringly obvious message Lizzo says, summarized in the lyrics: “I don’t think that loving yourself is a choice. I think that it’s a decision that has to be made for survival…”
In an essay she penned for NBC, Lizzo states, “Loving myself was the result of answering two things: Do you want to live? ‘Cause this is who you’re gonna be for the rest of your life. Or are you gonna just have a life of emptiness, self-hatred and self-loathing? And I chose to live, so I had to accept myself.”
While the message and practice of self love aren’t necessarily revolutionary, the way Lizzo’s teaching it is. The ritual of a weekly Lush facemask or impulsive shopping spree has been dubbed self care. It’s been accepted as necessary and almost dogmatic in order to reach the next level of self love.
But, as Lizzo points out in her NBC essay, “Self-care is more than just going to the spa, getting your nails done or drinking a mimosa ‘cause it’s Sunday.’ It is so much deeper than what commercialization is going to try to turn it into.”
This is why Lizzo’s music and messages have resonated with so many people, especially young women. She gets it. She acknowledges that accepting one’s own strengths and faults is not a quick, one time affirmation. Rather, it’s a never ending sermon of testifying your own self worth.
Take another listen to Lizzo’s music for further proof. In her no. 1 song, “Truth Hurts,” Lizzo delivers advice on getting over a breakup that’s riddled with self love anecdotes. With lines like, “Woo, girl, need to kick off your shoes/Got to take a deep breath, time to focus on you” and “Boss up and change your life/You can have it all, no sacrifice/I know he did you wrong, we can make it right,” Lizzo is clear in her instructions. Never sacrifice your self worth for another. The best way to move on from heartbreak — or perhaps anything — is to work on yourself.
This is what also sets Lizzo’s message of self care and self love apart from that of previous celebrities or campaigns. She fully acknowledges and accepts the darker parts of the journey within true self love.
In an NPR article, Lizzo says, “You have to find that love for yourself deep down inside, underneath all of that questioning and ickiness.” She’s open about going to therapy and how challenging it was for her to be vulnerable.
Lizzo doesn’t reduce self care down to just buying a plant or treating yourself to an $8 latte, because to Lizzo that would downplay all the hard work she’s put in for herself and for others. While her songs may come off as just another track for girls to scream out post breakup, the truth is Lizzo’s music and actions reveal a more serious message.
Lizzo has made the topic of self love approachable and attainable. By recognizing the demands self love requires, Lizzo has provided an authentic testament to what living your life fully for yourself looks like — and this is why the summer of 2019 truly belongs to Lizzo.