During her candid conversation with Vanity Fair, Lizzo unequivocally denied that she makes music for a “white audience.” Instead, the 34-year-old musician asserts that her work embodies her Black experience, weaving a tapestry of genres that includes hip hop, gospel, and R&B. Her anthems like “Good as Hell” and “About Damn Time” have surged to the top of the pop charts. However, Lizzo has expressed concerns over these songs’ widespread popularity among white audiences, highlighting a disconnection that she finds most disturbing. “This is probably the biggest criticism I’ve received, and it is such a critical conversation when it comes to black artists,” she said. She elaborated on the complexity of a Black artist’s reception, pointing out the shift in audience demographics as their popularity grows.
Lizzo, born Melissa Jefferson, emphasized her intent to create music that resonates with her identity and experiences as a Black woman. She aims for her music to be a source of healing and empowerment, especially for young Black individuals seeking affirmation and self-love. “I am not making music for white people. I am a black woman. I am making music from my black experience,” she affirmed. Through her music, Lizzo seeks to foster a culture of love and self-appreciation, specifically targeting those who share her background and experiences of marginalization.
Amidst this conversation, Lizzo also addressed criticisms attempting to paint her as a racist, firmly stating that her artistic expression naturally emerges from her Black perspective. She finds it baffling that her authenticity as a Black artist could be questioned.
In a separate development, Kanye West, aged 45, shared his thoughts on Lizzo’s weight during an interview on Fox News with Tucker Carlson. West criticized the public’s reaction to Lizzo’s weight loss, suggesting that a narrative is being pushed to normalize being overweight, which he considers unhealthy and part of a broader attempt to undermine the Black community. “It’s a genocide of the black race. They want to kill us in any way they can,” West claimed, interpreting the societal acceptance of unhealthy lifestyles as a targeted attack on Black people.
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