FRESH from winning three Grammys, singer Lizzo visited Mexico City for a private concert, surprising her fans with acoustic versions of her hits and a toast with tequila.
The star from Detroit, who won best pop solo performance (“Truth Hurts”), best traditional R&B performance (“Jerome”), and best urban contemporary album for “Cuz I Love You,” at the January awards show sat for an interview with The Associated Press. Lizzo spoke about diversity in the music industry, self-confidence and femininity. Answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.
AP: Congratulations on your Grammys. There was a controversy about the lack of diversity at the awards this year. What would be an ideal version of the Grammys for you?
LIZZO: There’s always a lack of diversity, that’s the issue in general. I don’t think it’s like “the 2020 Grammys lack diversity,” it’s like the industry lacks diversity. So, the world I would like to see, of course, has an even playfield: I think there are more women, more black people, more brown people, more people from other countries where you just don’t put them in a foreign category, you put them in the category. Someone like BTS. But I think that comes with just participation and using my privilege now as someone in the industry with a platform to just bring other people up.
AP: From the Grammys you received, any that you were not expecting?
LIZZO: I did not expect to win the first award of the night (best pop solo performance.) I thought Beyoncé was going to win, I really did. I was even going, ‘Beyoncé, Beyoncé.’ But I’m so grateful and it was a very special, powerful moment. Here’s to more moments like that in the future.
AP: I grew up watching pop stars that were blonde, super skinny, that looked perfect in every way. Then you come up and I’m grateful for that.
LIZZO: I’m perfect, sis! Take that back! I think that even the blonde, thin pop stars, they have imperfections, but unfortunately the media portrays them as perfect, and I think that even those women struggle with having to live up to a body type or stereotype and probably suffer from a lot of depression. I am brown, I am black, I am curvy, and I am perfect and beautiful. And I think that we, as well as other people like Billie Eilish—I am completely different from her, but she is also rebelling against the archetype of the pop star. So, I’m glad you’re grateful for me, but you also need to understand that I am just as perfect as they are. So are you.
AP: Were you always this confident, or did you have to find the confidence within yourself?
LIZZO: You really have to find it within yourself, but you have to go through life to get there. It sounds so cliché, but life is your greatest teacher and you learn the best lessons from life. I learned a lot in the last 10 years about myself, about who I am. I also learned to love that person.
AP: Your song “Lingerie” portrays a woman is a very sensual way. Do you think women should embrace and own their femininity?
LIZZO: I think women should embrace whatever it is about themselves. I think femininity is also something that can be in flux. I think a woman can also embrace her masculinity. I think a woman can embrace her androgyny, her abilities to be everything. I personally am a hyper-feminine woman. I embrace my masculine side, but I am hyper-feminine. I have a lingerie closet in my bedroom, and I wanted to celebrate that about myself. I think that it ain’t for everybody, but I do think that we should be celebrating ourselves more. / AP