Lizzo Says She’s ‘So Much More’ Than Her Body: ‘It’s Not a Trend’
Lizzo would rather the world focus less on her body and more on her body of work.
Gracing the cover of Rolling Stone‘s latest issue, the “Truth Hurts” singer, 31, opens up to the magazine about dealing with those who only see her for her physique and not for her musical talents.
“I’m so much more than that,” she said. “Because I actually present that [and] I have a whole career; it’s not a trend.”
Born Melissa Jefferson, Lizzo — who leads this year’s crop of Grammy nominees with a total of eight nods — said she has dealt with her own body image struggles and come out stronger, despite societal constraints on perceived beauty.
“I’ve come to terms with body dysmorphia and evolved,” Lizzo said. “The body-positive movement is doing the same thing. We’re growing together, and it’s growing pains, but I’m just glad that I’m attached to something so organic and alive.”
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Earlier this month, former Biggest Loser star Jillian Michaels publicly addressed her concerns with “celebrating” the Grammy-nominated singer’s shape.
“Why are we celebrating her body? Why does it matter? Why aren’t we celebrating her music?” Michaels, 45, said when discussing Lizzo‘s reputation for pushing self-acceptance during an appearance on Buzzfeed News’ AM2DM.
She added: “‘Cause it isn’t going to be awesome if she gets diabetes. I love her music. My kid loves her music. But there’s never a moment where I’m like, ‘And I’m so glad that she’s overweight.’”
Lizzo appeared to indirectly address Michaels’ headline-making statements on Instagram, where she wrote an uplifting mantra, that read in part, “I have done nothing wrong. I forgive myself for thinking I was wrong in the first place. I deserve to be happy.”
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In August, the multifaceted musician shared some of her frustrations with being called “brave” for posing in ways that make her feel sexy in Glamour magazine.
“When people look at my body and be like, ‘Oh my God, she’s so brave,’ it’s like, ‘No, I’m not.’ I’m just fine. I’m just me. I’m just sexy,” she told the publication.
Lizzo continued to explain that the double standard happens whenever she gets lauded for doing the same things a thinner woman would do without being patronized in the same way.
“If you saw Anne Hathaway in a bikini on a billboard, you wouldn’t call her ‘brave,'” Lizzo said at the time. “I just think there’s a double standard when it comes to women.”
“I don’t like it when people think it’s hard for me to see myself as beautiful,” she said. “I don’t like it when people are shocked that I’m doing it.”
