By Tessa Nolan
In a recent Instagram post, Lizzo clarified her previous statement, saying that performing is “the joy of my life.”
Lizzo addressed a statement she made last week that seemed to imply her intention to leave the entertainment industry. In a video posted on her Instagram on Tuesday, Lizzo said that her statement “I’m out” was referring to negativity, not to creating or performing her music.
“When I say I’m out, I mean I’m stopping giving negative attention,” said the four-time Grammy winner. “What I’m not going to quit is the joy of my life, which is creating music that connects with people.”
“I know I’m not alone. I am by no means the only person who experiences negative voices that seem louder than the positive ones,” she continued. “If I can just inspire or motivate one person to stand up for themselves and say they’re no longer allowing negative people to win, negative comments win. Then I have done even more than I could hope for… I will continue to move forward, I will continue to be myself.”
Tuesday’s post comes after another message from March 29, in which the singer, whose real name is Melissa Jefferson, said she was tired of “being dragged by everyone in my life and on the internet” and being a constant subject of jokes about her appearance.
“All I want to do is make music, make people happy, and help make the world a little better than I found it. But I’m starting to feel like the world doesn’t want me in it,” the post read. “My character is dissected by people who don’t know me and don’t respect my name. I didn’t sign up for this shit. I quit.”
Since gaining national fame in the late 2010s with singles like Juice and Good as Hell, Lizzo’s size and choice to wear revealing clothing have made her a hero of the body positivity movement, as well as a target of fat-shaming comments and online mockery.
In May 2023, Lizzo deactivated her Twitter account and threatened to leave the music industry amid a wave of comments speculating about her diet and whether she was avoiding weight loss because it wouldn’t be beneficial to her brand.
Lizzo clapped back in the Instagram post, showing her on stage with a sign that read: “Sorry, people on Twitter suck. You’re beautiful and special.”
Lizzo’s recent messages emphasize her commitment to staying true to herself and not allowing negativity to overshadow her love for music and connecting with her audience. The singer’s candidness about her struggles with online harassment and body image issues serves as a reminder to prioritize self-care and mental health in the face of criticism and adversity.