Lizzo Says She’s A ‘Body Positive, Pro-Black, Feminist’ In New Interview
Rapper and singer Lizzo is covering Allure magazine’s first digital issue of the year.
The “Juice” singer spoke to the publication about inclusivity in the fashion world, her complex hair journey, and why she wants fans to love themselves as much as they love her.
“If I’m on a deserted island, I would not have any beauty products with me,” Lizzo responds to being asked what essentials she would have if she were ever deserted on an island.
“Can I have a walkie-talkie, some AA batteries, a f****** flamethrower, some coconut crackers so I can crack open coconuts, and a knife so I could hunt for fish? I’m trying to be discovered…or just have a great life on an island.”
The singer who is all about disrupting society’s beauty norms discussed the intentionality behind her hair choices.
“I wear black hair,” she declares, referring to the decision to exclusively wear textured hair regardless of form — wigs, sew-ins, clip-ons, or her own ‘fro. “I don’t wear any other kind of hair anymore,” she continues. “I think it’s really important as a black woman to do that because black women representing black things makes a bigger mark. We’re going to represent for us, by us.”
The Detroit native and Houston raised singer used to have a very complex relationship with her hair.
“My brother, my sister, my mother and father — they all had completely different hair textures, and they [were] all softer than mine,” Lizzo said. “My mom had really long hair that she always pressed out. My dad had a long ponytail, wavy hair.”
Lizzo shared that because her hair texture was different from her family members she used to often conceal her natural hair with wigs, and it wasn’t until 2016 before she signed with Atlantic Records, that she realized she needed to pay attention to her real hair.
Just as Lizzo is intentional about her hair, the body positive artist is also intentional about the threads and designers that she wears.
“If you’re not making clothes for me, and if you don’t want to make clothes for me, I don’t want to wear your [designs]. I look good in other things anyway. But if you want to change the game and dress a fat body, call me,” Lizzo said.
“When all the dust has settled, I’m going to still be doing this. I’m not going to suddenly change. I’m going to still be telling my life story through music,” Lizzo explains.
“And if that’s body positive to you, amen. That’s feminist to you, amen. If that’s pro-black to you, amen. Because ma’am, I’m all of those things.”
Check out more photos from the spread below.
Lizzo’s new upcoming album, Cuz I Love You, drops on April 19.
Glennisha Morgan is a Detroit-bred multimedia journalist and writer. She writes about intersectionality, hip-hop, pop culture, queer issues, race, feminism, and her truth. Follow her on Twitter @GlennishaMorgan