Lizzo denies she makes music for a ‘white audience’ as she covers Vanity Fair: ‘I’m making music from my black experience’
- Lizzo told Vanity Fair in its cover story that the criticism that she creates music for a ‘white audience’ disturbs her the most
- She explained that when a ‘black artist reaches a certain level of popularity, it’s going to be a predominantly white crowd’
- Lizzo, whose full name is Melissa Jefferson, said she creates music ‘for me to heal myself [from] the experience we call life’
- The article came just days after she acknowledged at a concert in Toronto the critical remarks Kanye West made about her weight
- West, 45, had claimed in a recent interview that she was being indirectly used to promote a ‘genocide of the black race’
Lizzo vehemently denied that she makes music for a ‘white audience’ as she spoke candidly to Vanity Fair in its cover story.
The 34-year-old musician told the magazine that the ongoing criticism of her music — which is rooted in R&B, hip hop and gospel but has reached the top of pop charts with anthems like Good as Hell and About Damn Time — is what ‘disturbs her the most.’
‘This is probably the biggest criticism I’ve received, and it is such a critical conversation when it comes to black artists,’ the singer said. ‘When black people see a lot of white people in the audience, they think, “Well this isn’t for me, this is for them.”
‘The thing is, when a black artist reaches a certain level of popularity, it’s going to be a predominantly white crowd.’
She continued to explain: ‘I am not making music for white people. I am a black woman, I am making music from my black experience.’
Lizzo, whose full name is Melissa Jefferson, said she creates music ‘for me to heal myself [from] the experience we call life.’
A top cover: Lizzo sat down for a candid conversation with Vanity Fair as she covered its November issue. Between the pages the 34-year-old music artist discussed the criticism that she makes music for a ‘white audience’
Just for me: ‘I am not making music for white people. I am a black woman, I am making music from my black experience,’ she told the publication. Seen on October 6
The Detroit-born songstress also spoke on her practice of making feel-good music as she noted, ‘We need self-love and self-love anthems more than anybody.’
‘So am I making music for that girl right there who looks like me, who grew up in a city where she was underappreciated and picked on and made to feel unbeautiful?’ she asked before answering, ‘Yes.’
Clapping back at her critics she exclaimed, ‘It blows my mind when people say I’m not making music from a black perspective—how could I not do that as a black artist?’
Her truth: Lizzo – full name Melissa Jefferson – said the misconception is ‘probably the biggest criticism I’ve received.’ She added, ‘And it is such a critical conversation when it comes to Black artists. The thing is, when a black artist reaches a certain level of popularity, it’s going to be a predominantly white crowd’
The classically-trained musician wore over-the-top couture looks for the photo spread.
On the cover she donned a billowing red wrap dress by ACT N°1, the brand that outfitted Beyoncé for one of her Tiffany & Co Summer Renaissance looks.
For her hair, she modeled variations of a textured mullet, styled by Shelbeniece Swain. Jefferson flaunted a smoky eye palette for the shoot, creating a dark and vampy feel. And on her plump pout she donned a deep plum lip stain.
This comes after Lizzo paused her concert in Toronto on Friday to acknowledge the critical remarks Kanye West made about her weight, a day after the Heartless rapper said she was being indirectly used to promote a ‘genocide of the black race.’
In a controversial sit-down interview with FOX News’ Tucker Carlson, West, 45, said: ‘When Lizzo loses 10 pounds and announces it, the bots — that’s a term for like telemarketer callers on Instagram — they attack her for losing weight, because the media wants to put out a perception that being overweight is the new goal when it’s actually unhealthy.
‘Let’s get aside the fact of whether it’s fashion and vogue, which it’s not. Or if someone thinks is attractive, to each his own,’ he continued. ‘It’s actually clinically unhealthy, and for people to, to promote that… it’s demonic.
When Carlson, 53, pressed the Gold Digger singer on why he thinks these body types are being promoted in black culture, he replied: ‘It’s a genocide of the black race. They want to kill us in any way they can.”
Lizzo seemingly responded to the remarks on Friday, telling concertgoers at Scotiabank Arena: ‘I feel like everybody in America got my mother******* name in [their] mother******* mouth for no mother****** reason.’
His opinion: While speaking with Tucker Carlson the rapper called attacks on her weight loss a ‘genocide of the Black race’
She said during a pause in her set, ‘I’m minding my fat, Black, beautiful business.’
The crowd clapped and cheered as she spoke up for herself without naming Kanye explicitly.
Lizzo then asked the crowd, ‘Can I stay here [in Canada]?’ before joking, ‘Who can I marry for that dual citizenship?’
Seemingly driving her point home, she appeared on Instagram over the weekend to post a reel from a recent show showing the entertainer with a spotlight on her face as an illuminated message flashed across her torso.
‘My body, my choice’ was emblazoned over her and in the caption she added only a period.
Kelly Rowland later showed support for the musician as she reposted the clip in her Insta Story and wrote, ‘Tell ‘EM!!!! I fxckin’ love you.’
Message: On Saturday Lizzo shared footage from a recent show where the phrase ‘my body, my choice’ was cast over her
Ye has ruffled a lot of feathers since donning a t-shirt that said ‘White Lives Matter’ during his Paris Fashion Week show.
Standing beside controversial political pundit Candace Owens, the two wore inverse colors of the same shirt.
What followed was a snowball of backlash from fans and celebrities on social media, with some defending Kanye and others condemning him.
But Kanye has stood firm on his position, continuing to wear variations of the shirt, most recently alongside ex-wife Kim Kardashian at daughter North’s, nine, basketball game.
He was later kicked off Instagram for the controversy, after he doubled down on the issue by posting a photo of the shirt, and explained that when people ask why he made it, he replies that it’s because ‘They do.’
Then over the weekend, Kanye found himself in even more trouble after he tweeted: ‘I’m a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I’m going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE.’
He added: ‘The funny thing is I actually can’t be Anti Semitic because black people are actually Jew also.
‘You guys have toyed with me and tried to black ball anyone whoever opposes your agenda.’
Deafcon – also known as defense readiness condition – is an alert used by the US Armed Forces to indicate how quickly the military can be deployed during deadly emergencies and attacks.
In response to the tweet, Jamie Lee Curtis wrote: ‘The holiest day in Judaism was last week. Words matter. A threat to Jewish people ended once in a genocide.’
The Halloween star’s father, Tony Curtis, was the son of Hungarian Jewish parents who immigrated to the United States.
Soon, many other A listers called out the rapper for his remarks, and Kanye was soon barred from posting on his Twitter account, with a Twitter spokesperson saying: ‘The account in question has been locked due to a violation of Twitter’s policies.’
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