(PHOTO/ digboston via Flickr)
Lizzo’s 2017 single “Truth Hurts” has climbed its way to the top spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 two years after its release.
Draven Jackson
Arts and Living Editor
“I just took a DNA test, turns out I’m 100%” in love with Lizzo.
Now that Lizzo’s song “Truth Hurts” has climbed its way to the top spot on Billboard’s Hot 100 list, it’s about time we talk about how it got there and why Lizzo has become the queen of underappreciated women everywhere.
Regardless of race, shape, ethnicity, sexuality, or whatever else might separate women, we can all admit that listening to Lizzo’s songs lights a fire somewhere deep inside of us, telling us, “Girl, you ARE a queen – and don’t let anyone tell you differently.”
For me, the importance of her music is not only in her songs, but also in the circumstances of my life when I found her.
I had recently gone through a bad breakup that left me feeling depressed and lacking in self-confidence. As I told my friends, I had dropped from last semester’s top-tier Draven (when I felt like I was in my prime) to the bottom of the barrel.
And right on cue, Lizzo found me.
Listening to “Truth Hurts” gave me back some of the confidence I had lost. Lyrics like “Yeah, I got boy problems, that’s the human in me / Bling bling, then I solve ‘em, that’s the goddess in me” pumped me up in the mornings and got me ready for a day of being the best I could be.
Her lyrics also teach us the truth about love and life — that in the end, you can be the best you possible and someone still won’t love you. But that doesn’t change the fact that you’re still a goddess just doing her best.
It’s more important to concentrate on that, and the people who have your back, rather than the men who can’t see your worth.
Not to mention, the songs are straight bops that get stuck in your head on repeat, reminding you of your worth day and night. It’s hard to wake up in the morning and feel sad when all you can think is, “If he don’t love you anymore, then walk your fine a** out the door” (“Good As Hell”).
Plenty of singers have tried before to write the music that represents the underappreciated woman, so what is it that makes Lizzo different? That’s not as easy to pinpoint, but a friend of mine explained it pretty well when she said, “It’s more real – it doesn’t seem as sugar-coated.”
Lizzo’s angry for herself and she’s angry for you, but it’s not in a Carrie Underwood “scratch up his car with some keys” kind of way. Lizzo just has a way of giving you back the confidence you lost, telling you, “Dust yourself off, hold your head high, and move forward.”
Those are the words my friend told me over and over, but something about how Lizzo said them made me actually want to listen.
There’s so much more to Lizzo’s music than just breakup songs though – she’s an amazing artist who’s finally getting the recognition she deserves – even if it’s two years late.
Not to mention the fact that her popularity is a monumental moment for the larger women of color she’s said she’s trying to represent. Her music is so important for so many reasons, and, no matter your circumstances in life, there’s never a bad opportunity to discover an artist you haven’t listened to before.
Whether you’re going through a hard time, or just need that little extra bit of confidence to know that you’re worthy of everything life has to offer, check out Lizzo’s music. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
