Lizzo burst onto the scene with the utmost confidence, talent, and presence. She went from being a virtually unknown Minneapolis artist to being a world-renowned star. It all seemed to happen in the blink of an eye. However, Lizzo has been working to attain her current success since she was a young girl in Houston, Texas. Music was always her calling- she played the flute for years and sang throughout her life.
Therefore, it’s no surprise that Lizzo made every effort possible to succeed in her music career. She even slept in her car for a year!
Nowadays, Lizzo's past struggles inspire her music and persona. Challenges, from romance to self-confidence, have been overcome. She sings about being a fabulous single woman and loving the way she looks. Lizzo is the embodiment of a fun, happy, beautiful woman who loves life.
Let’s take a look at how she was able to accomplish so much.
15 Early Years
Lizzo was born Melissa Viviane Jefferson in Detroit, Michigan. After Melissa turned 10 years old, she and her family moved to Houston, Texas. Therefore, Melissa knows a lot about the midwestern/southern parts of the United States. Her upbringing likely keeps her humble and grounded. She didn't grow up with a silver spoon in her mouth.
14 Cornrow Clique
As a young girl in Houston, Melissa discovered her intense passion for music. She played the flute and sang - constantly. When she was 14, Melissa and her friends formed the Cornrow Clique - a young female rap group. It didn’t really go anywhere, but it probably sharpened her fabulous lyrical skills.
13 Lizzo Is Born!
Even before she really hit it big in the music industry, Melissa changed her name to “Lizzo.” It’s actually a variant of her nickname, “Lissa,” and was inspired by the Jay-Z song, “Izzo (H.O.V.A).” Thankfully, Lizzo has that uniqueness that makes it stand out. Under this name, she would soon become internationally known.
12 Classical Lady
After graduating high school, Lizzo attended the University of Houston. Of course, given her love of music, she studied classical music, with a focus on the flute. Her college major proves that she’s not just some silly girl who wanted to make it in Hollywood. She really knows how to create music!
11 Music In Minneapolis
Lizzo’s father died when she was only 21 years old. It was actually at that point, in 2011, when she moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota to break into the music world. As she struggled to find her footing, Lizzo didn’t have much money and slept in her car for a year. What an amazing 'rags to riches' story!
10 Har Mar Superstar
Lizzo struggled to make a real name for herself in Minneapolis, Minnesota. However, after a while, she finally managed to step up her game. Lizzo was chosen to be the opening act (and backup singer) for Minnesota artist, Har Mar Superstar. Throughout fall 2013, she performed on his U.S./U.K. tour.
9 Lizzobangers
Autumn of 2013 was a great time for Lizzo! In addition to touring with Har Mar Superstar, she was able to release her very first album, Lizzobangers. Although this album didn’t do nearly as well as her more recent hits, it was well-received by fans and critics, alike. It was a sign of big things to come.
8 Big Grrrl Small World
Although Lizzobangers wasn’t as successful as desired, Lizzo released her second album, Big Grrrl Small World, in 2015. This album didn’t exactly top the Billboard charts, either, but it did receive some recognition. One of its singles, “Let ‘Em Say,” was even featured on the popular TV show, Broad City!
7 Body Positivity
Lizzo is a curvy woman and struggled with that for a while, especially since she's in the entertainment industry, where women are criticized for being above a size 2. However, Lizzo encourages women to love themselves, by singing lyrics filled with positive messages. She loves herself just the way she is.
6 Huge Hits
Lizzo finally hit it out of the park with her third album, Cuz I Love You. From this album came her most successful hits: “Truth Hurts,” “Cuz I Love You,” and “Juice.” These tracks were, essentially, the soundtrack of 2019 and skyrocketed Lizzo to the superstar status she enjoys today.
5 She's A Hustler
Lizzo’s entry into superstardom was cemented when she played a small, supporting role in the hit movie, Hustlers. Although the film mainly featured Jennifer Lopez’s amazing skills, Lizzo’s inclusion (along with other fabulous castmates like Cardi B) proved that she’s officially made it - she’s part of the Hollywood “It crowd!”
4 MTV Video Music Awards
Given the success of Cuz I Love You, Lizzo was nominated for Push Artist of the Year and Best New Artist at the 2019 MTV Video Music Awards. She didn’t end up winning, but she looked great and gave one of the best performances ever seen on that MTV stage.
3 Saturday Night, Lizzo!
Being invited to host or perform on Saturday Night Live is the ultimate way of knowing you’ve “made it.” Lizzo performed on the SNL stage in December 2019 (Eddie Murphy was hosting). It’s hard to believe she was living out of her car, in Midwestern America, just 8 years before.
2 Lizzbians
Lizzo isn’t only passionate about body positivity. She’s also a huge advocate for LGBTQ rights. Being on the sexual spectrum herself, she believes no one should be judged for who or how they love - she even calls her supporters, “Lizzbians.” Lizzo is all about staying true to who you are, always.
1 Twitter Break
Attaining fame and fortune doesn’t erase all of life’s challenges. Every superstar has haters and Lizzo is no exception. Body shamers have tormented Lizzo for years. by attacking her appearance. The criticism became so negative that Lizzo was forced to quit Twitter in January 2020; however, she’s still active on Instagram.