The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Lizzo On Self-Love, Weight Release, Industry Exploits, Streaming, New Music + More

Episode Date: May 12, 2025

Today on The Breakfast Club,  Lizzo On Self-Love, Weight Release, Industry Exploits, Streaming, New Music. Listen For More!YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Yes indeed. Lizzo! Special. Hi. Hey welcome. What's up everybody? How you feel? I feel good.

I'm a little sleepy, I'm not gonna lie. You look good, everybody talks about your physical appearance and how you lost weight, but to me, I see somebody that has changed mentally and spiritually. I see somebody that's on a healing journey because you got a glow about you. You definitely have a glow.

A glow, it's so serious, Liza. Yeah, thank you. Well, that's where it starts. I think I had to start with cleaning out my mind and my energy and clearing out all of the negativity around me. And I feel like I released so much I was holding on to. And then it starts to manifest physically as well. That's why I don't call it a weight loss.

I do call it a weight release because it started, I got snatched here first, and then my body just followed suit. So I do feel amazing. I feel like I've always been in a good place because I'm always a positive person but I think that I was not aware of just like how much Toxicity has started to kind of come around in my life and I had a really beautiful period of isolation and

Clearing of that energy and now I just feel like oh, I was holding on to much you gotta let go it's hard for me I'm a tourist so I'll hold the fuck on yeah hard-headed stubborn loyal you know so but I I'm so glad you feel that it's an aura thing yeah you could definitely tell me you said Pilates helped a lot with it too right? I started out with Pilates yeah cuz my back was hurting and that was the best way to Get moving, but I do a lot of things. I strength train I do Yokes yoga sculpt a hike. I play pickleball. I got a water bike, you know A little bike you put in the pool. Pilates was one of the best I did Pilates with my daughter. Wait you do Pilates? Yeah, my daughter wanted me to go with her I did Pilates with my daughter. Wait, you do Pilates?

Yeah, yeah. My daughter wanted me to go with her. He is so excited. Because I didn't want to go at first, but it was, you know, you do some stuff with your daughter. Yeah. And I did it. She's 21, 23, and she took me to do Pilates.

Yeah. And it was the most amazing thing. All my aches, all my pains. Yeah. It was able to stretch it out. It was, it was, I'm the only guy in there. Right. Which is crazy because Pilates, that's a man.

His name is Joseph Pilates. Correct. A man created it and is Joseph Pilates. Correct. A man created it and is designed to help you with longevity. He lived to be like, well I mean, I think he passed away in a house fire, but he could have lived to be like 200 years old. They just gotta change the music a little bit. Sometimes that music is just don't be for me. What, they be playing Lizzo?

Hands off, check my nails. Stuff that motivates you to keep doing it. Sometimes I just need a little trap Pilates. What you wanna hear? A little trap music sometimes. Trap Pilates. No, he don't be playing listen. Hands off, check my nails. Stuff that motivates you to keep doing it. Sometimes I just need a little trap Pilates. What you want to hear?

Trap Pilates is crazy. You better trademark that for somebody. Take it in Atlanta. Actually one of our friends up there has that. Weezy does trap Pilates. Trap House Fitness. Weezy does that. She has a spot in New York that does trap Pilates. Weezy from the Decisions to Decisions podcast. She has an actual place called Trap House Fitness. And that's what Pilates. Withy's from the Decisions to Decisions podcast. She has an actual place called Trap House Fitness

and that's what they do. It's their Pilates. But is it called Trap Pilates? Cause I'm a branding girl, I'm a trademark that. It's Trap House Fitness, I don't know. Oh, that's cool, well okay, Trap Pilates is not taken. Listen, it's a billion dollar idea. There you go.

You've always had a form of self love that people can see, but I feel like it's just more radical now. Yeah, I think it has to be. I have to fight for it a little bit more, but I think I always had to fight for it though, actually. I just think it's just like, as your life changes and different things happen to you,

you gotta move differently. Yeah, I think it's just a life thing. You can't handle every situation in your life the same. You get older, you grow up, everybody can relate to that. I'm glad you said that because people think radical self-love is a constant state, but no, you got to fight for it every day. I don't love myself every day when I wake up. Like some days I do wake up and I'm like, yes, but some days I wake up and I don't and it's the act of seeking that, you know, love for yourself. And it don't actually always have to be

love. It could be like, it could be tolerate, you know what I mean? I'm just, or accepting that I don't like it. And I'm cool with that, but I'm gonna get there one day. It's not a monolith, you know, it's a process. At what point in your career did you get to this point where like you even like talk about that side of it more? Cause I feel like when you first came out,

even when you did talk about like stuff that wasn't as positive, you still kept it so positive. But now that you stream, you really get into like how you feel for real, what you going through. Like, and it was a lot more protected when Lizzo first came on the scene from what I felt. Like the brand was protected a little bit more, but now you're taking control over a lot more.

I don't know. I just think people know me a little bit more. So I think I'm able to communicate things and not put a bow on it or have a happy ending because y'all just know me more. I think when I first came out, people didn't know me. So the brand is very like OneNote, because it's like, oh, that's that girl, that's the happy girl who be twerking with the flute.

You know, and but that happens to everybody. Like any artist, you just become like a thing. You're not a person. But I think the more we get to know artists and the longer they're in the game, the brand becomes more multifaceted. And I think mine just expanded a little bit more. So I feel more comfortable communicating.

And I also I feel safer on stream talking about these kinds of things, because I know I'm in a little bit more, so I feel more comfortable communicating. And I also, I feel safer on stream, talking about these kinds of things, because I know I'm in a room with people who get me. Y'all understand me, you know me, so I can tell you how the fuck I'm feeling or what I went through, and you know, these real moments that I have, I can share that. And I heard you were saying that

people are kinder there as well, like it's a better sense of community on Twitch and streaming. That's good. When did you, were you scared to before? Were you scared to dive into that part? You know, I always kind of flirted with it because I love like running my mouth and I love talking and I love talking to my fans.

I've always been this person like with my social media. So I had a whole Twitch set up in my house just ready to go. And I was like, I want a whole streaming setup. I want games, all of that, The Sims. And it was just in my house, sitting there. And I was kind of intimidated by it. I would walk by it every day and be like,

one of these days, I'm gonna stream, one of these days. And then I remember my friend Solana, she was like, bitch, I'm about to be on Kaisenai. Like, pull up with me. And I was, literally, I was like, when? She was like, in two hours. I be on Kaisen. I like pull up with me and I was literally I was like when she was Like in two hours, I said, okay, let me get myself together and like go pull up with my friend. Yes My friend Solana a lot of people might not know you talk about I know, you know, but the average Average people might not know

that you're just casually talking about SZA. I am so sorry. Rewind the track. Yeah, so SZA hit you, said she was on Kai. So SZA hit me and was like, I'm about to be on Kai's Sanat in like two hours. Can you pull up with me? And I was like, fuck yeah, I'ma pull up with you.

Cause I'm like, I was so afraid. Cause it's like, he has like hundreds and hundreds of thousands, damn near million people watching and commenting in real time. Oh God, that's terrifying. So I said, you know what, I'ma pull up and I'ma ride with my friend. And I was like, if anybody got anything negative to say,

they'll say it about me, God damn it. So I pulled up and I had so much fun and I was reading the chat and they were like, yeah, W Lizzo, yeah, W SZA, yeah. Little emotes and shit. And I was like, oh, they're so nice. And that made me feel comfortable with diving into my own channel.

I made Lizzo be twitching and Kai got me like 40,000 subscribers in like two seconds. He was like, everybody go spam Lizzo be twitching right now. And they all followed it. And I was like, okay, now I have to stream. Because they just going to be sitting in there, you know, building a cache.

So that really helped. What did you say? The therapeutic? Absolutely. I have to run my mouth. I'm a life path three. I'm a communicator. So therapy was the beginning of that.

Like that saved my life. Being able to talk to somebody once a week and just run my mouth and figure out my issues. And I feel like when I communicate, when I write music, when I sing songs, when I go on tour, when I talk to people, it is very healing. It is very connecting.

I need to connect, to feel good. I can't be disconnected. I go actually insane. I learned. You mean you can't be disconnected. I go actually insane. I learned. You mean you can't be disconnected from people? Yeah, I can't be disconnected from people. I go insane. So at a point where you said you had to step back

and isolate, that was kind of hard for you too, since you had to, I mean I know you had to do it and it all made sense and it made sense in the end, but it still was challenging for you because you have to be connected to people, you know, a person like that. It was a little insanity, but I think in a little period of insanity can be helpful

because you have to do really hard work. And I was at a point in my life where the internet hated me and I could not trust the people around me, like friends, family, coworkers, and I was severely depressed. And so I didn't have anyone to talk to. And I sat in that and I went crazy, but I spent time with myself,

which I think I was always afraid to do. I know people who are like, I just need to be alone. I just need to go to the park and be by myself and read a book. I'm like, what? Not without a buddy, not without a sweet treat in a conversation. But when I finally did it, I was so afraid of feeling lonely

and I pushed past that and I was like, you can be alone and not lonely and you can sit with yourself and find out who you are now, because you've grown up and you didn't check in, you know, and love her or like her or just know her and know what she wants. And now I feel like I know who I am, I know whose I am, and can't nobody shake that.

Because once I reintroduced myself back into connecting with people and friends and trusting the internet and,. Because once I reintroduced myself back into connecting with people and friends and trusting the internet and you know, I'm like, I know who I am. I move with a different kind of confidence. But why the internet though? Because the reason I say that, you say the internet hates you but you can leave your house and Lizzo,

everybody want to take a picture. You do a show, everybody gonna come to your show and be cheering for you. So why the internet? You know it's people that love you. You wouldn't be Lizzo if people didn't. I didn't know that, That's the wild part. I have a lot of my, in the beginning, a lot of my career and my validation was based off of social media. Like I was one, I was a part

of that first generation of artists who really like galvanized their following on social media. Cause that wasn't like an industry standard. Even people don't even realize this because we've been microwaved by the internet. We don't realize how far we've moved in a very short amount of time. Like pre-2015, this social media was not even a conversation in labels.

But there were people like me and Lil Nas X and people like that, we were going online and we were just just talking to our fans direct and galvanizing them and building a community. And so all of my love, because I'm not always on tour, I'm not always really around people. I be in the house, I'm kind of boring.

So all of the love and like, we love you, you're amazing, this is good, we fuck with you was all from the internet for me. And that was fine because I had built my community and I felt very safe with that. And then that all kinda changed and I feel like the Lizzo that I am has always been truly me and it was wild to see that.

You reach a point of fame where somebody can change that just by saying something about you that's not true. But that's fame. That is the definition of fame is, for me, is people can say things about you that aren't true and everyone will believe it. For better or for worse. You know what I mean?

It's like Lizzo got red toilet paper on her rider. Everyone will believe that. That's weird, that's weird. Like that's just fame shit. So once that all changed, I started to, I believed that I was loved because the internet told me they loved me. And when the internet hated me,

I believed that I was hated and I didn't believe. Like, so it was really weird. And when I isolated, I was really afraid of people and there was this, and there was, I always say a concert, but it was Renaissance. It was Renaissance, let's be real. I thought you was in like a concert in a park in LA, you know how they do that. Nah, it was Renaissance, shout out B. And I was like, I have to go. And I was so afraid to go because I just thought people were gonna I don't know throw tomatoes at me or something

I I could get really self-doubting in my head, but I pushed through and I went and I promise you like I It was like one person once one person recognized you didn't like other people so one person recognized me And they were like Liz. Oh, no, yes I love you come here, and they hugged, and then I got a video of it actually. So you weren't in the suite, you were in the crowd. I was in the crowd. Baby, I'm not in no suite. I was not in no suite at Renaissance.

I was where the people are. Wow. That's the thing. Yes, she was definitely, you were definitely like that. I saw you in the mall that day, and it was like a chain effect. People weren't noticing, but she was kind of timid with you. She was like, oh, hi. And my buddy, my friend Quay, I was like, he was like, I effect. People were noticing her, but she was kind of timid with me. She was like, oh, hi. And my buddy, my friend Quaye, I was like,

I just saw Lizzo. I was like, I want to meet her. And then he was like, I'm going to take you over there. And I was like, oh my god, I'm scared to meet you. And you looked just as scared. I'm like, girl, you Lizzo. Then other people noticed. Then other people walking past noticed.

Then a little girl noticed with her dad. And you got love, but you did seem like you were in a place where you didn't even know how to accept it. Yeah, at the mall, yep. I was really uncomfortable because I was like, I don't know what people are thinking about me. And that shit fucks me up really bad because if somebody's thinking something about me that's not true and it's like, I can't prove it.

I can't, you know what I mean? It's just weird. I was like uncomfortable. So at the concert, at Renaissance, people were just showing me love and hugging me and being like, we got your back. Like, you know, shake that shit off. We love you.

And I ain't getting emotional now even thinking about it. I just started crying. I was crying and I was hugging him. And I was like, you know what? This is where real love is. you cannot get this shit off the internet You cannot get this kind of love from the internet It's the only the only kind of love you can get it like this is in real life And I that I was like I have to make an album about this and so my album love in real life is

Started from that experience and I started to rediscover What real love feels like and what real connection and real community feels like. And now I know I can still get love on the internet, but I also can curate it and I can weed out the real from the fake. I can differentiate now. I don't just believe everything. I really actually at this point

don't believe anything I see on the internet. Yeah, I was seeing so much stuff about yourself, even before that time, that you were like, what? That's just not true, and I'll see things about my friends. That's not true, and I'll be like, what you mean? I'm with them right now, that's not happening. But you gotta remember, nobody cares about the truth when the lie is more entertaining.

As long as you know that, you wouldn't pay this shit no attention. Also, the mess is more entertaining. They don't they don't care about the good news. We reward people who do that. Give them thousands of dollars for these chats that are fake and we don't punish them. There is no penalty. I was gonna say too though, red toilet paper would be fire. You said that and that shit been stuck in my head. I was thinking about that. Red would be fire. But you can't see nothing. What you mean? Yeah, you can't see.

And I'm on my menstrual right now. I don't want to take a bucket of red toilet paper because I just saw something. I just made something. I don't need that. I was going to ask, what puts you into that light? Like, you know, usually you're a pop star, right? And usually when you meet pop stars, they are- Period.

Come on, black girl pop star. A lot of times they're assholes, they're standoffish. You don't see them. But we see you so much. And every time somebody asks me about Lizzo, if she's been to the Breakfast Club, I mean, I was like, she's the nicest, she's cool, she's down to earth.

What puts you in that mind frame to say, I don't wanna be like that, I wanna be this? Wait. Because you were at the mall by yourself. You were at the, Charlamagne went to the concert last night, asked him where he was, sweet. But you were out on the floor, like you do. Why you judging me, because I decided to be in the sweet.

He bougie. Wait, okay, but first half of that question was pop stars are assholes, you said? A lot of times you see pop stars are, I don't want to say assholes, but out of the way. Like you can't touch them. They feel like they don't want to be next to their people. If you go back and look at a lot of pop stars,

you don't see them as personable as, let's say, you would be. That's interesting. I have a lot of sympathy for really, really famous pop star people, because a lot of them became famous when they were teenagers. A lot of them started this when they were like nine, and I can't relate to not to... I'm just getting it together, and I'm a grown ass woman when it happens to me.

You know what I mean? So like that developmental stage where you're getting all of this like weird love and validation from like strangers, and you can get anything you want. And you know, your comfort level starts to get real sensitive too. Like, people open doors for you.

People, you know, you have drivers pull up to you. You don't got to drive. You 16 year old don't got a license because you've had a driver since you were 13. Like, the way you're going to move through the world is a little different than someone like me who, you know, pretty much all the way up until I was 29 years old was working in restaurants, working at Raising Cane's, like working at the mall, like playing shows to like 50 people. One of my first shows I ever played with my mom, nobody was there but the sound engineer and I still went the fuck,

not the fuck but, I still went hard even though the only person there was the bartender and the sound engineer and my mom. You know, I had a different experience with the success that I have. I was with the people. I would play festivals and then I would jump down off the stage and just go to the rest of the festival with everybody else. You know, so like when fame happened to, when I became famous, when it happens to you,

you know, it's strange for me because I feel like I became famous in 2020, which is weird, like after I won the Grammy. I don't think I was famous in 2019. I don't think I was famous in 2018. Yeah, I feel like 2020 when I won the Grammy, and then guess what happened? I won the Grammy January, guess what happened in March 2020?

COVID shut the country down. But it was good for you though because I think that's when a lot of us needed like that, like just something light and you were doing that all over the internet. And I think that's what it caught people so much. But maybe that's what put the box there too though. But at that time, we were all separated from each other because there was a global pandemic, not because I'm famous and I need were all separated from each other because there was a global pandemic, not because I'm famous and I need to be separated from everyone.

So by the time we was able to be back outside, I still have my 2018, 2019 mentality. I wanna be where the people are. I wanna connect with everybody. I don't wanna be put on no pedestal. So I think that's the difference. I don't think it's a choice being like, other pop stars are allegedly assholes, allegedly,

and I don't wanna be that. It's just like, this is just who I am. And I think everybody should just like, be yourself. You know, like I'm not gonna change who I am just cause I'm famous now. That's because when did you first realize that confidence and healing weren't the same thing? Damn.

Listen to the nigga I be with every day. Why he be, why he? I don't, I'll be with him every day. Why he be, why he? I don't, I don't, I just don't answer. What you be? Oh, what? Everybody, we talking about. Fun shit. He want to be all serious.

Let me think. That's a really. It's deep. Confidence and healing. Well, they're not, first off, just by definition. Because I think people can fake confidence. You can't fake healing. Can't be fake healed, like, oh, you know,

you got a cut and it's like, yeah, I'm faking it. You know, that's a band-aid, baby, you're not really healed yet. You know, with confidence, there are a lot of people who walk around and they can pretend to be confident and actually, I think that's what confidence's intention is, is to be used a little artificially, the fake it till you make it.

And then eventually you get there because my confidence, you know, I had to force it and fake it for a long time. Cause I didn't grow up in a world where they were like, you're beautiful. Yo K-pop fans, it's your boy, BOMHUN and I'm bringing you something epic. Introducing the K-Factor, You're beautiful. and trainees, we're bringing you the real stories behind the music that you love. And yeah, we're keeping it 100, discussing everything from comebacks and concepts to the mental health side of the business. Because K-pop isn't just a genre, it's a whole world and we're exploring every corner of

it. And here's the best part, fans get to call in, drop opinions, and even join us live at events. You never know where we might pop up next. So listen to the K Factor on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This isn't just a podcast, it's a movement. Are you ready? Let's go.

Made for This Mountain is a podcast that exists to empower listeners to rise above their struggles, break free from the chains of trauma, and silence the negative voices that have kept them small. Through raw conversations, real stories, and actionable guidance, you can learn to face the mountain that is in front of you. You will never be able to change or grow through the thing that you refuse to identify.

The thing that you refuse to say, hey, this is my mountain. This is the struggle. This is the thing that's refuse to identify. The thing that you refuse to say, hey, this is my mountain, this is the struggle, this is the thing that's in front of me. You can't make that mountain move without actually diving into it. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to conquer the things that once felt impossible and step boldly into the best version of yourself

to awaken the unstoppable strength that's inside of us all. So tune into the podcast, focus on your emotional wellbeing and climb your personal mountain. Because it's impossible for you to be the most authentic you. It's impossible for you to love you fully if all you're doing is living to please people.

Your mountain is that. Listen to Made for This Mountain on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I found out I was related to the guy that I was dating. I don't feel emotions correctly. I am talking to a felon right now and I cannot decide if I like him or not.

Those were some callers from my call-in podcast, Therapy Gecko. It's a show where I take real phone calls from anonymous strangers all over the world as a fake gecko therapist and try to dig into their brains and learn a little bit about their lives. I know that's a weird concept, but I promise it's pretty interesting if you give it a shot.

Matter of fact, here's a few more examples of the kinds of calls we get on this show. I live with my boyfriend, and I found his piss jar in our apartment. I collect my roommates' toenails and fingernails. I have very overbearing parents. Even at the age of 29, they won't let me move out of their house.

So if you want an excuse to get out of your own head and see what's going on in someone else's head, search for Therapy Gecko on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's the one with the green guy on it. Have you ever wished for a change but weren't sure how to make it? Maybe you felt stuck in a job or a place or a relationship? Join me, Emily Tish Sussman, over on She Pivots,

where I explore the inspiring pivots of women, dig deeper into the personal reasons behind them, and leave you with the inspiration you need to make your next pivot. In honor of Mother's Day we have some very special guests. I'm Elaine Welteroth. And I'm Caitlin Murray. Both women pivoted out of their careers after having their kids, proving that motherhood is just another chapter in our journey, not the end. It's like it's kind of like will you have more babies? Yes. Will I always be me? Yeah. And will I continue growing? Yes. Will I always be me? Yeah.

And will I continue growing? Yes. Because I was really in the trenches and I knew my worth and my value as a mom. Come on over to hear their full stories. You can listen to She Pivots on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. In your body is beautiful and we like you. We like your personality.

Yeah, you watch anime and listen to rock music. We accept you. No, like I was very like other and I think that I had to be like, no, you are good enough. You are worthy of love. Your body is beautiful. Even when I didn't believe it, and I think that eventually if you say something enough, it can come true.

You can manifest it, you can create your reality. And I think I got there by faking it. But healing, I think, is a little bit uglier than confidence. And I think I'm still learning that. I don't think there's like a singular moment. But I think, man, it's funny because you look back and you're like, all these years of like telling myself, I love myself and I'm beautiful

and can't nobody tell me about me, da-da-da-da. And then people can and you realize, oh, all this shit wasn't even real. I was just telling myself this, I was faking the funk, because if I really believed it, y'all wouldn't be able to take this from me, y'all wouldn't be able to shake me,

and then being like, walking through the world now, and being like, man, this person just said something crazy to me. People be talking to me crazy, I'm so nice and I'll be like, okay, because I'm like, you know, I don't need your validation, but okay, but now people talk talking to me crazy. I'm so nice and I'll be like, okay, cuz I'm like, you know, I don't need your validation But okay, but now people talks crazy to me and I'll be like Hmm, but you know what?

It's not even real you're in pain. You're hurting for you to say something to me like this What did I bring out in you? Did I make you did I make you feel a little insecure for a second boo-boo? Oh I'm sorry. And I hope that, I hope it gets better for you. But you give a lot of people grace though. I've seen people have made a crack the joke or said something and then I'll see you do an interview a couple of years later and you give them the grace.

Why do you feel like it's the right thing to give them grace instead of just giving them middle fingers and saying go fuck yourself? Because people are as kind to others as they are to themselves. And if somebody is throwing hatred or saying something mean, just mean-spirited about somebody just for the sake of doing it,

I can't imagine how you talk to yourself. I can't imagine how you think about yourself and treat yourself when no one's watching. And for that, I've already won. So I don't need to win in real life and sit up and talk bad about nobody. I don't have anything bad to say about nobody. And I've been dogged. I've been dog walked. And I don't have anything to say. I have nothing bad to say. Because I love the person I've become through it all. And I think that's

the real prize. That's the real reward What did you um, well first on that note? Does it get on your nerves though that sometimes? Every single thing you do people still related to like wanting to talk about you in certain ways Like you were at the Met Gala the outfit went off every headline though is about your weight loss and not about how good you look And I think that that's unfair and it happens a lot with you Does that get annoying to you, where it's like, I can't move around that?

Like, people always want to talk about me. Well, I signed up for it. I knew when, you know, back in 2014, and big girls weren't wearing leotards on stage, and I said, I'm about to put me on one of these Beyonce dance leotards, and I'm about to have big girls behind me wearing them too, because I knew that my body would be

the focus of that conversation. And it was something that... Because it was unavoidable. Either I could hide and run from it and people are going to do it anyway. You know, it's like the big girl wearing your arms out theory. It's like, we know your arm's big, whether you, you know, cover it up or not, we know your arm's big, whether you cover it up or not. We know your arm's big, so either enjoy the outfit and wear your arms out or cover your

arms up. But we know what it is. So for me, I was just like, I'm just going to run head first into it. What I didn't know is that it would never go away. That's what I mean. No matter how much my body changes, it's never going to go away. But I think that I have to just like accept that. And I'm actually cool with it. It doesn't annoy me because I look good. You know, and even when I was

bigger, I looked good. So it's like, say what you want. But there was always someone in the comments being like, yeah, but she's's still beautiful and she looks soft and face card never declines. Gorgeous. What about the time because I was reporting when all the lawsuit stuff happened and you didn't say anything for a long time like not at all which most people come out and say stuff I was wondering the day that it was dropped how did you feel? What was your thought process around that? Cause you were in isolation at that point, right? I was in Japan. Yeah.

On a dream trip. Was it a breath of fresh air or did you feel like, but the conversation is still there and this is hard? Oh, it was very hard cause I was confused. I was confused and I was a little like hurt. But I was in Japan with, it was my first time ever being in Japan. I was with my best friend and her kids.

And we were at Hello Kitty World. And I'm like crying in the car. But I'm like, okay, wipe your tears and go in there and have fun with the babies. Because we're at Hello Kitty World and you only do this once with these kids who've never been to Japan and that's their dream. So I did a lot of balancing between that but I'll tell you one thing about Tokyo, they

don't give a fuck what's going on in your personal life. In Tokyo, they're like, listen, let me take a picture. I'm like, okay. Like I had a great time. Like nobody's nosy in Japan and I think being there was God for sure because though I was dealing with a lot of inner turmoil and hurt honestly in shock in confusion I was in this place that didn't reflect that or throw that back at me. I had my first panic attack when I came back to LA for the first time after

everything the lawsuit had dropped and I was in Japan for like a month and I landed in America. I had a panic attack in the car because as I was walking through the airport I was like everybody hates me everybody's you know I got in my head and I got in a car and I like I had this like. You were having a heart attack. Yeah I had this like pressure on my chest. Mind you, I've had anxiety attacks. That feels different than a panic attack.

I had pressure on my chest. I said something's really wrong. I couldn't use my limbs or my body. And I was like, I literally crawled to my bed and just like broke down. I was like, what's happening to me? And I talked to my doctor and he was like, hey, you had a panic attack.

And dealing with it my whole life. Yeah, and I think America, everybody, you had a panic attack. I've been dealing with him my whole life. Yeah, and I think America, everybody wanna know everybody business here. So it's this weird, almost like invisible, I'm not a victim, so I don't wanna say attack, but it was like, you know, this pressure or this like, I don't know, it's like implied energy in America where I'm like, oh, I need to hide versus Japan. I could be a Hello Kitty world and everyone's like implied energy in America where I'm like, oh I need to hide

versus Japan. I could be a Hello Kitty world and everyone's like Right. Yeah. And you were attacked. You were a victim. I was raised that. I know you say you're not a victim but it's like no when somebody lies on you. You were a victim. Yeah. That one you started thinking people hated you? Because I wonder do you remember what the industry felt like

or what social media even felt like before that lawsuit? It felt very like silly and lighthearted and I had like a lot of freedom to just scroll and not see nothing about me. And then I was on and I would scroll and every like three scrolls, it was, and I was like, oh, we'll be like, Liz, if I just see two Z's, my heart start racing

and I scroll, it could have been pizza. But I was like, ah! And I just kept scrolling, so it felt, it felt a little bit more hostile, but I'll say in general, I think the internet has gotten more hostile for everybody. Like out of nowhere, like it used to be so fun and lighthearted, and now everybody is beefing

and quarreling and dropping tea. And I'm just like, whoa, when did this happen? But that's when it happened for me. Like I was like, oh, I have to get off. And so from I would say October, 2023 to maybe even like April 2024, I wasn't on my phone at all. I threw my phone away.

Like I had my team post things for me because I had to post about Yitty and I had to post about, you know, little things I wanted to share with people. I didn't want to completely disappear because that's not who I am, but my team posted it for me and I did not scroll. I did not look at the internet

because I was too sensitive and I think I don't think I could have handled it and I'll also say this In reference to the the lawsuit I would say in light of all of the other like high-profile lawsuits that have been coming out Comparatively the allegations against me, I think now we see we're just like kind of ridiculous, you know? I cracked my knuckles. Hey man, you sounded like a good time

in the strip club to me. And mind you, it was going to the strip club, it doesn't say that I did anything, like I didn't do anything to anyone in that strip club, I just went to the strip club. And then like being fat phobic for firing someone for gaining weight, that just wasn't true. But that was hilarious.

It wasn't true though. I know, but just, it was hilarious just to read that. Right. It was like, what the hell did what? Because it didn't make sense. Like, what am I talking about? That's why nobody believes it, it's like, come on. Right, but I also have to say, like,

one of my fears is I don't want my situation and my lawsuit to be an indicator on any other that's going on. I don't want it to invalidate any other actual, because I will always stand for real victims of sexual harassment and sexual violence and anything and I will always stand for them and ride for them. So I don't want what happened to me to kind of invalidate anything else going on in the world and that was really important to me which is why I was quiet for a long time, because

I still want to protect victims. How does that not change you, right? How does that not change Lizzo as a person? It did though. Because now, do you still go out with people? Do you still feel as free? Are you still the Lizzo that- Oh baby, no!

Hell no, right? Baby, yeah. You see what I'm saying? Because it changes you as a person. And is that a good thing or bad thing? I think it's an amazing thing. I I am You know what God really loves me I have to say that and I feel like everything that happens to me is God and God is preparing me for

Something that I don't even know about but I feel like I readied myself now I feel like a boss like I feel like a better boss. I feel like I readied myself now. I feel like a boss. I feel like a better boss. I feel like a better friend. I feel like I know how to run a big operation. Because mind you, back to the pandemic thing, I blew up in 2020. In 2019, I had maybe four crew members. I had one roadie, I had a tour manager and two dancers.

And then the world shut down in 2020 and I blew up and I did my first arena tour after being in isolation for two years. And I'm suddenly standing in a room with 70, 80 people that I'm like, I wanna know everybody's names that works for me. And it was really weird and I got a crash course and being an arena level artist, a big artist, like

after literally being an indie artist for 10 years and being in isolation for two years. So by the time I was running an arena level operation, I didn't have no practice in that. I didn't have no experiences and I learned the hard way how to be a boss but I'm gonna be a better boss for it. And I'm really proud of myself. Yeah, if you're on my payroll, we're not going to the bar. We're not gonna have drinks together. You know what I'm saying?

The breakfast is probably going with you to the ship. But I got friends for that. I got friends for that. Okay, I got two friends. Two! Two! My best friend, Alexo de Rilo from Ace Town. My best friend, Alexa, from H-Town, shout out Houston, Texas, and shout out Shante. So what do you, how do you decide like what's for the stage or what's for the public and

what's sacred now? Hmm. Hmm. There's a lot that's sacred. You know my, my, my barometer for what's for the world? If you really love something, keep that shit a secret. If you really love something, keep it a secret. If, so there are things that I protect now

that before I didn't think of it as protection. I thought of it as like, oh my gosh, I'm keeping something from my fans. I'm keeping something from the public. I'm keeping something from the public. Like I want you guys to see this. Like you should see this. Like I literally like the term hard launch, I, that was me, you know,

cause I was like, gosh, like love, like I want y'all to see this. This is so beautiful. And then the world got two seconds of my relationship and I was like, oh y'all don't know how to act. I was literally just looking to see, I was looking to see, I'm like she can't even post it in a minute. Y'all don't know how to act. You lost your privileges. Really? She said and wants? Yeah, so all that cute shit, all that black love, back in the vault.

That's dope. I mean, maybe I only saw the positive stuff because I saw a lot of people that were happy for you at the beginning. I only hear that when you came to the, man, yes. Yeah, but it was that bad? Because I was literally on my Instagram look and I'm like, I ain't seen her post till a minute.

No, you know what? People were really positive. This isn't about like people. I do think that, you know, I don't want wanna give nobody an opportunity to destroy something good. And I found that it wasn't really necessarily about my relationship that people did that,

it was other things, my other relationships where that happened, and I was like, I don't even wanna give you the opportunity, no shade, like no disrespect. I love everybody. Thank you for being so cool. But due to new management in my personal life, I have to protect this because I saw so much get destroyed by lies and I didn't want that to happen to my relationships.

So it's very protected. Yeah. Nobody acted up. I don't want this clip to go out of people being like, well, we didn't even say nothing wrong. Like, cause I know how the internet can be. They'll take seven seconds and think that I'm saying something else, but it was more so out of, it was preemptive. You know what I mean? But I think you said it right. If you love something, keep it to yourself. Yeah. It's that simple. Yeah. Do we have any tearjerkers on love in real life? Yeah, do you have any tearjerkers on love in real life?

We do um There's one song in particular that um Niggas had to leave the room. There was like it ran out. I said I'm sorry. I had like um, oh I'm gonna get sad even though it's not I mean sometimes I feel that It's okay. I wrote us. I Lost my my dog. I lost my dog. I lost my dog, Pooka. And she was 20 years old.

Can you see? Can you see? Oh, she lived a long life. Maltese. Yeah. And I lost her like in the thick of it. December, 2023, when I was like at my most depressed. And then she left and I was like, mind you, 20 years,

she like a grandma to me. And that really broke me down and I wrote a song about it but it wasn't just about Puka. I sampled her voice on the song but it was about loss in general, I lost my father very young and so it was a song about grief and death and I was like, don't put this on your album. Like, I'm the happy girl, I'm the positive spin.

And you know, I was like, you know what, I owe it to myself, not just to my fans or to myself to put a song like this on my album. And so there is a moment in there, it's called Phone to Heaven. And so that's a little tear-joker. Yeah. And there are some really raw emotional songs on there. Like I got a song called Like a Crime and I think that you can decide what that song is

about when you listen to it. I'm really excited for this album because I feel like as an artist everybody got into my singles but they never got into my albums and my albums are so into my albums. And my albums are so good. And they're so well thought out. And I really want the album to shine this time and not just, oh my God, a number one hit about damn time. Cause it's like my album don't sound like special doesn't sound like about damn time. And, and cause I love you didn't sound like truth hurts. You know what I mean? There were so many other songs that show off like and these songs did they show off my musical ability? But like I had such a amazing catalog

It's the body of them so proud of yeah, so this time I want people to get into the album Which is why I've been I've gone a little rogue, you know opposite of what the label wants from me where I'm service in music. I just dropped the demo to Steal Bad today, actually. Wow, look at that timing. I dropped the demo to Steal Bad because I like the demo more than the finished song. And there's an A&R process with music that people might not be privy to,

but you write a song in a studio, the A&R comes through, and they go, okay, fix this, rewrite this bridge, the production needs to be more like this. And you're like, okay, and you sit in with the producer and you work on it. And I've done that process, about damn time took like seven months, and there were like a thousand versions.

So with Still Bad, we did the same thing. And by the time we were done with Still Bad, and this is really how I feel, and sorry to Atlantic Records, but by the time I was done with Still Bad, I was like, this is just another About Damn Time. And I looked at Ricky Reed and I was like, be real with me, I was like, does this just another About Damn Time. And I looked at Ricky Reed and I was like, be real with me. I was like, does this sound like About Damn Time?

And he was like, no, no. And I'm like, yeah, from a sonic level, it's different instruments that take the lead. It's a different BPM, it's a different key. It's more in these sleaze. And I was like, I'ma trust y'all on this. I started doing press and interviews for it. And everybody said, yeah, it's like disco funk.

It's like a disco funk. And I'm like, no, it's not a disco funk song. Like, About Damn Time was disco funk. This is Indie Sleeves. But people don't fucking know that. They don't know the difference. Music is about feeling. Not everybody a music major and studied the theory behind.

No, they just wanna feel it. And it felt like about damn time and I should have followed my gut. But because for me, this album is rock and roll. And the demo version of Still Bad that I put out is very rock and roll. No shade to the other Still Bad. I'ma let people decide which one they like more

because they both my babies. One is just cuter. You know, for people who listen to your music, they know why you successful, right? But then you have some people who feel like you are only successful because at the time, people were checking off boxes. You're a black woman, you're big, you know,

diversity, all that type of stuff. What do you say to those people? I would say that I created that lane. I don't think people were looking for diversity. I was undeniable. And that created the trend of checking boxes. I don't disagree that at a certain point we started checking boxes.

When it comes to checking a box of black fat woman, I'm gonna ride for that every time. I don't care. I'm rooting for everyone black and I'm rooting for everyone fat black and woman. I don't care. You don't have to. If you're not the most talented person in the world

and you got pushed through, yay. Because it happens to other people all the time who don't look like that. And we deserve it. But you're not big no more, Lizzo. I am big. What are we talking about? No, you're not.

You're not, Lizzo. Baby, I'm big. No. You're just not the biggest anymore. No, you're not, Lizzo. Baby, I'm big. No. You're not the biggest anymore. No, you're not. You say I'm the biggest. You're not the biggest. All right.

I'm not the biggest. No, no, I said that. Big mama. She is not big. You ain't no big no more. You still be that nasty, huh? So now, OK, I'm in a room full of people I trust, right? The internet is like, oh, Lizzo's skinny now.

I am well over 200 pounds. You know what I'm saying? I'm five foot nine. But you're clearly trending in a different direction. I got double numbered pants on right now. But you're not trying to be skinny though. You're gonna lose more weight. No, no.

No, okay yeah, because I think that you look amazing. Thank you. I think, are you saying that you're bigger than what an industry standard is? Because you're not. Yes! But yes, you are bigger than what some people would determine an industry standard.

Yes! But that standard is like gone. It's 20, 25 people, I don't even think that that's okay. Put me next to any pop star right now like I'm still bigger than them. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, I get what you're saying. You actually look normal compared to them.

I'm just saying, when I think about it. Oh, I hear you. Yeah, you look normal compared to them but they look like unusually skinny. Yeah. That's what I mean. Like 20, 25 people want to, but they look like unusually skinny. Yeah, that's what I mean. Like 2025 people want to see people that look like them. But is it, because a lot of my friends that I talk to that are on weight loss journeys,

they have like a body dysmorphia thing where they're never in a good place with themselves. Did you experience that or do you deal with that sometimes? Yes, I actually didn't realize how much my body changed until I was filming the Love and Real Life music video. I was in shock. It shocked me because the way that I'm releasing weight has been a long slow process. Like people maybe not have seen me or been keeping up with me but I've been posting about it and I'm in a calorie deficit. So that's the one that sneaks up on you. If you're in a deficit for so long it eventually you're just you're in a deficit for so long,

it eventually, you're just shedding like half a pound a week. And then you look up and if it's been 52 weeks, that adds up. So when I was filming Love in Real Life, and they put the outfit on me and I seen the number size on the pants, I said, wait a minute, hold on. There's not a two in front of the, that's supposed to be a two right there why is that a one um I was like

okay something has happened something you've you've crossed the threshold your body has done the thing so now it's about controlling that and making sure that it doesn't get out of control because my mind will keep going, even though my body is like, hey, we're good. You know what I mean? Because when I look in the mirror, I still see me in 2023, I still see me at a heavier weight. And thank God I love myself because that's fine.

I think that people who really experienced the body dysmorphia the most, they didn't like themselves at that size. And when they look in the mirror and they see that person it's they get upset and it's not enough and And that's hard But you know those people that with the opposite that they missed that weight because they were that weight for so long Yeah, and it feels like that's not them anymore. Like they miss that person and that way I Experienced that too. I'll say this is gonna only my big girls who have released a weight are gonna understand this. How do I say this? Yo K-pop fans, it's your boy Bom Han and I'm

bringing you something epic. Introducing the K-Factor, the podcast that takes you straight into the heart of K-pop. We're talking music reviews, exclusive interviews, and deep dives into the industry like never before. From producers and choreographers to idols and trainees, we're bringing you the real stories behind the music that you love. And yeah, we're keeping it a hundred, discussing everything from comebacks and concepts to the mental health side of the business, because K-pop isn't just a genre, it's a whole world. And we're exploring every corner of it.

And here's the best part, fans get to call in, drop opinions, and even join us live at events. You never know where we might pop up next. So listen to the K-Factor on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This isn't just a podcast. It's a movement. Are you ready?

Let's go. Made for This Mountain is a podcast that exists to empower listeners to rise above their struggles, break free from the chains of trauma and silence the negative voices that have kept them small through raw conversations, real stories, and actionable guidance. You can learn to face the mountain that that have kept them small. Through raw conversations, real stories, and actionable guidance, you can learn to face the mountain that is in front of you. You will never be able to change or grow through the thing that you refuse to identify. The thing that you refuse to say, hey, this is my mountain. This is the struggle. This is the thing that's in front of me.

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Because it's impossible for you to be the most authentic you. It's impossible for you to love you fully if all you're doing is living to please people. Your mountain is that. Listen to Made for This Mountain on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I found out I was related to the guy that I was dating. I don't feel emotions correctly. I am talking to a felon right now and I cannot decide if I like him or not. Those were some callers from my call-in podcast therapy gecko

It's a show where I take real phone calls from anonymous strangers all over the world as a fake Gecko therapist and try to dig into their brains and learn a little bit about their lives I know that's a weird concept, but I promise it's pretty interesting if you give it a shot matter of fact Here's a few more examples of the kinds of calls we get on this show. I live with my boyfriend and I found his pizjar in our apartment. I collect my roommates' toenails and fingernails.

I have very overbearing parents. Even at the age of 29, they won't let me move out of their house. So if you want an excuse to get out of your own head and see what's going on in someone else's head, search for therapy gecko on the iHeart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. It's the one with the green guy on it. Have you ever wished for a change but weren't sure how to make it? Maybe you felt stuck in a job or a place or a relationship? Join me, Emily Tish-Sussman, over on She Pivots,

where I explore the inspiring pivots of women, dig deeper into the personal reasons behind them, and leave you with the inspiration you need to make your next pivot. In honor of Mother's Day, we have some very special guests. I'm Elaine Welteroth. And I'm Caitlin Murray. Both women pivoted out of their careers after having their kids, proving that motherhood

is just another chapter in our journey, not the end. It's kind of like, will you have more babies? Yes. Will I always be me? Yeah. And will I continue growing? Yes. Because I was really in the trenches and I knew my worth and my value as a mom.

Come on over to hear their full stories. You can listen to She Pivots on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I felt, how do I say this? What else? I sounded crazy. Oh, here we go. When I was bigger, I felt skinny. I felt skinnier than I do now.

When I was bigger, I'm not gonna hold you. When I was in my string bikini and I was at my heaviest weight, I was like, skinny bitch. And that's what I realized, like thin is a feeling. It's not a look. And so is fat. Fat is a feeling. Like you ever been around somebody thin and she's like, so fat. I feel so is fat. Fat is a feeling. Like you ever been around somebody thin and she's like, so fat, I feel so fat today.

Because it's a feeling. It's not real, you know what I mean? Like society tries to tell you that it's real and the scale tries to tell you, but it's really how you feel on the inside. So I felt skinnier then than I do now. Maybe I'm told that I did. I think it gotta be both though. Because I get what you saying but if you 300 pounds you do that about that's more than just right

No, and let's be real. Yes, like there is like a science behind it Like, you know, there is an aesthetic to it. But I also think that it We've seen where Jessica Simpson had on mom jeans in 2005 and they were calling her fat and she wasn't. So it gets misinterpreted and misconstrued all the time. There are objective truths. There are people who are bigger and I think that's fine. And yeah, we fat. I like calling myself fat.

I think it's a race component too though. Because if Jessica Simpson was black back then, you'd be like, damn, she thick. You're absolutely right. But that's a whole other conversation. That's a Ted talk. We can get into that. I do wanna know what-

The racialization of beauty standards and how it's racist. Let's talk about it. Wait, what was your question gonna be though? I was gonna ask you, you know, what parts of your identity did the industry try to monetize or dare I say, even exploit before you even understood it yourself, or dare I say even exploit,

before you even understood it yourself? Yeah, I didn't know, because I was being myself, and the industry is exploitative. That's its job. Its job is to, because think of it's an industry, there's car industries,

they're getting a product out there and they'll exploit the workers to do that. You know what I mean? So for me, I don't look at it as a negative thing. I know that word is so crazy, but it's like, I was being sold. I was being packaged, marketed, and sold for being myself. And that was a weird, that was a strange thing.

I can't imagine people who have to fake their brand because that would drive me insane. I would be like, yo dude, I don't want to do this shit no more. I don't want to be happy. I don't want to play the flute. I don't want to be fat. You know what I mean? But you said, when did I realize it? Damn, I think maybe even now. I think when I'm starting to release weight, that's when I realized it. Because I remember I was talking to my trainer at the time, and I was like, yeah, I wanna just intentionally

let go some weight, get a little bit smaller, da da da da. And he was like, oh, I'm about to fuck da da da. And he was like, oh I'm about to fuck up your brand. And I was like, wait what? I was like, what does that mean? And I had to think about that for a while, like and then, and that was when I was heavier. And you know, X amount of pounds down later, I saw the backlash, people were upset.

And I was like, wait, what's happening? And that was what he was talking about. And two things are happening. The industry packaged and sold me and my fatness and my joy and all of that and marketed it to people. People saw themselves in that, but they also were just like, I don't know, how do I say this, being very respectful to my fans, because when it changed, it was like,

you aren't that person, you're a liar. You know you lied, that wasn't real. I was sold, wasn't real. It's like, I got the package, I got the product, and then it was like always works. And then it stopped working. Because they feel like if you were so proud of it, why would you lose it? It changed on me. Right. And how do I say this?

But there are all kinds of issues, like health issues and things like that, that can come along with obesity and things like being fat. And it's like, why can't I want to, you know, why can't I do this for y'all, bring more awareness to that part of it? And then we'd go on this journey together. Y'all my fans, y'all, you know. I'll say the only way I was able to do what I've done and change my body was because I loved myself.

I've never done anything healthy or positive to myself out of hatred. I've been smaller than this before, and I was starving myself, I wasn't eating, and I was the most unhappy in my entire life, and I hated myself the most at my smallest. So, you know what I mean? I've also been heavier, and I've hated some of that

too and I've also loved some of that. It's just like, it's just not one thing. There's like so much nuance and it's like I'm a human being. You know what I mean? And I'm living in this body. You don't have to live in my body for the rest of your life. You have to live in yours. And people, I'll tell you one thing about me me I'm always on the right side of history people gonna look back and understand because what I'm doing now gosh People don't think I'm full of myself But what I'm doing now is fucking revolutionary and it's pushing body positive positivity Forward not because I've gotten smaller

But the way that I'm talking about my body changing because what people don't realize is in 2019 when I was talking about body positivity over the over 2020 2021 I had gained 50 pounds And I was talking about that experience and talk about body positivity and how I loved myself through it all And now when I'm on the other end of that, I'm not changing my tune. And I think that would be fraudulent if I all of a sudden changed my tune and said, aha, fuck that, yeah, I hated it. Ha ha, I hated being big, gotcha. You got bamboozled, bitch.

Run me, like, no. I'm going to be me through this entire process. And when people look back on this, they'll be like, yeah, yeah, she was right. That's why I started the interview off talking about your mental health and that's why I asked you the question about confidence and healing

because people can talk all about the physical. The revolutionary thing about it to me is what you have done spiritually and mentally. Yes, yeah, and it's a lot of work. And it's a lot of work and that's why I can say I am the best version of myself right now. There's people, like I said... Like I said, when I was younger

and I had, like, very disordered eating and I was, like, really depressed and I was, like, really hard on my body. I was very small. There's people who look back at old pictures of that time in their life when they were smaller. They're like, oh, God, I want to look like that again. Oh, that was it, honey.

If I could just go back to when I was 19, I don't wanna go back to her. That might have been the worst version of myself. Sleeping in my car and going through it and running into violent and dangerous situations. No. And not eating. Now that's what I understand.

And Liz will be eating because you wasn't eating before. Ha ha ha that's what I understand. And not eating. And Liz will be eating because you got me so far. Ha ha ha ha ha! I don't understand. Baby! No, there's nothing cute about hurting yourself. There's nothing cute about harming yourself. There's nothing cute about starving yourself.

And now it's like, I am the best version of myself, not because of how I look, even though I may be heavier than I was in small, you know, or heavy. What am I trying to though I may be heavier than I was and small, you know, or heavy, what am I trying to say? I'm heavier than I was when I was at my smallest and I'm smaller than I was when I was at my heaviest, but, cause I'm here, this is what makes me the best version of myself.

And no matter how my body changes, I get pregnant, I have a baby, my body gonna get bigger, my body could get smaller, who knows? This is what's together. This is, you know what I mean? And this is the most important part, and that's the part that I hope to my younger fans and to people who follow me,

they don't just see my body changing and me being happy. I hope they feel that it was mental work and it was emotional work, and no matter how my body changes, this is gonna be the most important thing to me. Do you have real joy now? Cause it feels like you would being joyful as a form of protest or maybe a survival tactic maybe?

So do you have real joy now? Yeah, I think that black joy in any form is resistance in this society. And I think it is resistance in this society. And I think it's radical in this society. I think seeing it from someone who looks like me is even more radical. And because of that, y'all don't see me 98% of the time. Like, y'all see me 2% of the time,

and why would I be miserable when I'm doing what I love? When y'all see me, I'm doing what I love. I'm either on stage, I'm shooting a music video, I'm doing an interview. I'm actually genuinely happy to be here. Like, I like talking to y'all, you know, but then there's like a whole other 98% where I may be in a bad mood or I may be, you know,

over it or, you know, my stomach hurt, you know what I'm saying? Like damn, like, I'm a human being. But that part isn't shown to the world. But I do believe that my joy is still a form of resistance, especially, especially right now. You know what I mean? Where, I mean, always, we're in a system that doesn't wanna see us joyful. You know what I mean? They police our joy mean, always, we're in a system that doesn't want to see us joyful. You know what I mean?

They police our joy so much. And I think that my mission, I think everybody has different missions, you know, to help us. But right now, my mission is, how do I help people find a community that brings them joy? Because that's powerful.

I want to go back to the conversation that we almost got into about the black beauty standard and the difference with you being in the space that you're in. I remember it was a long time ago, Jillian Michaels, she came out and said something about the weight loss lady. And people defended you so gravely because they felt like she wouldn't have said certain things if you weren't a black woman of a certain weight. She talked about, she basically said said why are we defending her weight?

It's not healthy. Is it gonna be funny when she gets diabetes and she just went down the list and people were like, well Hey, you're bringing out all the things that happen to black the black community more predominantly So they thought it was a race thing and that conversation happens a lot around you when people try to attack you people feel like If you weren't a black woman that was doing I mean, yeah If you weren't a black woman doing these things, you would have a little bit more grace or be propped up a bit more. Do you feel like that? You know whose voice I listen to the less when they have comments about me is celebrities. I really, I never, I don't care about other celebrities' opinions on me. You know what I mean? It's interesting because it's like,

I care more about what my fans say about me and think about me. That matters. I never hear these little trivial comments. And I only hear the apologies, you know? But I will say, somebody's health is none of your business. And I've always been on that. And it's like, we only

pretend to care about people's fat people's health so we can be fat phobic to them. It's, you know, being fat is the only acceptable form of bullying in our society. If you think about it, we're taught from kid from from a young age to make fun of fat people. We you watch TV and the fat dude, he's like, oh, and then he falls over trying to tie his shoe and the kids are like, ah, you know. And you laugh in front of your parents, your parents laughing too.

Are your mommas all fat jokes? Those are first best jokes. But if it was anything else, your parents would be like, don't laugh at that, you know what I mean? So we're socialized to make fun of fat people and I think that some people pretend to care about fat people's health to just make fun of them in a weird backwards ass way. I will have so many things to say about this, but a lot of people, and I'm not going to

say this is not a blanket statement because I am actually terrible and I make a lot of blanket statements and the internet gets in my ass for it. I'm gonna say systemically in America the majority of fatness is due to things that are kind of out of your control. Our food system is abysmal. Our food system has so many invisible additives that have so much sugar and caloric density and toxins. And it is, how do I say this without getting political? I don't wanna sound like RFK, but like it's poisoning us. And in our communities too in black

communities at a disproportionate level there are food deserts and the only the only what's it called what's it called in the middle of a desert when it's like green the only thank you come on smart man the only oasis in the food desert is fast food is snack food food, is hot Cheetos, is Red 40, da da da da. So when I was a kid, I grew up in Houston, Texas, hey, shout out to Swat. I was in band rehearsal and when I got thirsty, I drank Sprite. I would chug a Sprite and be like, oh, I'm so thirsty.

Seven eleven slushies. Oh my God. Hot Cheetos every day at lunch. And then our lunch Yeah, you're not gonna get a salad or a protein at school at public school lunch. It was chicken tenders. It was um Cheese stuffed bread whatever that was. I don't know what the fuck that was. It was good And so like this is what we've been given, You know, a lot of people's fatness is genetic. You know what I'm saying? So it's like, and then there are people who like,

you know, we can tend to overeat and stuff like that. I'm not talking about that. I'm not making a blatant statement about it, but I'm like a lot of it is out of our control. Factoring social media too, because people aren't as active as they used to be. So back then we'd play outside. Now they're in the house on the phone,

social media, the screaming. They talk way more active back then. So it's like to sit up and just like, criticize somebody for being like, hey, this is how I look right now, and you know what, despite all odds, I'm okay with that. That don't mean that I'm like, you know, being fat is it, everyone should be fat.

No, it's just like, damn, can a bitch like herself right now you know depressed because you're right and if my body changes cool if I get bigger that's none of your fucking business if I get smaller that's none of your fucking business but can I like myself right now so I can get through the day like you think if I sit and go oh I hate myself let me just change and be skinny now no No, that's not how it works. So it's like y'all want us to be miserable. But for what? Because once I get small, you

still not happy. So it's like, shut the fuck up. Disrespectfully. The people jumped on her. I like that. Just for fairness of the conversation, she did bust a U-turn because the people jumped on her. She said I should have separated her from the conversation. But to your point, exactly, I was going to say you called it. Never been pre-diabetic. And this is not me flexing my health over nobody, but this is just me stating the facts.

Don't ever put diabetes on me. I've never been pre-diabetic. My father had type 2 diabetes. And when he passed away, I had from a young age, he passed away when I was 19, 20 actually. Oh my gosh, it was so long ago. But actually I'm 22, so. But when that happened to him, because he had hypertension and high blood pressure and type 2 from his eating habits, I have always been a healthy person. Even though I was physically larger,

I was very conscious about what I put in my body. I was very active. I would post videos of me in the gym, running on a treadmill, lifting heavy weights. People would buy tickets to my show where I'm on stage for two hours running back and forth, playing the flute, doing choreography, rapping and singing and emoting and not being out of breath.

Like I've always been a very active person. I've always been a very healthy person. Yeah. Never been pre-diabetic, honey. Mind your business. That's between me and my doctor. And I'll get her on the phone too. She love to talk. And she takes a sip of that sugary drink. No, no, no. I'm glad you said that. Tell them calories. I'm glad you said that. Go on. Tell them what it is.

This is a black coffee, and then I put in half a vanilla protein shake. Oh, OK. So actually, there's no sugar in this. It's, it's, because it's half of it. This is about 10 grams of protein, and the coffee is black. There's no sugar in this at all.

Dope. So shut up. Mind your business, like you said. I got one last question, because Lauren's stomach is over here growling, crazy. I thought that was my phone vibrating. I swear. I hear it.

And we went out last night, and like I'm literally just coming down from all the last night. I went to Sister Kendrick, it was so good. It's so bad, I'm over here holding my stomach. I'm mention them hot Cheetos, boy. Lauren's talking more crazy. But my last question,

is there a version of Lizzo we haven't seen yet, and are you afraid to show her? I'm not afraid, but I am protective. I think protection can be fear-based sometimes. A lot of people, like a protective mother, is like, oh, I'm afraid something might happen to my child, let me be overly protective. So sometimes there's a like, if y'all saw how I really am sometimes,

like when I'm working, I feel like people wouldn't understand. And it's like, cause I'm a very hard worker. I actually am like, ask anybody in this industry, they're like, she one of the hardest working. And I think the, because I'm fat, like the trope of, oh, she lazy or whatever comes in and I get that put on me.

And so people don't put me in the category of the hardworking divas that we all know and love today. But I work very hard. And I don't show that side because you get to just enjoy the show. You get to just enjoy the product. But though I work hard, I'm very kind to the people who I work with. I'm very measured.

I'm very fair. But it gets real. It gets real. And that's why like that whole Dochi situation situation I have to after like nobody knows what it feels like to be in a situation like that where it's so intense and It's your first met and you are trying to do your best and it's like to judge Black women for working hard. I don't like this new this this new I don't know what it is this new Misconception or misperception of black women who are working hard for what they want, where it's getting demonized.

You know what I mean? And what I also have been seeing is us as a community stand up for the black women who are in this field. Like there's not a lot of us really at the top of this game. And it's like, we really have to work 7,000 times harder than our counterparts to get shit done and we're working actively against a system of people. And then the things that get projected on us, the personalities that get projected on us, we have to overcome that too, and subvert that.

So it's like, yeah, you don't see the hard working side of me, but I get busy. My hairstylist back there like, bitch, me and my agent like, when do you stop? Like, he like, I work with my other clients, I at least have a time to go get a cocktail. I've been working nonstop. Since I got here, I've been doing radio interviews,

I did the Met, I shot a music video after the Met that night, and still managed to change my outfit and go to the after parties and turn up. Then I had radio the next morning, then I turned up again. I had radio yesterday, I had a cover shoot yesterday, I got a cover shoot today.

I'm out here working. And came in here with the best energy. You don't look tired, you didn't sound tired. I didn't know you were tired till you said it. I got a show, I got two shows, all in New York. And it's just like, because I love this shit. I love to work, but I'm not gonna pull back the curtain and show, there's other artists who do that.

Like Beyonce pulls back the curtain for us and we see her work ethic and I respect that and I love that and I'm like exactly. When I see how she works, when she put that black hoodie on, I'm like exactly because that's how the fuck I get down too. Down to the lighting, down to the timing, down to the sounds and the sonics of the music. We put that fucking work in and we don't show y'all because you're going to say, oh she's a bitch.

Like black women especially, oh she's a bitch. So it's like we don't even want to show y'all because you're gonna say, oh she's a bitch. Like black women especially, oh she's a bitch. So it's like we don't even wanna show y'all because y'all are gonna judge us. But I love when Beyonce does it because it puts respect on it. That's how we get down. So that part, I'm not gonna pull back the curtain because I already got enough allegations against me.

No. No. Let's get into her record. Let's keep doing the work, man. Let's get into her record, man. Let's get into a record. Let's get into a new single, Still Bad. Still Bad, which one you playing?

You playing the disco funk version of it? No, which one you want us to play? I low key wish y'all could play Bitch. Can y'all have Bitch? Give us Bitch. Can we get Bitch? Come on, Kev. We got Bitch.

Alright. Listen, thank you for the conversation. Keep doing the work, man. I love to see you glow up, mind, body, and spirit. Thank, Lizzo, thank you. Thank you for the conversation. Thank you so much for doing this. Absolutely. Keep doing the work, man. I love to see you glow up, mind, body, and spirit. Thank you.

Blessings to you. Amen. That was great, y'all. Lizzo is The Breakfast Club. Good morning. Wake that ass up. Early in the morning. The Breakfast Club.

Hi, it's Emily Tish-Sussman, host of the podcast She Pivots. In honor of Mother's Day, we have some very special guests. I'm Elaine Welteroth. And I'm Caitlin Murray. Both women pivoted out of their careers after having their kids, proving that motherhood is just another chapter in our journey, not the end. Come on over to hear their full stories. You can listen to She Pivots on the iHeart radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. We asked parents who adopted teens to share their journey. We just kind of knew from the beginning that we were family. They showcased a sense of love that I never had before. I mean, he's not only my parent, like he's like my best friend. At the end of the day, it's all been worth it. I wouldn't change a thing about our lives.

Learn about adopting a teen from foster care. Visit adoptUSkids.org to learn more. Brought to you by AdoptUSkids, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Ad Council. In my opinion, I'm La Agata, the culture's favorite reggaeton historian, music colleague, a public scholar and recordinggaeton historian, musicologist, public scholar and recording artist. Yes, that means I've done the work.

On my show, the Reggaeton con la Gata podcast, I'm not only talking to Florin Hennon, who has the number one reggaeton track in the world right now. I'm also going to be on Perreo to speak with music innovators like Raina, who is known for her media roquera tracks and collaborating with artists like Bad Bonnie. We're also giving you the culture breakdown straight from the source. Listen to Reggaeton con la Gata on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Your gut microbiome and those healthy bacteria

can actually have positive effects. Your mental health, your immunity, your risk of cancer, almost any disease under the sun. This week on DUP Labs, Titi and I dive into the world of probiotics, the hype, the science, and what your gut bacteria are really doing behind the scenes. From drinks and gummies to probiotic pillows.

Yes, really, probiotic pillows. We're breaking down what's legit and what's just brilliant marketing. With expert insight from gastroenterologist Dr. Roshi Raj, listen to Dope Labs on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You're listening to an iHeart podcast.