The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Lizzo on "Cuz I Love You" in 2019

Episode Date: August 16, 2021

Hip-hop artist Lizzo chats about what inspired her to incorporate flute playing into her music, embracing body positivity and her album "Cuz I l Love You." Originally aired April 2019. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You're listening to Comedy Central. When 60 Minutes premiered in September 1968, there was nothing like it. This is 60 Minutes. It's a kind of a magazine for television. Very few have been given access to the treasures in our archives. But that's all about to change. Like none of this stuff gets looked at. That's what's incredible. I'm Seth Done of CBS News. Listen to 60 Minutes, a second look, starting September 17th, wherever you get your podcasts. Let's start with congratulating you. Congratulations on your first

per- What is this? It's a chocolate from the green room. It's yours. You got me the gift I got you. Yeah. Do you like me why or in? Please say why? Okay. Why? Why? Why? Let's talk about the music. Congratulations, first of all. You're going to be performing at Coachella for the first time. Ever?

Really exciting. A lot of people are excited for you. Many of your fans are excited because all of your day ones have been with you on this journey. You know, you create music in a really specific way. You've even described your music as church with a twirk. Hallelujah? Hallelujah.

Trevel. I don't know. I feel like my music is really positive and uplifting and I've played enough shows now to ask people how they feel and they always say it's a religious experience or a spiritual experience. I grew up in church in Kojic, Church of God in Christ in Detroit and so that was my connection with music with spirituality and gospel. So I like to bring that into you know the Lizzo world and also I'll be twirking so why why would I stop now? I th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. I the th. I th. I their th. I thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi to to to to to to to to to to to like to bring that into, you know, the Lizzo world and also I'd be twarkin, so why

would I stop now? I've been two'erke since I was 14. You, you, you, you have the style, you have a style that's really unique because of all of your influences, like, you grew up playing the flute. Yes. And what I really enjoy about your story is you talk about how, like, there was a point when you were ashamed that you played the flute. Well there was a very small window when I was like trying to be a rap-rap-rap-rap-rap-a-hip a hip-hop and the back of the cab and like you know no one's gonna take you seriously is corny You come to a rapper with a flute no it was like I was terrified you know I'm a band nerd underneath this cool exterior I'm a geek I know all my scales major minor pentatonic harmonic

Yeah Yeah, so you so you so you go away from the flute for a bit and then you start rapping yeah, yeah, but there's a really? there???? there's a there's a really? there's a really? there's a really? there's a really? there's a really? there's a really? there's a really? there's a really? there's a really? there's a really? the the the the they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. they. I'm a their?? their? I'm a their? I'm a their? I's a their? I's a their? I? I? I? I? I? I? I? I? I? I? I? I? I? I? I? I? I? I? I? I? I? I? I's a they. I's a they. I's a they. I's a they. I's a the the they. I'm a the they. the the they. the the to. the to. to. to. to. to. to. the the the the the the the they. I'll. I'll go away from the flute for a bit and then you start rapping. Yeah. But there's a really beautiful story around how you started changing your music and it was inspired by your dad. Yes. Well, I mean, my dad passed away 10 years ago and I was doing music for him. Like, when I was younger I was was like, I'm gonna be successful. And he really pushed me to perform for his friends.

He would be like, go out there and play that carnival of Venice song. And I'd be like, do you like, how fast she could play. And he always wanted to be a musician. He was like, one day you're gonna sing the National Anthem at Ball Games. That was his dream for me. Looked at him at Coachella, so. Dream big! But when he passed away, I got really depressed, and I quit music. I was like, I have no reason to do this anymore because I was doing it for him. But then I realized I have to do this for myself because he was doing it for me. And ever since then, I swear a guy every year on his birthday, something crazy happens either my music video drops or I get a write up in vogue or something huge always happens on th. th. th. th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I th, I thi, I thi, I thi, I thi, I thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, but the, but the, but the, but the, but the, but the, but the, but the, but th. But, but th. th. th. th, th, th, th, th, and I th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th.. th, th, th. th. And, thi, thi, thi, thi, thru, thru, thru, thru. thru. thi, thru. the, thru. thi, thi, thi, thito a guy every year on his birthday, something crazy happens either my music video drops

or I get a write-up in vogue or something huge always happens on his birthday for me musically, it's ever since then. So I know it's a gift from him. It's a beautiful, beautiful story. And I think it's beautiful, not just because of how you've incorporated those influences into your music. So you've got the rap and a lot of people who are fans of yours remember you for the rap and started rapping Yeah, and then you brought in the flutes and then you started singing hey out of nowhere. Yeah Where did it come from? Really? Really? You know? You do have a gorgeous voice though? Well, I learned how to sing. I started singing when I was 19 and I was a bad singer. Are you serious?

Yeah, cut to the clip of me sounding like shit. Oh, you can say shit. Shit! Shea! Shee... Yeah, yeah. Wow. That feels good, baby.

Yeah, but now you can sing. you can rap, you can dance, you can, you can, you can, actually, this is one of my favorite moments that I saw of yours. It was a viral video that came out of nowhere and it blew people away. We actually have that clip right here. BITCH! I'm a dumbass. I'm a dumb ass. I'm a dumb ass. What that's a tel.

You see? Hey! You see, that's magic. No one expects that. Wow. Do you enjoy playing with people's expectations? Well, you know what happened that day? This woman, she was like, we were playing like a home.

Wow. Do you, do you enjoy playing with people's expectations? Well, you know what happened that day? This woman, she was like, we were playing like a homecoming at a college. Yes. And this professor, this, you know, this very nice white lady at first, she came out and she came out and she, we were sound checking and she walks up to the stage. This is huge built stage in the middle of the college campus

that says, homecoming, I have a microphone on. And she's like, do you have a permit? Do you have a permit to be playing music this loud out here? There are students trying to study. And I was like, bitch, to talk to me, I was paid to be here. I'm not here for you. That was the first thing that came out my mouth. And I just kind of ignored her after that. And she tried to raise hell. But during the actual show, I dedicated that song to her.

And this, something came over me. I wasn't supposed to be so angry. I wasn't supposed to be angry. Well you say angry, but it was a fun performance. It made people feel good. My own expectations of myself, I'm always surprising myself and I'm always like over, like today I was like, I'm not gonna be able to sing a five in the morning, but I sang. You saying a five in the morning? Yeah, I'm the today's show.

Wow. And I'm here with you just I mean for now. You all heard that? He said forever. I'm sorry, I wanted to talk about how you responded to the idea of body positivity. You know, one thing that has been thrust upon you by people, you know, because of your album cover, because of the way you conduct yourself,

people have gone like, wow, she is so brave. She's so confident in her body and the way she looks, and this is so beautiful and so brave. But I've been interested in how you've really dismissed it and being like, no, I'm just doing this for your brave label. I'm just me. What does that mean? Well, you know what's interesting is, before the term body positive was this kind of like mainstream thing,

I was just making music about my body that was positive. You know what I'm saying? I had a song called, I'm in love on myself, and I put it on stage and it was shock people. They would be like, oh my God, how dare she? Wow, she's so brave. Or is she serious? Does she really love herself? And I'm like, why are you asking all these damn questions? Like, what are you questioning about me and my body and my love for myself?

You not me? You want me to hate myself? And I think that it's so interesting that now body positivityity papapapapapapapapapapapappatipativity positivity positivity positivity positivity positivity positivity positivity positivity positivity positivity positivity positivity positivity positivity positivity positivity positivity positivity positivity positivity positivity this buzzing term. There's no term for body negativity because it's the norm, it's what we expect. So at this point, I realize that my mere existence is a form of activism, especially in the body positive community. And I wear that hat really well,

or not wear the hat at all, according to this. You know, I wear nudity well, and I wear my body and my skin well, so I'm just going to continue to be that, but I'm nobody's celebrity totem. You can't make an example out of me. I'm literally here making music so I can live a more positive, healthier, happier life. And if that changes the world, one song at a time, then so be it. Go there. Are you kidding me?

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah Ears Edition. Subscribe to the Daily Show on YouTube for exclusive content and stream full episodes any any time on Paramount Plus. When 60 Minutes premiered in September 1968, there was nothing like it. This is 60 Minutes. It's a kind of a magazine for television. Very few have been given access to the treasures in our archives. But that's all about to change.

Like none of this stuff gets looked at. That's what's incredible. I'm Seth Done of CBS News. Listen to 60 Minutes, a second look, starting September 17th, wherever you get your podcasts. This has been a Comedy Central Podcast.