9781422270851

Lizzo

Dua Lipa Lizzo Megan Thee Stallion Adele

Billie Eilish Harry Styles Lady Gaga Lil Nas X Adam Levine Ariana Grande Ed Sheeran Shawn Mendes Taylor Swift

Lizzo

Greg Bach

Mason Crest Miami

Mason Crest PO Box 221876 Hollywood, FL 33022 (866) MCP-BOOK (toll-free) www.masoncrest.com

Copyright © 2024 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. First printing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ISBN (hardback) 978-1-4222-4735-8

ISBN (series) 978-1-4222-4732-7 ISBN (ebook) 978-1-4222-7085-1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Bach, Greg, author. Title: Lizzo / Greg Bach. Description: Miami : Mason Crest, 2024. | Series: Pop music stars | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2023008889 | ISBN 9781422247358 (hardback) | ISBN 9781422247327 (set) | ISBN 9781422270851 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Lizzo, 1988---Juvenile literature. | Singers--United States--Biography--Juvenile literature. | Rap musicians--United States--Biography--Juvenile literature. | Flute players--United States--Biography--Juvenile literature. Classification: LCC ML3930.L579 B25 2024 | DDC 782.42164092 [B]--dc23/eng/20230223

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2023008889 Developed and Produced by National Highlights, Inc. Editor: Andrew Luke Production: Crafted Content, LLC (www.craftedcontentllc.com)

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Contents BREAKTHROUGH

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CHAPTER 1: A STAR IS BORN

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CHAPTER 2: GREATEST MOMENTS

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CHAPTER 3: BEHIND THE CURTAIN

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CHAPTER 4: BRAND LIZZO

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CHAPTER 5: MODERN MEGASTAR

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SERIES GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS

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FURTHER READING

77

INTERNET RESOURCES

77

INDEX

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AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY & CREDITS

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Key Icons to Look For

WORDS TO UNDERSTAND: These words, with their easy-to-understand definitions, will increase readers’ understanding of the text while building vocabulary skills. SIDEBARS: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing them with additional educational content to supplement the text. TEXT-DEPENDENT QUESTIONS: These questions send the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. RESEARCH PROJECTS: Readers are pointed toward areas of further inquiry connected to each chapter. Suggestions are provided for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis. SERIES GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS: This back-of-the-book glossary contains terminology used throughout this series. Words found here increase the reader’s ability to read and comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field.

Breakthrough With her dreams of a meaningful music career melting away amid a flurry of frustrating days, Lizzo burst out of the bleakness surrounding her journey with a hard-hitting, life-changing masterpiece. “Truth Hurts,” a song spun together in the aftermath of a heart-stinging break-up, initially resided in the shadows of anonymity upon its 2017 release, fueling thoughts of changing career plans after many hard years filled with grinding, toiling, and touring. However, the entertaining and empowering anthem scooped up major momentum thanks to an appearance in the 2019 Netflix romantic comedy “Someone Great.” That exposure helped shove it into the mainstream while re-energizing Lizzo’s lagging confidence, boosting her self-belief, and jump starting her journey along the path to superstardom. Soon, the song was featured on the influential social media app TikTok, and there was a deluge of downloads of the 2-minute and 53-second piece. It began gobbling up valuable airplay minutes on radio stations nationwide while barging into the conversation as one of the most talked about and listened to songs of the year. Growing legions of fans began bopping and singing along to the catchy, creative, and compelling melody while savoring that one-of-a-kind voice delivering lyrics that were emboldening, enlightening, and entertaining, too. Two years after its release, “Truth Hurts” debuted smack in the middle of the Billboard Hot 100 list in mid May of 2019, landing at No. 50. By the time fall arrived, it had risen all the way to that sacred top perch on the list, where it resided for seven glorious weeks, charging into the history books as the longest-running No. 1 song by a solo female rap artist—ever. Lizzo also joined ultra-exclusive company as only the third female rapper to top the chart without a featured artist, becoming the first Black solo female R&B singer to claim the top spot since 2012. “Truth Hurts” spent 42 weeks on the chart, by far Lizzo’s most successful song in a career that has turned out multiple hits, while Rolling Stone named it one of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

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Lizzo

Fan Favorite When Lizzo takes the stage at venues around the world and rolls out “Truth Hurts,” it’s greeted with waves of thunderous applause and generates instantaneous sing-alongs as fans know and love every syllable. She performed it during her first-ever appearance at the BET Awards in Los Angeles in 2019; while clad in Gucci, it was her go-to choice during her debut on Saturday Night Live ; and it was heavily cheered in England, too, when she performed it during her first appearance at the famed Glastonbury Festival. Most notably, she sang it at the 2020 Grammy Awards on a memorable evening at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, in which she picked up one of her three Grammys for Best Pop Solo Performance for the song that spurred her career.

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 Breakthrough

Vibrant Voice Born in Detroit and raised in Houston—with a memorable stint in Minnesota honing her craft and learning from the one and only Prince—she picked up the flute at age 10 and has emerged as the most recognized player of that instrument on the planet. A spectacular singer, a fabulous songwriter, and a remarkable rapper, she has produced a bundle of hits in recent years, including “About Damn Time,” her second chart-topper that spent two weeks in the No. 1 slot in 2022. However, Lizzo is so much more than just marvelous music; she’s an actress, activist, and a vibrant voice for self-love, empowerment, and body positivity. Bold, brave, and brilliant, she is one of the most inspiring and fascinating performers in the world today. Mystery Man One of the best-kept secrets in music remains whom Lizzo is referencing in the chorus of her smash hit “Truth Hurts” when she delivers the line: “New man on the Minnesota Vikings.” She cracked open the door to this much discussed and debated component of the song by telling the media that she

began communicating with a player on the Minnesota Vikings through direct messaging and texts and that they went out on a date. During an intimate show in front of about 1,000 people at Saint Andrew’s Hall in Detroit, she told the audience, “Y’all want to know a secret? The person I wrote that song about is from Detroit.” That sent fans scurrying and sleuthing in search of football players hailing from the Motor City who went on to play for the Vikings. Lots of names have been mentioned and guessed, but Lizzo has maintained a seal of silence on who the song’s mystery man happens to be.

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Lizzo

(Wedding) Dress Rehearsal If Lizzo opts to get married in the coming years, she’ll be fully prepared for that walk down the aisle in a wedding dress, thanks to all the practice she got while filming the music video for “Truth Hurts.” The video, which has been viewed a whopping 293 million times onYouTube and counting, focuses on a fun and creative story in which Lizzo leaves the groom standing at the altar on the big day. Quinn Wilson, her creative director and good pal, helped devise and direct the video, which scooped up an MTV Video Music Award nomination for the 2019 Song of Summer. The two met in Minneapolis while Wilson was working as a make-up artist, and ever since, they have forged a tight and productive bond. Wilson has also directed several of Lizzo’s other acclaimed music videos, including “Cuz I LoveYou,” which earned an MTV Video Music Award (VMA) nomination for Best R&B video in 2020.

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 Breakthrough

Words to Understand beckoned —call; bring in; captivate gamut —the complete range or scope of something; variety; spectrum iconic —widely known and acknowledged, especially for distinctive excellence plethora —a large or excessive amount of something replicate —make an exact copy of; reproduce

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LIZZO

A Star Chapter 1

Birth of Brilliance Throughout the music industry’s illustrious history, the city of Detroit— known as Motown—has been the birthplace and starting point for some of the most iconic singers to ever grace stages and entertain audiences. From the super-talented Smokey Robinson, founder and lead singer of The Miracles, to Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Bob Seger and his famous Silver Bullet Band, and countless others, the list is long and impressive. Now, it includes the one and only Lizzo, too, thanks to her monster hit “Truth Hurts” and a string of other sensational works she has been rolling out to the delight of fans worldwide. Melissa Viviane Jefferson was born on April 27, 1988, the daughter of Michael and Shari. She has an older sister (Vanessa) and an older brother (Mikey), and they grew up in a home that was filled with love, support, and encouragement. Lizzo’s parents loved music: her mom played piano and sang in the church choir, while her dad’s tastes ran the gamut from gospel to rock, with Elton John, Billy Joel, and Queen among his go-tos, listening choices that Lizzo took a liking to as well. While navigating those early elementary school years, her parents chose to move the family out of Detroit, heading to Houston, Texas, in search of better business opportunities for themselves and greater futures for their kids. Adjusting to a new city, school, and classmates is often accompanied by a lot of difficult, stress-filled days for children, and there were some tough times for Lizzo. is Born

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A Star is Born

“My mother and father were heavily involved in gospel music when I was a kid, and they encouraged me to be as creative as possible.”

She endured teasing and torment during those early middle school years, where she was picked on for everything from her shoes and her hair to raising her hand too often in class. Tucked away in the safety of her home, away from the mean-spirited comments of classmates, she found comfort in the radio and the tunes that spilled from it while also taking an interest in writing. She was fascinated by music early on and savored its many forms and styles. From little-known Houston rappers and small-time rock bands to global giants like Destiny’s Child, NSYNC, and the Backstreet Boys, she embraced it all and, most importantly, learned from them all, too.

“When I was shy or when I didn’t think I was cool and when I was getting picked on, I would listen to Beyoncé in my bedroom, and it would transport me. I would feel something, I would feel like, my life is going to be better. There’s hope for me.”

Fascinated by the Flute The course of Lizzo’s life was forever altered during a conversation with her middle school band teacher. Accustomed to arriving at school with a stern look on her face, braced for a day of negative interactions with classmates, he told her that she had the power to change the way people felt by how she walked into a room. He let her know that she could be a leader, and those words touched her soul and ignited a dramatic change in her attitude and outlook on life. That exchange, coupled with being introduced to the flute, steered her down a path she may never have envisioned on her own.

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Lizzo

Lizzo is an accomplished flutist, an instrument she started playing in middle school.

Initially intrigued by the flute, she soon became engrossed in the beautiful sounds that she could produce with it in her hands. She was diligent and dedicated with her practicing and driven and determined to scoop up as much knowledge about mastering it as she could. At home, she would listen to CDs of legendary Irish flutist James Galway—known as The Man with the Golden Flute—and attempt to replicate what he was producing. She loved to practice, welcomed the challenges that learning the instrument presented, and it showed in the stunning progress she made with it. She jumped at the chance to take private lessons after school with a respected flutist from the Houston ballet, which further elevated her already impressive skills. When her head hit the pillow at night, dreams swirled of being in a symphony, making magical music with that beloved flute. By age 14, she had formed her first rap group, the Cornrow Clique. It was around this time that she transitioned to being called Lizzo, once telling an interviewer: “Everybody where I grew up in Houston would chop off half the name and put an ‘o’ at the end.” She was also a self-proclaimed band nerd. She loved the practices, the rehearsals, and above all, the performances. Sitting first chair in the flute section, her solos were the talk of the school, and a life in music beckoned .

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A Star is Born

Lizzo dropped out of school at the University of Houston when her father passed away.

Heartbreak in Houston After high school, Lizzo headed to the University of Houston and dove into a music-laden class schedule that included the study of classical flute performance. Then tragedy derailed her dreams of a college degree, and a seat in a prestigious symphony, when her father passed away when she was 21. Devastated and demoralized, she tumbled into some dark and unpleasant spaces for many months. Giving up on school and losing interest in music, she had no life plans, no goals, and nowhere to even call home. She lived in her car or would sleep on couches and floors at various friends’ apartments. Deep bouts of depression dragged on as she waded through all the difficult emotions that accompanied the loss of her father, coupled with doubts if she could make a career in music happen. She has spoken openly about how therapy helped her navigate those rocky moments in her life, and it’s these experiences that have made her such a vibrant voice these days for self-love and why she expends so much time and energy helping others see their self-worth and value in the world.

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Lizzo

“I was the worst communicator, emotionally, when I was younger. I would stop talking to my family; I would stop talking to my friends. I would go deeper and deeper into that dark place, and the deeper I went, the harder it was to reach out of it.” Moving to Minnesota Once that shroud of sadness slowly lifted, she found new energy and resolve. With her hopes for a music career revived, she headed to Minneapolis at the encouragement of some friends, since the music scene there was booming with talented singers and groups seeking exposure— and those hard-to-grab recording contracts. She formed “The Chalice,” an all-female group that performed at small clubs scattered around the city. While the city was swarming with young talent, it didn’t take long for Lizzo’s voice to rise above all the others competing for attention. The more her group performed, the more recognizable they became. Within the year of her arrival, she was performing on the stage at First Avenue, the city’s most famous music venue. Since 1970, it has been where many performers ignited their careers, including Grammy Award-winning alternative rock band Soul Asylum; rock band Semisonic that produced the hit “Closing Time;” and the one and only Prince, a seven-time Grammy Award winner widely regarded as one of the greatest musicians of all-time. The Power of Prince Prince was born and raised in Minneapolis and lived much of his life in his beloved state of Minnesota. During his legendary career, sadly cut short by an accidental drug overdose in 2016 at age 57, Prince produced a staggering number of hits that are still loved and listened to today, including “Purple Rain,” “Raspberry Beret,” and “When Doves Cry.” Gifted beyond compare and generous with his time, Prince loved working with talented young

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A Star is Born

Legendary singer/songwriter Prince was a powerful influence on Lizzo. He mentored her personally when she lived in Minnesota in 2014.

performers, and it didn’t take long for Lizzo’s voice to grab his ear. Prince extended an invitation for Lizzo and her bandmate Sophia Eris to visit him at Paisley Park, his huge compound that featured his home and recording studio. Imagine the nerves and excitement that accompanied Lizzo as she walked through his front doors into greatness! Those days with Prince were precious and still resonate deep in her heart all these years later. Lizzo performed songs in his studio while Prince listened from another room, buzzing in on a speaker with feedback. Lizzo was so good and impressive that he collaborated with her and Eris on his song “Boytrouble,” which appeared on his 2014 album Plectrumelectrum . Two years later, while in Los Angeles, she received the heartbreaking news of Prince’s passing and immediately grabbed a flight to Minneapolis that day. Upon landing, she headed straight to First Avenue to pay tribute to him by signing his hit “The Beautiful Ones.”

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Lizzo