9781422270851

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