Lizzo's 'Special' and the Journey to Self Love

Image via Publicist

Three years ago Lizzo's sleeper hit album Cuz I Love You hit the charts, and her hit song 'Truth Hurts' earned the budding artist a Grammy award for Best Pop Performance in 2020. Now, Lizzo is back and better than ever with a stunning sophomore album. Her latest album, titled 'Special' is an ode to self-love.

Lizzo for Rolling Stone (Photograph by David LaChapelle)

The artist has been open about her journey to self love since the release of her first album, often posing in revealing outfits that show off the artist's curvy figure. From instagram to her cover in Rolling Stone, Lizzo has been intentional about showing the world her real self and not shying away from who she is.

In March 2022, Lizzo debuted her shape-wear venture "Yitty", a line of fitted clothing for women of all sizes. This line was only part of Lizzo's greater effort to elevate women like her.

Lizzo's first album Cuz I Love You was an exploration of her recent heartbreak and an airing of that grief. Her new album, Special details Lizzo's path to joy and self love in a turbulent and uncertain time.

Like all of us, Lizzo had to adjust to new societal norms as the world was rocked by the Coronavirus pandemic that hit much of the world in early spring 2020. In that time, she went on a fairly public health journey, focusing not just on her physical state but her mental state as well. This is something that a lot of us can relate to, as many people turned to new self-care habits turning spare rooms into offices, gyms, and the like as businesses and offices shuttered across the country.

While many news outlets focused on the loss of the in-person work culture and the affect that Covid would have on people's relationship to their workplaces, not much emphasis was placed on the sudden loss of all in-person relationships. Friends, lovers, and family members were separated from one another for years without few ways to spend time together. We learned to lean on the people we had closest to us and grew to appreciate any and all close relationships we had. This is also something that Lizzo's newest album dives into, exploring the connections we made during the pandemic and how they grounded us in an unpredictable moment in history.

Lizzo's album Special reflects this journey and growth. The artist mentions her fitness journey, and her path to self acceptance. In her interview with Brittany Spanos for Rolling Stone, Lizzo details her lack of self-confidence in her youth and the fact that she often felt a desire to look different in order to feel accepted. Now, though, the artist embraces herself as a Big Black Woman, encouraging others like her to do the same.

Right from the first song 'The Sign', Lizzo makes it clear that she's done getting down on herself. Her tone is confident and sends a clear message: "whether you like it or not, I'm here and I'm proud about it". This trend continues with her lead single "About Damn Time", "2 Be Loved (Am I Ready)", and "Break Up Twice". While songs on Cuz I Love You like "Juice", "Soulmate" and "Tempo" focus on Lizzo's confidence in her physical body, Special takes a deeper dive, focusing on her personhood overall.

Cuz I Love You was an album that preached the artist's own confidence in herself but Special invites her listeners to consider themselves in a similar light. Special is a call to action, daring her fans to open themselves to self-love, self-care, and the possibility that they are worth more than they themselves might think.

My personal favorite song on this latest album is "2 Be Loved (Am I Ready)", which details the vulnerability we all feel when we step into the dating world, whether for the first time ever or in a long time. The tone is pop heavy but is laced with a high energy beat that mimics the nervous flutter in your chest when you match someone for the first time or are getting ready for a first date. The lyrics, like "am I ready/'cause I want it" and "How am I supposed to love myself/When I don't like myself?" Encapsulate the journey that we go on when we're taking those first steps to put ourselves out there again.

"2 Be Loved" is easily followed by "The Sign", and "Grrrls", which are fun and lean toward Lizzo's more familiar Hip-Hop style. Overall, the structure of Special leans less towards Hip-Hop and Rap and more towards synth-y pop. Unlike much of the pop music that has been flowing steadily out of the music industry, Lizzo's tunes feel timeless, classic, and draw heavily from familiar sounds.

To give one example, Lizzo's "Break Up Twice" samples Ms. Lauryn Hill's "Doo Wop (That Thing), borrowing a piano melody and the beginning of the iconic chorus ("Guys you know you better watch out..."). These similarities in "Break Up Twice" signal that Lizzo is not totally preoccupied with hopping on the latest trends in music. Rather, the artist is looking to use music from the past to inspire her and create a new sound for the future.

Lizzo's brand of rap-singing has served her well, and continues to make for dynamic songs that offer refreshing variety in an era where most songs and artists seem to blend together. Special is a beautiful blend of the old, the new, and paves the way for the future.

It might be hard to find any more room to grow after selling out concerts, performing live on SNL, and winning a Grammy, but Special certainly is trying to elevate Lizzo to an even higher level. Only time will tell if she succeeds, but I for one hope that this album receives the attention it deserves.

Special is now streaming on all platforms.

Rating: 9.5/10