If there's anything we learned in 2019, it's Lizzo is taking over the music industry [1] with some much-needed motivational bops [2]. And in Elle magazine's October issue [3], the 31-year-old singer opens up about creating those empowering tunes [4] by using her own experiences in life. By remaining true to what she knows and who she is, she's found her footing in the business with a growing bevy of dedicated fans.
Lizzo [5]'s fame has especially skyrocketed over the past year as she dominates award show performances [6], promotes body positivity [7], and delivers on hilarious social media content [8]. And with a chart-topping No. 1 song [9] — yes, "Truth Hurts" recently hit that milestone, two years after its initial release — it's clearly Lizzo [10]'s time to shine. Ahead, read some of her standout quotes from Elle's feature and gape at the stunning photos from her shoot!
- On launching her music career in Minnesota: "I miss those days. Not just when Prince was physically with us, but how it felt to be young and excited about music, and life, and not knowing what was next, and not having money but manifesting our dreams. There's a spirit of adventure that I took away from that — to never let life and music not feel adventurous, and to always push yourself and believe in the magic you're creating."
- On finding inspiration for music: "My songs feel happy, but they come from a sad or frustrated place. My songs are always the silver lining or the 'somewhere over the rainbow' moments . . . like real stories about real moments in time. 'Pull this car over, babe' — that is something that happened to me. 'New man on the Minnesota Vikings' — that happened to me. 'Old me used to love a Gemini' — that happened!"
- On being more open with her feelings: "You realize that people truly care about you and they'll help you, and they don't mind helping you. Being in those places is inevitable for me; I'm going to end up there again. But the fact that I'm prepared now to go to those places — and I have a toolbox, and I know I can pull myself out — is really helpful to me in my mental health journey."
![On the importance of self-love: "I take self-love very seriously. And I take it seriously because when I was younger, I wanted to change everything about myself. I didn't love who I was. And the reason I didn't love who I was is because I was told I wasn't lovable by the media, by [people at] school, by not seeing myself in beauty ads, by not seeing myself in television . . . by lack of representation. My self-hatred got so bad that I was fantasizing about being other people. But you can't live your life trying to be somebody else. What's the point?"](https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/WtKocF0PflELPh8ZDiW4FQRtKWA/fit-in/1024x1024/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-/2019/09/05/716/n/1922283/e19a89e2476c0dc7_ELM100119WLLizzo0007/i/On-importance-self-love-I-take-self-love-very-seriously.jpg "On the importance of self-love: \"I take self-love very seriously. And I take it seriously because when I was younger, I wanted to change everything about myself. I didn't love who I was. And the reason I didn't love who I was is because I was told I wasn't lovable by the media, by [people at] school, by not seeing myself in beauty ads, by not seeing myself in television . . . by lack of representation. My self-hatred got so bad that I was fantasizing about being other people. But you can't live your life trying to be somebody else. What's the point?\"")
- On the importance of self-love: "I take self-love very seriously. And I take it seriously because when I was younger, I wanted to change everything about myself. I didn't love who I was. And the reason I didn't love who I was is because I was told I wasn't lovable by the media, by [people at] school, by not seeing myself in beauty ads, by not seeing myself in television . . . by lack of representation. My self-hatred got so bad that I was fantasizing about being other people. But you can't live your life trying to be somebody else. What's the point?"