Let's start with congratulating you.
-Congratulations, uh... -I got you something.
on your first perfor... What is this? You got...
It's the chocolate from the green room. It's yours.
(laughter)
-You got me the gift I got you? -Yeah.
-Cool. -Do you like me? "Y" or "N"?
(laughter)
-Um... -Please say "Y." Okay.
"Y." Yeah, "Y." "Y."
Um, let's-let's talk about the music.
Congratulations, first of all.
You're gonna be performing at Coachella for the first time.
-That is exciting. Really exciting. -Ever!
(applause and cheering)
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?
Uh, you create music in a really specific way.
You've even described your music as "church with a twerk."
-Hallelujah. -What does that mean?
(laughter)
Hallelujah, Trevor. Um...
(laughs) I don't know. I feel like,
uh, 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.
-Right. -Or a spiritual experience.
I grew up in church-- in COGIC--
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 be twerking,
-so why would I stop now? -(laughter)
I've been twerking since I was 14.
-You-you-you have this style... -(audience members whooping)
You have a style that's really unique
because of all of your influences.
-Like, you grew up playing the flute, right? -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 rappity-rap rapper to hip-hop
and back-a-da-cap, and back-a-da-bedavin,
and fedora, we're looking like a-- You know what I mean?
-Right. Right. Right. -When I was, like, a rapper,
like B-Rabbit, 8-Mile.
People... (laughs)
"Mom's Spaghetti." (laughs)
People were like, "Don't bring the flute into that.
It's embarrassing." Like, you know.
"No one's gonna take you seriously, it's corny..."
You can't be a rapper with a flute.
No, it was that I was terrified.
You know, I'm a band nerd underneath this cool exterior.
(laughter)
I'm a geek. I know all my scales.
Major, minor, pentatonic, harmonic.
(audience whooping)
And so you-- So-so you 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 ten years ago,
and, um, I was doing music for him.
Like, when I was younger, I was like, "I'm gonna be successful."
And he really, 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... (mimics flute music)
He'd be like, "Look how fast she can play."
And he always wanted me to be a musician.
He was like, "One day, you're gonna sing
the national anthem at ball games."
(laughing): That was his dream for me.
Look, Dad, I'm at Coachella, so... (laughs)
Dream big!
But, um, when he passed away, I got really depressed,
'cause-- and I-I quit music.
I was like, "I have no reason to do this anymore."
'Cause I was doing it for him.
But then I realized I have to do this for myself,
-because he was doing it for me. -Wow.
And ever since then, I swear to God,
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, ever since then.
So I know it's a gift from him.
It's a beautiful, beautiful story.
(cheers and applause)
And I think-- I think it's beautiful, not just because
of the story, but because of how you've incorporated
-those influences into your music. -Mm-hmm.
So you've got the rap, and a lot of people who are fans of yours
-remember you for the rap, and you started rapping, -Yeah.
and then you brought in the flute,
-and then you started singing. -Hey.
-And singing beautifully. Yeah. -Out of nowhere.
-Yeah. Where did this come from? -But you have a gorgeous voice.
-(gasps) Really? You think so? -(laughter)
Wow, thanks.
-You do have a gorgeous voice, though. -(laughs)
Well, I learned how to sing.
I started singing when I was 19, and I was a bad singer.
-Are you serious? -Like... Yeah.
Cut to the clip of me sounding like shit.
Oh, you can say "shit."
Shit! (laughs)
♪ Shit. ♪
(cheering and applause)
Wow!
That feels good, baby. (laughs)
Yeah, but-but now you can sing.
You can rap. You can dance.
-Uh, you can... -Yes.
Actually, actually, this is one of my favorite moments
that I saw of yours.
-What? -It was a viral video, um, that came out of nowhere,
and-and it blew people away.
We actually have that clip right here.
Bitch!
(playing "Bye Bitch")
LIZZO: I'm a dumb-ass.
Was that terrible to say?
Hey!
(cheering and applause)
(mouths)
You see, that-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 homecoming at a college.
-Yes. -And this professor,
this, you know, this very nice white lady--
at first-- she came out, and she... (chuckles)
We were sound checking,
and, you know, my team is mostly brown women.
Um, and we were sound checking, and she walks up to the stage.
It's this 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, don't 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 s... -(laughter)
I wasn't supposed to be so angry, but I was.
-So... -Well, you say angry, but it was a fun performance.
-It made people feel good. -Yeah. Well, I...
My own expectations of myself,
-I'm always surprising myself. -Yes.
And I'm always, like, over...
Like, today. I was like, "I'm not gonna be able to sing
at 5:00 in the morning." But I sang.
You sang at 5:00 in the morning?
-Yeah, on The Today Show. -Wow.
And I'm here with you, and I'm still alive and awake.
(laughs)
Before I let you go...
-Before I let you go, I want to... -No!
-Somewhere. -I want to talk about. No, let...
No let you go forever. Just, I mean, for now. Uh...
Y'all heard that?
He said forever.
(audience whoops)
I'm sorry, I'm... (laughs)
I wanted to talk about
how you responded to the idea
-of body positivity. You know? -Mm! Yes.
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." -Yes.
But I've-I've been interested in how you-you've
really dismissed it and been like, "No, I'm not 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, m-mainstream thing,
I was just making music about my body that was positive.
-You know what I'm saying? -Right.
I was... had a song called "I'm In Love With Myself,"
and I put that out in, like, 2015,
and I was performing it onstage, and it would shock people.
They would be like, "Oh, my God. How-how dare she?
Wow, she's so brave" or "Is she-is she serious?
Does she really love herself?" And I'm like,
"Why are y'all asking all these damn questions?"
Like, what are you questioning about me and my body
-Right. -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 positivity" is, like, 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. With...
Or not wear the hat at all, according to... (laughs)
You know?
I wear nudity well and I wear my body and my skin well,
so I'm just gonna continue to be that.
But I-I'm nobody's celebrity totem. There's...
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.
(cheering, applause)
You kidding me?
The 'Cuz I Love You tour kicks off at Coachella April 14,
and the album will be out April 19.
Lizzo, everybody.