Lizzo is no stranger to criticism, but she’s making it clear that she won’t be changing her sound to fit anyone’s expectations. Following the release of her latest singles, Love in Real Life and Still Bad, the Grammy-winning artist has found herself at the center of a familiar debate—claims that her music doesn’t appeal to Black audiences.

Lizzo Claps Back at “Poptimism” Critics

As the buzz around her upcoming album Love in Real Life grows, some social media users have argued that Lizzo’s signature upbeat, pop-infused sound feels out of place in today’s music landscape. One critic even claimed that her “brand of poptimism doesn’t work in a post-COVID world.”

Lizzo wasted no time shutting that down.

“Saying my brand of ‘poptimism’ doesn’t work in a ‘post-COVID world’ is a lazy take… As if I didn’t release ‘About Damn Time’ post-pandemic,” she fired back on X (formerly Twitter) on March 17.

Drawing Parallels to Music Legends

In a series of tweets, Lizzo reflected on the long history of Black artists facing backlash for defying musical norms. She compared her own journey to that of icons like James Brown and Motown artists, who also faced skepticism for their genre-bending sound.

“Same people saying my music is ‘too optimistic’ would’ve been real mad in the 60s at James Brown and Motown,”she noted.

But it was her comparison to Whitney Houston that sparked the most debate.

“I think seeing and hearing a Black woman make real music with radical joy triggers miserable people… but I follow in the footsteps of Janet [Jackson], of Funkadelic, of Earth, Wind & Fire. Nobody’s doing it like me for Us. And I stand on that.”

A History of Pushing Boundaries

Lizzo has often faced criticism for her genre-spanning approach, blending pop, R&B, hip-hop, and funk into a sound that doesn’t fit into traditional boxes. While some celebrate her for breaking barriers, others have accused her of catering too much to mainstream (and predominantly white) audiences.

Still, she remains steadfast in her artistry, reminding fans and critics alike that she won’t be swayed by outside opinions.

“Whitney Houston kept going after backlash… so will I,” she declared.

Love it or hate it, Lizzo isn’t backing down.