As Valentine’s Day loomed and the masses prepared to buy whatever chocolates were on offer in their local Sainos (for their beloved or, well, themselves) – Lizzo was gearing up to give us the grungy love ballad we really needed.

American rapper and singer Lizzo has been making waves since her debut album Lizzo Bangers dropped in 2013. However, after the mainstream success of ‘Juice’, the retro 80s-aerobics-dvd aesthetic single released in January, Lizzo says her next album, also titled ‘Cuz I Love You’, “could potentially be something that goes really really big”.

The Valentines release of ‘Cuz I Love You’ was aptly chosen as the whole track is a 3 minute love confessional, the sentiment literalised in the single’s video as Lizzo shares her truths in a papal confessional chamber.

Opening and closing the single by belting “I’m crying cuz I love” acapella showcases Lizzo’s phenomenal range and vocals, often underused in her rap heavy tracks. However, we’re left wondering why she’s crying exactly. Is she crying because she loves them and didn’t want to? Or maybe because this love was unexpected, exposing her to new vulnerability the self-love-icon wasn’t quite ready for.

In 21st century fairytale fashion, Lizzo recounts how “once upon a time I was a hoe” but after love she “don’t even wanna hoe no mo”.  Yet admitting “I thought that I didn’t care, I thought I was love impaired” evokes a matter-of-fact sadness regarding her attitude to love with another compared to with herself. Yet the tables turn as Lizzo, draped in white, passionately delivers this percussive heavy sermon to a congregation of attractive but teary-eyed and tank top clad men of colour.

Championed for her self-love-anthems such as ‘Good as Hell’ and artistic inclusivity, Lizzo’s been recognised for her promotion of body positivity through her plus-sized dancers The Big Grrrls and evocative music artwork. She’s also performed in several pride events last year and has identified as LGBT.

This love note to her “baby” could be a tease of what’s in store in her next album, maybe a bible for sharing your love around whilst keeping enough for yourself. To have overcome challenges of adversity and be able to represent women of colour, plus size musicians and to empower females in general, Lizzo is a powerhouse in every sense of the word. Yet, this empowerment makes her archetypal of how sometimes, accepting yourself as all you need makes it even harder to invite another into that space.

Lizzo is diversifying mainstream music with her style, image and seemingly unending genre-blending hits. Here we have a woman who can twerk whilst playing the flute, so her new “baby” better appreciate exactly what he’s got.

Andrea Loftus

Header image via Lizzo on YouTube