Lizzo Opens Up About Internet Backlash and What She's Learned From Being 'Canceled'

Pop superstar Lizzo is opening up about the harsh realities of internet backlash and the personal growth that comes from being "canceled."

In a Substack essay published Monday, Dec. 1, Lizzo opened up about why she believes everyone should experience public criticism at least once.

According to Billboard, growing up in a strict Pentecostal COGIC church in Detroit, Michigan, she said her childhood was shaped by a strong sense of morality and clear consequences for wrongdoing.

But even with that foundation, Lizzo found herself facing harsh judgment in the public eye.

She recalled her first major backlash in 2019, after attending a Lakers game wearing pants designed to look like exposed buttocks.

The online reaction quickly spiraled out of control, with some accusing her of sneaking onto the court and others flooding her with offensive memes and threats.

"All those years of being a good person don't matter to the internet," she reflected, noting how easily public perception can overshadow reality.

Lizzo Opens Up About Handling Public Criticism

Since then, Lizzo has weathered criticism for a wide range of personal and professional choices—from trying a smoothie detox to showing emotion in public, from asserting that her music is for Black women to unintentionally using a controversial word in a song.

Through these experiences, she has developed a new approach to public scrutiny.

"You aren't getting out of this thing without unintentionally hurting someone's feelings," she wrote.

Lizzo emphasized that in today's hyper-sensitive digital world, personalized algorithms can make anyone feel attacked, creating a sense of paralysis where mistakes feel catastrophic, 97.9 VOK reported.

She questioned society's narrowing definition of what makes someone a "good person" amid rapidly shifting cultural expectations.

The essay is Lizzo's second post on Substack, following a piece about her health journey and the public scrutiny of her weight.

She has openly discussed the impact of fame and criticism on her mental health but says she's now in a stronger place, creatively and personally.

"I'm so confident, and I think the thing that I'm most confident in now is me, my vision and my creativity," she told Billboard in June.

The singer described regaining trust in herself despite industry pressures and learning to embrace all aspects of her identity without hiding.

Tags

Lizzo, Canceled