LIZZO: Longevity?

[Relaxing Cup]

A friend of mine recently predicted Lizzo will be the black Meghan Trainor-- mentioning that she'll have a couple of hits then fall off. I'm curious to know what you all think/predict, do you see Lizzo having a long successful career (i.e. Rihanna, Beyoncé)? She's experienced a great deal of success in a short amount of time but do you think she'll be able to sustain it?

[YourFaveIsAFlop]

Was that friend me?

Sept 18, 2019 8:54:26 GMT -5 YourFaveIsAFlop said:

As much as I love her, Lizzo is going to be this year's Meghan Trainor. A massive hit, a few others that are very respectable, but she's going to struggle to grab that brass ring again after this era because she's going to get pigeonholed.

[Linnethia Monique]

Two different artists with two different trajectories. Meghan came out the gate with success and fizzled while Lizzo has consistently been releasing music for 8 or so years, had a dedicated fanbase, and is just now seeing massive success. I just don't forsee a Meghan type of crash with Lizzo.

[Ｓｏｕｎｄｃｌ🕤ｃｋ]

Rihanna and Beyonce? No way. I don't think she will be successful in 2032.

She'll be like 21 pilots. Stressed Out = Truth Hurts, Ride = Good As Hell [old songs hitting top 10] and she'll probably have one or two more top 10 songs.

[Linnethia Monique]

Sept 26, 2019 12:41:12 GMT -5 Ｓｏｕｎｄｃｌ🕤ｃｋ said:

Rihanna and Beyonce? No way. I don't think she will be successful in 2032.

She'll be like 21 pilots. Stressed Out = Truth Hurts, Ride = Good As Hell [old songs hitting top 10] and she'll probably have one or two more top 10 songs.

That's a wild comparison when you take into consideration the hand Ricky Reed had in both of their successes.

[dbhmr]

I mean, I think she's just going to be Lizzo. Her career trajectory already can't really be compared to many, certainly not Meghan Trainor's. But I understand the general comparison; still, Meghan's pop star career began with a novelty smash. "Truth Hurts", for all its viral sensation, isn't quite the same. That "Good As Hell" was pulled from a previous album into hit status shows how interested people have become in Lizzo the artist herself, not just "Truth Hurts," which as Meghan's problem.

[allow that]

Lizzo SCREAMS novelty to me. She's hard working, carries a great message with her.... but is the talent actually there? her lyrics are corny as hell and she can't carry a tune. She'll stay on top until people are "over" her persona. Now, she's established herself enough where she'll always have a strong core fanbase, but outside of that? Another year or two.

[dbhmr]

I literally don't know what you two are talking about saying Lizzo can't sing? She doesn't have great technique by any means but I think she has a strong, raw voice. Certainly better live than at least half the people you'll find at any music award show.

[YourFaveIsAFlop]

I think the fact nothing on her album has really connected is a problem. They'll have to decide whether to try to push those songs are just ride this wave and rush out a new album early next year. Turning virality into long term success is hard. But she's obviously willing to put in the work.

[Fat Ass Kelly Price]

Sept 26, 2019 16:01:16 GMT -5 dbhmr said:

I literally don't know what you two are talking about saying Lizzo can't sing? She doesn't have great technique by any means but I think she has a strong, raw voice. Certainly better live than at least half the people you'll find at any music award show.

This. It’s a weird narrative that I’ve seen pop up a bit. Doesn’t make sense. Call her music corny. Sure. But she’s not lacking in talent, especially in comparison to her peers.

[Disco🌶️📖]

It is way too soon to tell how her career trajectory will be like.

[House Lannister]

I think Lil Nas X fits the Meghan Trainor comparison better. First hit is a big smash and everything else kind of pales in comparison. I hope I'm wrong on the career trajectory, though.

It's a bit soon to put Lizzo on the same pathway. I think her skillset of talents (and hard work) might allow her to chisel out a solid career.

[Me. I Am l!nk!nfan815...]

Warning: Do NOT say one negative word about Lizzo because apparently...

Aug 26, 2019 19:38:18 GMT -5 Ling-Ling said:

There are two kinds of people in the world. People who love Lizzo. And people who don't have taste. She killed.

[Au$tin]

Sept 26, 2019 16:03:42 GMT -5 YourFaveIsAFlop said:

I think the fact nothing on her album has really connected is a problem.

That's not true, though. "Juice" is currently waiting in the wings to follow "Good as Hell." It's literally pulling the same slowly build to a hit trajectory "Truth Hurts" and GAH did. "Juice" was also connecting before TH, it's just that TH came out of nowhere to kill off "Juice." Now "Juice" is coming back. "Tempo" has also sparked quite the buzz as well.

I don't understand the Meghan comparisons either. Everything about "All About That Bass" screamed novelty. Her entire shtick was doing 50s doo-wop in 2014. Lizzo doesn't have a shtick. "Truth Hurts" is not a novelty track, it's just like any other rap hit this year. Her "shtick" is basically just being fun, but that's not a true shtick as it's literally a personality trait. Meghan's personality trait wasn't 50s. I definitely agree out of all the musicians to break out this year, Lil Nas X is the one feels the most similar to Meghan Trainor: huge novelty debut, but midling overall album success. Hell, I'd even go as far as to say Billie Eilish is more likely to fade away before Lizzo at this point if only due to the fact that Billie's sound is trendy, Lizzo's isn't.

People are buzzing about Lizzo the artist, connecting with her music despite its age and despite the fact it's not on trend. Now I don't know exactly what's in store for her career, but I just can't see her completely crashing and fizzling away after her breakthrough like Meghan.

[areyoureadytojump]

Lizzo's fourth album's 3rd single will be better than most the sh*t out today.

[jamatthews83]

Newbies are always novelty or one hit wonders or inferior to the previous generation...until they aren't. You really can't tell who's going to be relevant 5/10 years from now. I could see Lizzo being such an atypical pop star going both ways.

[YourFaveIsAFlop]

Sept 26, 2019 22:31:12 GMT -5 Au$tin said:

Sept 26, 2019 16:03:42 GMT -5 YourFaveIsAFlop said:

I think the fact nothing on her album has really connected is a problem.

That's not true, though. "Juice" is currently waiting in the wings to follow "Good as Hell." It's literally pulling the same slowly build to a hit trajectory "Truth Hurts" and GAH did. "Juice" was also connecting before TH, it's just that TH came out of nowhere to kill off "Juice." Now "Juice" is coming back. "Tempo" has also sparked quite the buzz as well.

I don't understand the Meghan comparisons either. Everything about "All About That Bass" screamed novelty. Her entire shtick was doing 50s doo-wop in 2014. Lizzo doesn't have a shtick. "Truth Hurts" is not a novelty track, it's just like any other rap hit this year. Her "shtick" is basically just being fun, but that's not a true shtick as it's literally a personality trait. Meghan's personality trait wasn't 50s. I definitely agree out of all the musicians to break out this year, Lil Nas X is the one feels the most similar to Meghan Trainor: huge novelty debut, but midling overall album success. Hell, I'd even go as far as to say Billie Eilish is more likely to fade away before Lizzo at this point if only due to the fact that Billie's sound is trendy, Lizzo's isn't.

People are buzzing about Lizzo the artist, connecting with her music despite its age and despite the fact it's not on trend. Now I don't know exactly what's in store for her career, but I just can't see her completely crashing and fizzling away after her breakthrough like Meghan.

Meghan didn't crash after her debut though. No peaked at #3, Me Too at #13, and the album debuted over 100k SPS.

[Ling-Ling]

If Lizzo crashes, I don't think it will have anything to do with her being seen as a novelty act. Which I don't think she is at all. And I don't think the mainstream music press or listeners view her that way either. It's gonna come down to things like singles, promotion, quality of the music, etc. Just like it does with any other artist. We see promising artists and their teams make bad decisions and tank their careers all the time. It's not gonna be any different for her.

But she's in a way better place that Meghan ever was and I don't get the comparison. Lizzo has been a name on the indie scene and in music circles for awhile and if this mainstream thing doesn't last, she can continue to make music and be successful with a smaller audience. Meghan never had that foundation and well, she's just kinda f**ked.

[Deleted]

I think she is very of the moment. I’d be surprised if she’s still having big hits two albums from now. It doesn’t mean she won’t still have a dedicated fan base like a Carly Rae type.

[Ty]

I think right now she's being identified as the plus-size bad bitch that is all about confidence and positivity. But at some point she probably need to untie herself from simply that.

As a fan from 2017, I'm already curious to listen to more stuffs from her that shows her inner, self-reflexive, vulnerable side, and I suspect that'll be what the GP (that just discovered her this summer) wants from her two years from now.
I'm sure she certainly has those sides in her, and she has the talent to utter them in an authentic, persuasive way.

[Deleted]

Lizzo has the ability to switch up and do so many different things. Stay the pop route, be more urban, be more soulful and jazzy type of songs, she can sing, rap , perform and has an interesting personality. Is she Lauryn no, is she Missy no but she has little bit of both and aslong as she doesnt make the same type of song over an over she will be fine.

I actually like her singing voice compared to her contemporary peers. What I think is lacking a bit is her lyrics but hey if Taylor can make a career with her juvenile singles lyrics so can she

[Relaxing Cup]

Sept 27, 2019 12:38:55 GMT -5 Ty said:

I think right now she's being identified as the plus-size bad bitch that is all about confidence and positivity. But at some point she probably need to untie herself from simply that. 

I've wondered if it would negatively impact her career if  she ever lost weight. Being plus size (and embracing that) has become such a huge part of her public image and message that I'm curious to know how her fan base would react. We all know that reversely, celebrities get scrutinized when they gain weight--would it negatively affect her career if she lost it?

[Ty]

Sept 27, 2019 14:00:52 GMT -5 Relaxing Cup said:

Sept 27, 2019 12:38:55 GMT -5 Ty said:

I think right now she's being identified as the plus-size bad bitch that is all about confidence and positivity. But at some point she probably need to untie herself from simply that. 

I've wondered if it would negatively impact her career if  she ever lost weight. Being plus size (and embracing that) has become such a huge part of her public image and message that I'm curious to know how her fan base would react. We all know that reversely, celebrities get scrutinized when they gain weight--would it negatively affect her career if she lost it?

I absolutely hope that wouldn't be the case.

The point of body positivity is for everyone to feel at home in their own body, big or small, while at the same time, avoid judging and identifying others with their given size at a certain phase of their life.

If the GP took that message as "since Lizzo is big now, she should always stay big" then it's just wrong.

[Au$tin]

Sept 27, 2019 5:59:29 GMT -5 YourFaveIsAFlop said:

Sept 26, 2019 22:31:12 GMT -5 Au$tin said:

That's not true, though. "Juice" is currently waiting in the wings to follow "Good as Hell." It's literally pulling the same slowly build to a hit trajectory "Truth Hurts" and GAH did. "Juice" was also connecting before TH, it's just that TH came out of nowhere to kill off "Juice." Now "Juice" is coming back. "Tempo" has also sparked quite the buzz as well.

I don't understand the Meghan comparisons either. Everything about "All About That Bass" screamed novelty. Her entire shtick was doing 50s doo-wop in 2014. Lizzo doesn't have a shtick. "Truth Hurts" is not a novelty track, it's just like any other rap hit this year. Her "shtick" is basically just being fun, but that's not a true shtick as it's literally a personality trait. Meghan's personality trait wasn't 50s. I definitely agree out of all the musicians to break out this year, Lil Nas X is the one feels the most similar to Meghan Trainor: huge novelty debut, but midling overall album success. Hell, I'd even go as far as to say Billie Eilish is more likely to fade away before Lizzo at this point if only due to the fact that Billie's sound is trendy, Lizzo's isn't.

People are buzzing about Lizzo the artist, connecting with her music despite its age and despite the fact it's not on trend. Now I don't know exactly what's in store for her career, but I just can't see her completely crashing and fizzling away after her breakthrough like Meghan.

Meghan didn't crash after her debut though. No peaked at #3, Me Too at #13, and the album debuted over 100k SPS.

"No" started strong, yes, but brickwalled and fell quickly. "Me Too" teetered around before a measley peak and died. Peaks never tell the full story. Were they complete flops? No, but they absolutely were sharp declines from the 3 hits from her previous album. Also, I never said she crashed immediately after her breakthrough. And even if I did, a crash has to have an impact point, right? Who says her second album wasn't that point? Especially considering how terribly the third single performed coming off of those two supposed hits.

Besides, this is highly irrelevant to the topic at hand, which is Lizzo. Lizzo is not Meghan Trainor. Truth Hurts is not All About That Bass. Cuz I Love You is not Title. We try to make all these comparisons at this site, but when it boils down to it, they're all loose and messy comparisons at best. Hell, Meghan wasn't even at her breakthrough peak in the streaming age. Digital sales were still the prominent music consumption component of the time. Meghan did pop influenced by 50s music, Lizzo does rap/hip-hop that is very modern. Meghan was met with harsh feminist criticisms, the worst Lizzo has gotten is her being too brash at times.

My whole point from my initial post was that the comparisons just don't work. I don't really want to argue over when exactly Meghan, whom I still follow and am a fan on, became a full on flop in a thread about Lizzo's career trajectory.

[Devil Marlena Nylund]

Sept 27, 2019 14:00:52 GMT -5 Relaxing Cup said:

Sept 27, 2019 12:38:55 GMT -5 Ty said:

I think right now she's being identified as the plus-size bad bitch that is all about confidence and positivity. But at some point she probably need to untie herself from simply that. 

I've wondered if it would negatively impact her career if  she ever lost weight. Being plus size (and embracing that) has become such a huge part of her public image and message that I'm curious to know how her fan base would react. We all know that reversely, celebrities get scrutinized when they gain weight--would it negatively affect her career if she lost it?

I think it definitely would. I don’t think it would be so much about shaming her for losing weight or whatever and more about her no longer being the person with the image she’s become associated with. We joke about Katy Perry’s career flopping because of her hair and after giving it some thought, there could be some truth to that but just not as shallow as her cutting her hair. She didn’t look like the same beach-loving fun party girl she played up in her songs and videos and took on a more serious persona and it kind of worked against her. Plus, a thin Lizzo might feel like an insult to plus-sized fans who finally had proud representation in music.

[Deleted]

Image plays a huge role if she went thin she would lose her secret card. Her allies are fellow average woman bodies, gays and women of color. People who feel image wise are left out of mainstream. It would feel to them she "sold out" not saying I agree but that's the game. She has no choice but to retain her fatness for the next decade. Its not just a image let's be real her size and her confidence and showing how you can be sexy is alot of her lyrics and explicitly tied to her actual music content.

I'm only speaking to the greater population because her fans are her fans and dont care they have bought into her.

[YourFaveIsAFlop]

It's true that Cuz I Love U isnt Title. Title had 3 top 10s. Nothing that wasn't tacked on to Cuz I Love U after release has peaked higher than #82.

[Deleted]

There is “reverse” body shaming all over social media (shaming fat people who previously embraced their fatness but then got in shape). I’m sure it would happen to her too (accusations of selling out). Toxic, but it’s what she’s dealing with.

[Devil Marlena Nylund]

Sept 28, 2019 8:22:27 GMT -5 YourFaveIsAFlop said:

It's true that Cuz I Love U isnt Title. Title had 3 top 10s. Nothing that wasn't tacked on to Cuz I Love U after release has peaked higher than #82.

And yet which one will be remembered and respected - if that matters of course kii

[YourFaveIsAFlop]

Sept 28, 2019 8:39:33 GMT -5 Devil Marlena Nylund said:

Sept 28, 2019 8:22:27 GMT -5 YourFaveIsAFlop said:

It's true that Cuz I Love U isnt Title. Title had 3 top 10s. Nothing that wasn't tacked on to Cuz I Love U after release has peaked higher than #82.

And yet which one will be remembered and respected - if that matters of course kii

I don't know, ask in 5 years. If you had asked the question of Meghan Trainor when AATB was still #1 you would have a different perspective than today.