Still hot off the release of her second major label album, Special, Lizzo is opening up to Elle UK. In an interview for their upcoming September issue, the “About Damn Time” singer opened up about her childhood in Houston.
Lizzo was born in Detroit, but moved to Houston with her family when she was 10 years old. During that time, Destiny’s Child was a household name across the city. In her interview, Lizzo recalled cutting class to meet the girl group.
“Growing up in Houston, the impact that Destiny’s Child had on me making a decision to become an artist was incredible, mostly because I felt like we were so close to it. Everyone had their, ‘I saw Beyoncé when…’ or, ‘I saw Destiny’s Child at this party…’ stories. And that made it seem more accessible. Like, ‘Oh, maybe I can do this too, if I worked hard enough and had the right people around me.‘ They had an album-signing event at a Wal-Mart and I skipped school to go see them. I listened to them sing their gospel medley. I’ve seen Beyoncé maybe up to 10 times live now, and she continues to give me that feeling,”
Beyoncé and Destiny’s Child played a big role in Lizzo’s formative years. Last month, she appeared on The Late Late Show‘s “Carpool Karaoke” segment, where she revealed that Beyoncé’s music has been a source of comfort for her in her most trying times.
“When I was shy, or when I didn’t think I was cool, and when I was getting picked on, I would listen to Beyoncé in my bedroom, and it would transport me,” Lizzo said. “I would feel something. I would feel like my life is going to be better. There’s hope for me. When I dropped out of college and I was really depressed, I listened to [Beyoncé’s sophomore album] B’day on repeat. I would just sing B’day all the time, and I was like, ‘I’m gonna be a singer, I’m gonna be a singer.’ The way she makes people is how I want to make people feel with music. She’s been my north star.”
Special is out now via Atlantic. Stream it here.
Lizzo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
