No one must’ve told card-carrying Bey Hive member Lizzo that Beyoncé would be announcing the Renaissance World Tour today. Either way, fans of pop music divas saw a double victory today as Lizzo shared her new video for the single “Special” off her album by the same name.
The track deviates from Lizzo’s signature dance track pacing that propelled her into pop superstardom. However, the song’s message directly ties back to her empowerment ethos. On “Special,” Lizzo opens up about how constant online bullying, which is often tied to fatphobia, hurts her. But, at the end of the day, she, like the others who unfortunately experience the same type of hate, must find the strength to keep going.
In the accompanying video, director Christian Breslauer takes this concept to the next level transforming Lizzo into a superhero, who’s on a mission to protect others from those vile perpetrators. As the visual often shows, Lizzo flies back home after a long day of saving the world and immediately removes her super-suit, an added layer of protection shielding her from the haters. However, as Lizzo removes the armor, which exposes her vulnerability, she’s immediately met with hate while singing, “Woke up this morning to somebody in a video / Talking about something I posted in a video / If it wasn’t me, then would you even get offended? Or Is it just because I’m Black and heavy? / Y’all don’t hear me, though.”
That’s followed by the line, “Fame is pretty new, but I’ve been used to people judging me / That’s why I move the way I move and why I’m so in love with me,” letting the world know this vicious circle of hate is the driving force behind her confidence.
As Lizzo navigates the world, she switches between the attacked and the protector until she fully embraces her mission, but getting there isn’t easy. In several parts of the video, Lizzo is ridiculed for her advocacy and rallied against it despite serving as an inspiration to many. However, as Lizzo sings in the lines, “Could you imagine a world where everybody’s the same? / And you can cancel a girl / ‘Cause she just wanted to change / How could you throw f*ckin’ stones / If you ain’t been through her pain? / That’s why we feel so alone / That’s why we feel so ashamed, ” her efforts will be met with resistance, but she must power through.
The chorus, “In case nobody told you today / You’re special (special) / In case nobody made you believe / You’re special (special) / Well, I will always love you the same / You’re special,” serves not only as words of encouragement for Lizzo but for everyone on the same path.
Watch the full video above.
Lizzo is a Warner Music artist. .
