Lizzo

**Melissa Viviane Jefferson** (born April 27, 1988), known professionally as **Lizzo**, is an American singer, songwriter and rapper. She is a founding member of indie hip hopgroups The Chalice, Grrrl Prty, The Clerb, Ellypseas, and Absynthe. Her debut album, *Lizzobangers*, was released in 2013. She released her second album, *Big Grrrl Small World*, in 2015.

After the release of *Big Grrrl Small World*, she worked with Ricky Reed, who helped her to improve her voice and later signed her to Atlantic Records. Soon afterward, she released the 2016 major-label EP *Coconut Oil*. On April 19, 2019, she released *Cuz I Love You*, her third studio album.

She represented the United States at the I Eurovision Americas Song Contest, in San José, Costa Rica, with the song '*Juice*', obtaining the 2nd place. She would later go on to represent the US again at the III Eurovision Americas Song Contest in Charlotte Amalie, US Virgin Islands, with the song '*Cuz I Love You*', but wouldn't qualify for the Final.

## Biography

Lizzo was born in Detroit, Michigan. At the age of 10 her family relocated to Houston, Texas. She moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2011. She began her career in rapping while living in Texas. Lizzo started rapping as a teenager in the Southwest Alief part of Houston, Texas, which is known as “the SWAT". At the age of 14 she formed a group called Cornrow Clique with her best friends. In Minneapolis, she performed with indie groups including the electro soul-pop duo, Lizzo & the Larva Ink. During this time she helped form three-piece all-female rap/R&B group, The Chalice. In 2012, The Chalice released their first album, *We Are the Chalice*, which was locally successful.

*Lizzobangers*, Lizzo's debut album produced by Lazerbeak and Ryan Olson, was released on October 15, 2013 to regional and national success. The album focuses on hip-hop. Lizzo toured the US and UK in the fall of 2013 opening for Har Mar Superstar, and additionally sang with his band. In October 2013, Lizzo won *City Pages*' "Picked to Click" award for best new Twin Cities artist. The following month *Time* named her one of 14 music artists to watch in 2014.

On June 1, 2014, Lizzo shared the stage with St. Paul and The Broken Bones, performing "A Change Is Gonna Come" together. On October 7, 2014, Lizzo appeared as the musical guest on the *Late Show with David Letterman*.

In September 2014, Lizzo was featured alongside her Chalice bandmates Sophia Eris and Claire de Lune on the song "BoyTrouble" on Prince and 3rdEyeGirl's album *Plectrumelectrum*. On working with Prince, Lizzo says the experience was "surreal... almost like a fairytale" and that it was "something I will never actually get over".

*Big Grrrl Small World* was released on December 11, 2015. Lizzo's first major-label EP, *Coconut Oil*, was released on October 7, 2016.

Lizzo appeared as a guest judge on the tenth season of *RuPaul's Drag Race*.

In 2018, Lizzo toured both with Haim and Florence and the Machine and is beginning her own personal tour for *Cuz I Love You* in 2019.

After struggling with body issues at an early age, Lizzo became an advocate for body positivity and self-love, while creating diversity the focus of her music, in regards to one's body (in "Fitness" and "Juice"), sexuality ("Boys"), race ("My Skin") and more. Her group of back-up dancers, the Big Grrrls, consists of all plus-size dancers. Highlighting body inclusivity and celebrating individuality, Lizzo appeared in ModCloth's "Say It Louder" campaign. It launched on June 11, 2018. In the same month, she sported the first plus-size outfit made for FIT's Future of Fashion runway show by Grace Insogna at an LGBTQ event at Pride Island.

Lizzo is also well known for her flute playing abilities. She began playing as a child, and has continued to hone her flute playing skills into adulthood.

In April of 2019, Lizzo performed at the Coachella Music Festival for the first time.

## At The Eurovision Americas Song Contest

Lizzo was internally selected to participate for the United States in the first edition of the new Eurovision Americas Song Contest on March 27th, 2019, with her song "*Juice*". At one point, the United States were supposed to send Kylie Minogue to the contest, but this was changed shortly before Red X assumed his role as the Head of Delegation for the United States, a role he still keeps to this day.

At the first contest, held in San Jose, Costa Rica, Lizzo performed her song to the best of her abilities, and it payed off. Receiving 12 points from Curazao and eventual winners Canada, the United States finished with their best ever result, finishing in 2nd place with 85 points, 13 behind their neighbors to the north. To some, Lizzo's songwriting and performance of "*Juice*" makes the song one of the best Eurovision Americas songs of all time.

After taking a break from the contest for the second edition in Vancouver, Lizzo was invited to the United States national final, named Make Music Great Again, or MMGA for short. Facing up against the likes of Dominic Fike, Zayde Wolf, Hollyn, AJR, Hey Violet and eventual US representative Normani, her song "*Cuz I Love You*" won the national selection and Lizzo went on to represent the United States once more at the third contest, this time held in the US Virgin Islands, a US territory.

Placed into Semi-Final 1 in the allocation draw, the name of the stars and stripes wouldn't be called out to advance to the final in Charlotte Amalie. Finishing 11th in their semi-final, the United States didn't qualify for the first - and so far only - time in the history of the contest. As a result, Lizzo hasn't competed in MMGA or the contest in general ever since.