Podcast Summary: The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Lizzo On Self-Love, Weight Release, Industry Exploits, Streaming, New Music + More

Release Date: May 12, 2025

Hosts: DJ Envy, Charlamagne Tha God, Jess Hilarious, and Lauren LaRosa

Introduction and Personal Transformation

The episode opens with the dynamic hosts welcoming Lizzo to The Breakfast Club, setting the stage for a deep and engaging conversation. Charlamagne Tha God immediately acknowledges Lizzo's transformation, highlighting not just her physical changes but her mental and spiritual growth.

• Charlamagne Tha God [03:13]: “Everybody talks about, you know, your physical appearance and how you lost weight. But to me, I see somebody that has changed mentally and spiritually. I see somebody that's on a healing journey because you got a glow about you.”

Fitness and Physical Well-being

Lizzo delves into her fitness journey, emphasizing the importance of holistic well-being. She shares her diverse workout regimen, which includes Pilates, strength training, yoga sculpt, hiking, and even pickleball. Lizzo credits Pilates as a significant factor in her physical transformation, initially starting to alleviate back pain.

• DJ Envy [03:29]: “I had to start with, you know, cleaning out my mind and my energy and clearing out all of the negativity around me.”
• Lizzo [04:30]: “Pilates was one of the best. I did Pilates with my daughter.”

She also discusses the communal aspect of fitness, mentioning how practicing Pilates with her daughter enhanced the experience.

Mental and Spiritual Healing

A significant portion of the discussion centers around Lizzo's mental and spiritual healing journey. She candidly talks about her struggles with negativity and toxicity in her life, leading her to a period of isolation that was crucial for her healing process.

• DJ Envy [06:44]: “I don't love myself every day when I wake up. Like, some days I do wake up and I'm like, yes. But some days I wake up and I don't. And it's the act of seeking that, you know, love for yourself.”

Charlamagne reinforces this by emphasizing that radical self-love requires daily effort and is not a constant state.

• Charlamagne Tha God [06:39]: “I'm glad you said that. Because people think radical self-love is a constant state. But no, you gotta fight for it every day.”

Social Media and Streaming Influence

The conversation shifts to the impact of social media and streaming on Lizzo's brand and personal life. Lizzo explains how streaming platforms like Twitch have allowed her to connect more authentically with her fans, offering a space where she can express her true self without the constraints of traditional media.

• DJ Envy [07:37]: “I think the more we get to know artists and the longer they're in the game, the brand becomes more multifaceted. And I think mine just expanded a little bit more.”

She shares her initial hesitation to dive into streaming but overcame it with the support of friends and positive interactions with her online community.

Facing the Lawsuit and Its Impact

Lizzo opens up about a challenging period involving a lawsuit that significantly affected her mental health. She describes feeling isolated and fearful of negative perceptions, which exacerbated her anxiety and led to panic attacks upon returning from a trip to Japan.

• DJ Envy [32:05]: “I was in Japan... It was my first time ever being in Japan. I was with my best friend and her kids... I was crying in the car.”

This experience was pivotal, leading her to create her album Love in Real Life, which explores themes of real love and authentic connections beyond the superficiality of the internet.

• DJ Envy [16:00]: “This is where real love is. You cannot get this shit off the Internet.”

Body Image, Body Positivity, and Society

A major theme of the interview is Lizzo's perspective on body image and body positivity. She discusses the complexities of her weight loss journey, addressing societal standards and the racial dimensions of beauty norms. Lizzo emphasizes that her journey is deeply personal and rooted in self-love rather than external validation.

• DJ Envy [61:04]: “I've never done anything healthy or positive to myself out of hatred. I've been smaller than this before, and I was starving myself.”
• Charlamagne Tha God [55:47]: “Do you feel like that?”

Lizzo critiques the societal obsession with weight and highlights the systemic factors contributing to obesity, particularly within Black communities. She challenges the stereotypes and stigma associated with body size, advocating for a more nuanced understanding.

• DJ Envy [66:22]: “We're taught from kid from a young age to make fun of fat people... So we are socialized to make fun of fat people.”

The Album "Love in Real Life"

Lizzo discusses her upcoming album Love in Real Life, detailing the personal and emotional depth of the project. She shares insights into the creation process, the emotional weight of certain tracks, and her desire for the album to reflect her true self rather than just chart-topping singles.

• DJ Envy [42:02]: “There is a moment in there. It's called Phone to Heaven. And so that's a little tear jerker.”

She expresses pride in the album's cohesiveness and the authentic representation of her experiences, aiming to showcase her musical versatility beyond her well-known hits.

Industry Exploits and Authenticity

The interview touches on Lizzo's experiences with the music industry's exploitation, particularly how her identity was marketed without her initial awareness. She reflects on realizing the extent of this exploitation as she underwent her weight loss transformation and faced public backlash.

• DJ Envy [56:07]: “And that was when I was heavier and, you know, X amount of pounds down later, I saw the backlash.”

Lizzo underscores the importance of maintaining authenticity and protecting one's personal life from industry manipulation, advocating for genuine representation over manufactured images.

Closing Remarks and Future Plans

In the concluding segments, Lizzo emphasizes the importance of self-love and mental well-being, asserting that her journey has made her a better person both personally and professionally. She highlights the significance of Black joy as a form of resistance and expresses her commitment to fostering communities that prioritize genuine happiness.

• DJ Envy [63:07]: “I think black joy in any form is resistance in this society, and I think it's radical in this society.”

The hosts commend Lizzo for her resilience and growth, celebrating her as a beacon of authenticity and empowerment.

Notable Quotes

• DJ Envy [06:44]: “It's a process.”
• Lizzo [16:00]: “You cannot get this shit off the Internet.”
• DJ Envy [61:04]: “I've never done anything healthy or positive to myself out of hatred.”
• Charlamagne Tha God [06:39]: “You gotta fight for it every day.”
• DJ Envy [32:05]: “I was crying in the car.”
• DJ Envy [42:02]: “It's a little tear jerker.”
• DJ Envy [66:22]: “We're taught from kid from a young age to make fun of fat people.”
• DJ Envy [63:07]: “Black joy in any form is resistance in this society.”

Conclusion

This episode of The Breakfast Club offers a profound exploration of Lizzo's journey towards self-love, her navigation of the music industry's challenges, and her commitment to authenticity. Through candid discussions and heartfelt revelations, Lizzo shares invaluable insights into the complexities of personal transformation, the importance of mental and spiritual healing, and the ongoing struggle against societal stereotypes. Her narrative serves as an empowering testament to resilience and the enduring pursuit of genuine happiness.