Lizzo is back: Here are 5 takeaways from her new album, ‘Special’
Summertime is here, and Lizzo’s meeting the moment with an album that’s ready-made for the heat.
Three years since her debut album, “Cuz I Love You,” she’s back with the follow-up, simply titled “Special.”
Lizzo’s in love, so it’s only natural the topic takes up most of the album, soundtracked by colorful production that will make you want to move.
So far in 2022, Lizzo’s been busy — already, she’s started her own shapewear line called Yitty, hosted “Saturday Night Live” and launched a Prime Video show called “Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls.”
As she told The Times earlier this year, though, she’s been looking forward to this moment, ready for the world to hear the music.
“Special” begins with “The Sign,” which finds the pop star updating the world on her quarantine moves. It’s clear she’s been healing, working out and eventually saying it’s “About Damn Time” to feel like herself again.
On “2 Be Loved (Am I Ready),” she’s met a man she wants to be with, but she’s unsure if she’s ready for the leap due to scars from previous relationships. Eventually, she takes the leap and navigates the ups and downs of a new relationship.
There are bright moments, like during “Naked,” where she describes drawing pleasure for the way her man looks at her in bed. There are also deeper, more introspective tracks, such as “If You Love Me,” where she sings about how hard it is for her to accept her partner’s compliments.
“Wish I could fall in love with me so easily like you did / Being good to me like I am someone else seems so backhanded,” she sings.
Lizzo dropped the album in the middle of July, and the joyful production makes it a perfect fit for the summer. Songs are warm and inviting, with lush chords and dramatic drums that add power to each moment.
“About Damn Time” is already the song of the summer for many, soundtracking the feeling of stepping out to the party after a bout with internal struggles. There is also “Grrrls,” which samples “Girls” by the Beastie Boys and is now more inclusive after she changed a lyric that offended disability advocates.