Before she became the Lizzo we know and love – a four-time Grammy winner and figurehead for body positivity – she was just Melissa from Detroit.
This is the story, currently on BBC iPlayer, of her determination that resulted in her changing the music scene. From playing the flute in a high school band, to playing to some of the biggest crowds. She wasn’t an overnight success – she worked hard for 10 years to break down societal barriers to achieve the level of fame she has now.
The R&B singer is known for being positive and energetic all the time but in this documentary you see the opposite side of her. You can feel the emotions through the screen, watching her talk about issues both within her personal and professional life.
One stand out issue was the challenges she faces from being a ‘big black girl’. She talks about the death of Breonna Taylor in 2020 and the Black Lives Matter protests and how that affected her as someone from that community. She covers how this also influences her music, showing clips of a conversation with her team about this issue.
Even if her work isn’t your cup of tea, the challenges she has faced will resonate with many people across the world. She echoes their feelings.
In the hour-and-a-half documentary you see home footage, behind-the-scenes videos as well as clips from performances over the years to illustrate how far she has come. It’s not solely based on her music, meaning there is something for everyone.
It’s a love letter to herself, her family, friends and her fans all across the globe.
Spreading love is what she stands for and you can feel that love when watching.
‘Love, Lizzo’ is available to watch on BBC iPlayer for 11 months, along with ‘Lizzo: Live in Concert’ for all her music fans.
Image: Lizzo – credit AB+DM
