10 hot stories, including Lizzo at the BRITS and Kate opens up
As she dominates the BRITS, Lizzo is making everyone around her feel as good as hell
THIS YEAR, the BRIT Awards returned firmly to form, thanks to a conversationstarting performance from Dave, a world exclusive from Billie Eilish, Harry Styles in pearls and the Stormzy medley of our dreams. But it was Lizzo, queen of body positivity and purveyor of countless odes to self-love, who stepped forward to claim the night. Arriving on the red carpet in a Moschino Hershey’s chocolate bar-inspired gown, Lizzo proceeded to dominate proceedings and asserted herself as the woman we are desperate to be.
Speaking to Grazia at the ceremony, Lizzo displayed the blend of self-belief and humour that can, somehow, never be mistaken for conceit. ‘I had to lie down in the car,’ she confessed, when asked how she made it to the venue – London’s O2 Arena – with her broad dress and towering hairdo. ‘I know I look good. I love myself and everyone. It’s the only way to live.’
This philosophy was felt throughout the night. As part of an opening segment, which saw her mistake host Jack Whitehall for an assistant, she showed her vivacity and vibrance. Speaking with him later during a live VT, she expressed her love for Harry Styles and finished off a wine glass of straight tequila in a single gulp.
When Billie Eilish won Best International Female, her shout-out to Lizzo split the focus right down the middle. And Lizzo’s performance – which saw her sing Cuz I Love You, Truth Hurts, Good As Hell and Juice – enlisted a small army of performers. According to one member of this cast, who spoke to Grazia after the ceremony, Lizzo has created a refreshing and affirming working atmosphere, which
is unparalleled in the industry. ‘Her message of empowerment couldn’t be more genuine,’ they told us. ‘She is putting everything she has out there for the world to see and celebrate. In the music industry you have big egos, diva demands, people saying one thing and doing another. When she says she loves herself, she means it. If she’s feeling herself, she says it. But she also celebrates everyone else. She makes me feel beautiful.’
With such a refreshing ethos, it is no wonder that brands like Moschino, Valentino and Marc Jacobs are lining up to work with her, thanks to the support of a dedicated team that includes creative director Quinn Wilson, hair stylist Shelby Swain and stylist Marko Monroe.
‘At the end of the day, you are your own creative,’ Marko tells Grazia. ‘So you need to decorate your body how you want to. It’s about having confidence and wearing whatever you feel good in. I don’t think it’s more than that.’
Sergio Rossi CEO, Riccardo Sciutto, whose sandals Lizzo wore on the night, says that he is thrilled to have had even a small part in her journey. ‘We love being able to work closely with as amazing and talented a woman as Lizzo’, he tells Grazia. ‘She is a force of nature and I am proud to see her on the red carpet in our sandals. Stunning.’
This outlook, however, was hard fought. Following the death of her father in 2009, Lizzo says that she lost focus. ‘I was depressed,’ she explains. ‘I didn’t have a purpose – I didn’t feel like I had a purpose for being a musician, or anything.’ At one point, while struggling to find footing in the industry, she was sleeping in her car.
A classically trained musician, the 31-year-old singer has had her share of heartaches and knock-backs. But, she says, she made a specific effort to practise self-love. ‘About 10 years ago, I made the decision that I just wanted to be happy with my body and I just wanted to be happy with who I am,’ she said last year. ‘That was the beginning of my journey with learning how to love my body. You have to find that love for yourself deep down inside.’ Earlier this year, she told Rolling Stone that her romantic setbacks had galvanised her in her fight for fame. ‘As fucked up as it sounds, I needed that heartbreak experience,’ she explained. ‘I’m not sad, because I use the pain so constructively. The pain is human experience.’
How is Lizzo feeling? Good as hell. And she’s taking everyone else along for the ride.