New Haven Register (Sunday) (New Haven, CT)
Lizzo reposts 6-year-old Hamden girl’s TikTok video
Aria Cannon of Hamden is 100 percent “that kid” after getting recognized by Grammy-winning artist, Lizzo.
Cannon’s mom, Danielle, posted a video on TikTok of her 6-year-old daughter dancing in front of the TV to Lizzo’s “About Damn Time” on July 31. Then the artist herself stitched the video with one showing her reaction. Lizzo posted the video with the caption: “im crying cus this is EXACTLY why i do what I do. i love you! Keep that confidence and beauty— no one can stop you!” Since then, the video has gotten 1.5 million likes and 7.4 million views.
Danielle said that she and her daughter had been playing Lizzo’s video on repeat while doing some house cleaning. “Aria loves to dance to the point that when we go out shopping or to the grocery store, people compliment her,” she said.
Aria dances at C.R. & Co dance studio in Hamden. She said dance is a way for her to express who she is, and it makes her happy. She enjoys dancing to hip-hop and acro, a style of dance that combines classical dance technique with acrobatic elements.
“I love Lizzo’s music and dancing,” she said. “I am famous like her now.”
Born Melissa Viviane Jefferson, Lizzo, is a Grammy-winning singer and rapper. According to a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Lizzo’s engages with more than 25 million TikTok followers and almost 13 million on Instagram. She said she created the song “Truth Hurts” as a reminder for people to be who they are.
“I wrote that song for people to sing it and do it for themselves,” she said in the interview.
Danielle expressed how much Lizzo means to her and her two daughters, saying Lizzo is an inspiration and gives her hope for the future.
“Lizzo represents beautiful brown girls. She gives them inspiration to say, ‘Hey there is someone out there that looks like me,’” she said. “She is the artist that does not care about what people say about her and will be unapologetically herself.”
Danielle said she has had other mothers reach out to her saying they are glad she posted this video because “representation matters.”