Melissa Viviane Jefferson (born April 27, 1988), most famously known as Lizzo, is an American singer, rapper, songwriter, and flutist known for her messages of positivity and empowerment, especially concerning body image. Born in Detroit, Michigan, she later moved to Houston, Texas, and then Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she began her music career in hip-hop. Lizzo's music blends R&B, rap, and pop, often featuring catchy and uplifting lyrics. Before achieving mainstream success, she was a classically trained flutist with aspirations of playing in an orchestra.
Lizzo gained widespread recognition with her third album, Cuz I Love You (2019), which included the hit singles "Juice" and "Truth Hurts". "Truth Hurts" became her first number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100. She has won four Grammy Awards, a Billboard Music Award, a BET Award, and two Soul Train Music Awards. In addition to her music career, Lizzo has ventured into acting, with roles in UglyDolls (2019) and Hustlers (2019), and television, hosting the Amazon Prime Video reality series Lizzo's Watch Out for the Big Grrrls, which won a Primetime Emmy Award. In 2025, Lizzo released a mixtape titled My Face Hurts from Smiling. Recently, Lizzo has been involved in a public feud with Nicki Minaj and faced a lawsuit from former backup dancers alleging harassment and a hostile work environment.