Lizzo has become one of music’s most infectious talents, creating hits that shed light on important topics like self-esteem and inclusivity all topped with a cheeky smile. So when the Houston-repping artist took three years away to craft her new album to perfection, her fans — the Lizzbians, as Lizzo declared herself in 2019 — knew the wait was going to be worth it.
In April, Lizzo announced the release of her fourth studio album and second major-label LP, Special, due July 15. The news came just two days before the singer made her hosting debut on Saturday Night Live, where she also performed lead single “About Damn Time” and the title track — both of which tease that Special is going to be full of her trademark empowering anthems.
Special follows 2019’s GRAMMY-winning Cuz I Love You, which took home gramophones for Best Pop Solo Performance (“Truth Hurts”), Traditional R&B Performance (“Jerome”), and Best Urban Contemporary Album in 2020.
The new album also comes at a booming time in Lizzo’s career: her reality competition series Watch Out For The Big Grrrls premiered on Amazon Studios in March, the same month she released her shapewear brand Yitty.
Below, see all the goods GRAMMY.com gathered about Lizzo’s highly anticipated new album, Special, thus far.
The Album Is Titled Special, Arriving July 15
After initially teasing the album’s completion during her keynote speaker session at SXSW, Lizzo officially announced Special on Instagram on April 14. The singer kept her caption brief — “SPECIAL. THE ALBUM. JULY 15.” — letting the striking black and white portrait cover speak for itself.
She Narrowed Down The 12-Song Track List From 200
As Lizzo told SiriusXM’s The Heat, she wrote nearly 200 songs for the album, which she started recording in 2018.
“I needed to go through life and get a lot of things off my chest,” she said. “I had a lot happen interpersonally, a lot has happened globally and I think I needed to process that. The way that I process things is through writing music. So I was writing these songs, but then I just needed to keep going until I found my sweet spot and what the world needed to hear.
“I also wanted to make a thorough album,” she continued. “I didn’t want to just make a bunch of singles or random songs that I thought were the coolest. I wanted to put a real body of work together so I can make a classic album because I just want to only make classics. I like my music and I want to continue to like my music.”
Although the album’s full track list has yet to be revealed, Special will include 12 tracks according to its pre-order page on Apple Music.
The Title Is An Intentional Confidence Booster
Since her 2013 debut album Lizzobangers, Lizzo has always intended to make people feel like they belong with her music — so it’s no surprise that her latest album is called Special. In an interview with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, she revealed that a certain pop music mastermind informed the title’s decision-making.
“The album was called In Case Nobody Told You for a while, and then Max Martin came on and he helped me change the hook a little bit and restructured it,” she explained. “He was like, ‘Special, Special. The song is Special.’ I was like, ‘Okay.’ Then one day, I had this aha moment where I’m like, ‘Oh sh-t, the album is Special. Literally, the album is special, and I’m special.’
“I want the person [who hears] this to feel special,” she added. “Everything now has this special feel to it, and this glow, this sparkle. Ever since that’s the era I’m moving into. It’s out of the darkness and into the light.”
Lizzo Brands It As A “Love Album”
The singer’s discography is filled with themes of love, from recovering from heartbreak to finding self-love. And for Special, she’s doubling down from 2019’s Cuz I Love You and exploring all facets of love — as evidenced by the vanity of “About Damn Time” and “Special” as well as the best friend anthem “Grrrls.”
In February, Lizzo shared with Variety how “shocked” she was that this is an album all about love. While she played it coy on whether she’s currently enamored with a special someone, she did allude to the music reflecting her personal relationships.
“I think that I will never be the kind of artist that’s like this album is about a story I wrote; it’s not real,” Lizzo said. “I’m always just a very personal, like I’m-talking-to-my-friend-on- the-phone-with-really-good-music-behind-me b****. I will say this: It is a love album.”
It’s Filled With Nonstop Bangers
For Special, Lizzo will continue to provide the same electric feeling found in hits like “Good As Hell,” “Juice” and “Truth Hurts.”
During an April interview with ET Canada, the singer shared that she switched up the album last minute in order to match the sparkling vibe of “About Damn Time.” “I think I had an epiphany like, ‘Oh I only want songs that are love frequency’, like, very about love, and also bangers,” she explained. “I wanted to make Lizzobangers again. So even if it’s a ballad, it bangs. Every song is memorable and delicious and you want to hear it again and again and again.”
She Teamed Up With Various Pop Music Virtuosos
Lizzo isn’t a one-genre woman: she’s dabbled in rap, pop, R&B, and disco — and on top of that, she plays the flute as expertly as a classical musician. For Special, she’s gathered top producers and songwriters who are also known for blurring the genre lines.
Lizzo reunited with Ricky Reed — the producer behind “Truth Hurts” — and songwriter/producer Blake Slatkin (who produced 24kGoldn‘s “Mood” with iann dior and Kid LAROI‘s “Stay” with Justin Bieber) for her vibrant “About Damn Time” single.
“She’s just so herself, and I think she’s unbelievably brave. She has stood up for a lot of things that she believes in in the past, and I always respect any artist that does that,” Slatkin shared with Billboard in June. “She lets people into her life — I think the world feels like they’re friends with her. She gives you the feeling that you know her and can talk to her, and if you were with her in the room, you would be dancing to her songs together. I’ve always admired artists that give you that feeling.”
As she shared with Zane Lowe, Lizzo also got in the studio with Max Martin for the title track; additionally, she revealed to Australia’s Cool Accidents that she collaborated with Mark Ronson.
In an interview with the Spout Podcast, Lizzo said she jokingly asked actor Chris Evans — whom she has playfully flirted with in her DMs — to play piano on the album after the Captain America star showed off his skills on social media, but that didn’t come to fruition. And unfortunately for those who love Lizzo’s friendship with Harry Styles, it’s looking like the pop star won’t make an appearance either.
“That is so funny. The internet going to internet,” she said in the same interview. “That’s all I’ll say about that.”
Read More: 10 Artists Who Have Stood Up For Women In Music: Taylor Swift, Lizzo & More
The Album Will Continue Her Mission To Motivate
Along with allusions to her love life, the album will embrace self-love — a theme that is the core of not just Lizzo’s music, but her mission as an entertainer as a whole. As someone who has received backhanded compliments for her curves and how she embraces her sexuality, Lizzo aims for fans to discover unapologetic confidence just like she has.
“I had a lot of fear, and I had to do the work on myself, and this music is some of that work in turning that fear into love,” Lizzo told Zane Lowe. “I hope that when people listen to this album, it makes their day just a little bit better, a little bit more filled with love.”
Lizzo Is Taking The Album On The Road Very Soon
Lizzo’s Special era is about to become even more, well, special. She’ll embark on her very first headlining arena tour in North America — aptly titled the Special Tour — this fall.
“3 years since my last tour… and I’m finally coming back to YOU!” she posted on social media on April 25. The trek kicks off Sept. 23 in Florida’s FLA Live Arena and will feature rapper Latto as support.
With an album and tour on the horizon, there’s no doubt that 2022 will be nothing short of Special for Lizzo and her Lizzbians.
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