Lizzo clarifies 'I quit' statement: 'I quit giving any negative energy attention'
"What I'm not gonna quit is the joy of my life, which is making music."
Lizzo is clarifying the "I quit" statement she shared to Instagram on Friday.
In a new Instagram video posted Tuesday, the 35-year-old singer -- wearing a blue swimsuit -- explained that she wasn't quitting music but was instead choosing to quit focusing on negativity in her life.
"I wanna make this video because I just need to clarify. When I say 'I quit,' I mean I quit giving any negative energy attention," she says in the clip. "What I'm not gonna quit is the joy of my life, which is making music, which is connecting to people."
"'Cause I know I'm not alone. In no way, shape or form am I the only person who is experiencing that negative voice that seems to be louder than the positive," she continues. "If I can just give one person the inspiration or motivation to stand up for themselves and say they quit letting negative people win, negative comments win, then I've done even more than I could have hoped for."
"With that being said, I'm gonna keep moving forward, I'm gonna keep being me," she adds. "Again, I just want to say thank you. The love that I've received ... means more than you know."
The clarification comes after Lizzo shared a post to Instagram one day after performing President Joe Biden's fundraiser at Radio City Music Hall, in which she suggested she was having a difficult time.
In the cryptic statement, the Grammy winner wrote that she was "getting tired of putting up with being dragged by everyone in my life and on the internet."
She continued, "All I want is to make music and make people happy and help the world be a little better than how I found it. But I'm starting to feel like the world doesn't want me in it."
"I'm constantly up against lies being told about me for clout & views ... being the butt of the joke every single time because of how I look,” she wrote, adding that her character is “being picked apart by people who don’t know me and disrespecting my name."
She signed off the message, writing, "I didn’t sign up for this s---. I QUIT."
ABC News reached out to the singer’s representatives for comment at the time.
Over the weekend, other celebrities showed their support for Lizzo, including Andy Cohen, Paris Hilton and Loni Love, among others.
"Girl don't let them win…stay off the internet... hug up yo man…keep working…" Love wrote.
Cohen commented, "Stay."
"We love you Queen 😍👑," added Hilton.
The emotional post comes as Lizzo continues her battle in the lawsuits accusing her of sexual harassment, discrimination, and fostering a hostile work environment.
The suits were filed against the singer, her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc., and Shirlene Quigley, the captain of Lizzo's dance team, in Los Angeles County Superior Court last year.
Dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams and Noelle Rodriguez allege "sexual, religious and racial harassment, disability discrimination, assault and false imprisonment," according to the press release about the lawsuit from the plaintiffs' attorney, Ron Zambrano.
In August, Lizzo responded to the allegations in a statement, saying, "My work ethic, morals and respectfulness have been questioned. My character has been criticized."
"These sensationalized stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional," she continued in the statement.
Lizzo has denied the allegations, adding that the accusations are "coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional."
"I am very open with my sexuality and expressing myself but I cannot accept or allow people to use that openness to make me out to be something I am not," Lizzo wrote, addressing accusations of sexual harassment.
She later continued, addressing the weigh-shaming allegations: "I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis and would absolutely never criticize or terminate an employee because of their weight."
Meanwhile, Zambrano has since released a statement in response to Lizzo's, saying she "failed her own brand and has let down her fans."
"Her denial of this reprehensible behavior only adds to our clients’ emotional distress," the statement read. "The dismissive comments and utter lack of empathy are quite telling about her character and only serve to minimize the trauma she has caused the plaintiffs and other employees who have now come forward sharing their own negative experiences."
Editor's note: This story was originally published on March 31, 2024. It was updated to include Lizzo's most recent comments clarifying her earlier "I quit" remark.
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