Lizzo calls Taylor Swift 'genius' for building a loyal fan community that backs her

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Singer and rapper Lizzo, during the Sunday, June 28, episode of the 'Swiftologist' podcast, praised Taylor Swift for organically building a loyal community of fans and described it as something every artist should strive for.

The Grammy-winning singer also reflected on the changing music industry while candidly discussing the emotional impact of her latest album's commercial performance, admitting its underwhelming response left her questioning her success. Lizzo also shared how support from fellow artists helped her regain perspective.

Lizzo praises Taylor Swift for building a loyal fan community

While discussing the importance of making music for fans, Lizzo spoke about her admiration for Swift and the community the singer has built over the years. "I always talk about Taylor. She's been doing that for such a long time," she said.

She added that she does not believe Swift intentionally created such a devoted fanbase, "I think she just built it organically, and now she has a community around her that backs her up, and that's what everyone needs to be doing."

The singer also stressed that authenticity remains the most important quality for artists. "One thing that will never go out of style is authenticity," she said.

Explaining why she believes authenticity matters, Lizzo noted that even on social media, genuine posts showing her lounging at home with no effort put into her appearance often perform better than posts in which she puts significant effort into glamming up.

She also addressed the disappointing commercial performance of her latest album, released on June 5, 2026. According to figures reported by Rolling Stone, the album sold 2,649 copies in its first week, a sharp decline from the approximately 39,000 copies sold by her 2022 album 'Special' during its debut week. The new album also failed to reach the Billboard 200 chart.

Lizzo opens up about album disappointment and finding confidence again

Speaking about the album's reception, Lizzo admitted that the chart performance deeply affected her and revealed that for a brief period, she allowed commercial numbers to define her self-worth, admitting, "There was, like, 24 hours of my life where I based my success and my worth on a number, and I think that was soul-crushing."

During that difficult period, she received encouragement from singer SZA, whom she referred to as Solana, "Thank God for Solana, she called me and was like 'you're on my mind.' I was like 'am I a failure???' and she was like 'Oh my god, no!'... She's so sweet."

Lizzo acknowledged that she eventually realized both the music industry and her relationship with it have changed. "I hurt my own feelings. I was really stressed and really sad," she said.

At one point during the interview, she sang part of Swift's 'Shake It Off,' explaining that she intended to move past the disappointment of her album's failure to chart. "Lizzos' biggest fan is Lizzo," she said, adding, "I feel like insults that are hurled at me are desperate."

She also remarked that many insults directed at her are often thinly veiled compliments. Despite criticism from some suggesting her career is over, Lizzo pointed to her accomplishments, noting that she belongs to the "billion stream club," with songs streamed more than a billion times.