Lizzo, Rolling Stop Top 100 Recs
MY FACE HURTS FROM SMILING - #97
GOOSEBUMP METER — 6/10
Listening to artists I haven’t revisited in a long time seems to be the early trend of Rolling Stone’s Top 100 Albums of 2025. I remember during the early days of the pandemic—when all my friends were leaving campus to go home and I was stuck behind—I would listen to Lizzo endlessly. “Good as Hell” and “Truth Hurts” were on repeat. I needed to feel a sense of escape and just feel good, and Lizzo hit the mark back then. Five years later… Lizzo’s got some shit to say, huh?
Unlike a lot of artists, Lizzo’s voice carries so much emotion no matter what she’s saying. It’s a testament to her craft, but also to her whole ethos of staying true to herself. This album embodies that. She’s having fun, and you can hear it in every song. No matter what she’s expressing, you can feel her riding the groove. If I close my eyes, I can almost see her in the booth having the time of her life putting these songs together. The album cover might be over the top, but it really does encapsulate the experience of this record. This isn’t high art. This isn’t a cinematic journey. This is an escape—a fun one.
There’s always a certain distance you feel from artists who dominated radio for a while, and Lizzo’s faced a lot of opinions over the past five years. It’s refreshing to hear hers. Without a doubt, you can really feel her perspective here. I feel like I understand her a lot better now, and I can see the direction she wants her music to go in. If you’re a fan of her older work, I doubt there’s any disappointment to be found.
If I’m being critical, the flows—while dope—never connected with me nearly as well as the beats and melodies backing her up. On “GOTCHO BITCH,” she almost sounded like Drake, which was such a bizarre experience for my ears. The common pattern was that the instrumentals would get my head nodding, and then the flows would interrupt that momentum. Not every song had this issue, but the inconsistency stuck with me once the record ended. Lastly, I thought the album was maybe two songs too long—but if you’re a lifelong Lizzo fan, who would complain about more art?
If you’re looking for a good time, a chill time, and a fun time, give this record a spin.
I’ve left some of my raw notes from the first listen:
JUST 4 FUN — I was head-bopping ngl.
STILL CAN’T FUH (FEAT. DOJA CAT) — Who was this guy? What did he do? I mean… I kind of do know, but damn. The storytelling here has me intrigued. The song itself? Meh.
DROPPIN ON IT — My favourite beat and melody of the record so far. Maybe Lizzo’s just not my MC, but I can really hear the fun she’s having.
IRL (FEAT. SZA) — This is a cool song. Although I have to admit… SZA really elevates it.
