Born in Detroit in the late 80’s, Lizzo spent much of her formative years in the church, where she was raised on the gospel sounds of The Winans, The Clark Sisters, and Fred Hammond, along with mainstay secular artists such as Stevie Wonder and Elton John. At the age of 10 her family moved to Houston, TX, and Lizzo was exposed to a wide array of emerging Southern musical styles, from the trademark chopped and screwed rap tracks of the underground, to the progressive and polished R&B sounds of groups like Destiny’s Child that were raising the city’s national profile to new heights. In fact, it was after she stumbled across a Destiny’s Child performance at Wal-Mart that Lizzo—then a 5th grader-- was inspired to start writing music on her own. Over the next decade that decision would take her through the trenches of some of the most varied musical genres: R&B girl groups (I.N.I.T.I.A.L.S., Cornrow Clique), progressive rock bands (Elypseas), solo rap ventures, and electro-pop duos (Lizzo & The Larva Ink).
In 2011 she made the move to Minneapolis with Larva Ink in order to be a part of that city’s blossoming and collaborative musical community. Lizzo & The Larva Ink was well received there, and the group earned a few encouraging nods from the press. Lizzo was soon introduced to Sophia Eris and Claire de Lune, with whom she would form The Chalice, the three-piece all-female rap/R&B group that would elevate Lizzo’s profile and reputation. In 2012 The Chalice released We Are The Chalice, an album that would gain them instant local success amongst fans and critics alike, garnering City Pages’ prestigious Best New Band and Picked To Click accolades in the same year.
The success brought setbacks, though, and a falling out soon led to the demise of Lizzo & The Larva Ink. Feeling discontent with the loss of one group and the hurried blur of success of another, Lizzo was creatively drained from writing We Are The Chalice in two short months. She found herself in the throes of her first full-blown case of writer’s block. Unable to create music for herself, she began listening to several different local albums in hopes of finding inspiration. It was LAVA BANGERS, a 20-track instrumental mixtape from Doomtree producer and Minneapolis music vet Lazerbeak, that ultimately caught her ear. Beaks’ beats proved the fix for Lizzo’s problem. “I sat at home and listened to LAVA BANGERS, and when “Lift Every Voice” came on, my writer’s block was cured,” says Lizzo. “I think it revived my gospel roots. I wrote pages and pages of songs, and finally reached out to Lazerbeak, not thinking anything would come of it.”
Her timing could not have been better. Beak, impressed with Lizzo’s output with The Chalice, as well as her guest appearances on several other local releases, was looking for a change of pace from his daily Doomtree production and business responsibilities. He immediately signed on to work on some demos. Beat tapes were exchanged, songs were written, and mutual friend and musical collaborator Ryan Olson (Totally Gross National Product founder, Gayngs/Marijuana Deathsquads mastermind) was brought on board to creatively oversee the project. Olson recorded and edited all 15 tracks in his bedroom studio, bringing in laid back hype-man Cliff Rhymes along the way to add even more layers to Lizzo’s dynamic vocals.
LIZZOBANGERS is the culmination of that four-way collaboration, an album that manages to capture all of the varied musical influences of Lizzo’s upbringing and combine them with the forward-thinking experimental production style of Beak and Olson. The end result is a brave new project that encapsulates the best parts of both the familiar and the future.
Soulmate
Lizzo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No glory, let's go
Yeah, the old me used to love a Gemini
Like a threesome, fuckin' with him every night
A lotta two-faced people show me both sides
So I figured out I gotta be my own type
They used to say to keep a man you had to know how to cook
But I'm solo in Soho, sippin' Soju in Malibu
It's a me, myself kinda attitude
'Cause I'm my own soulmate (Yeah, yeah)
I know how to love me (Love me)
I know that I'm always gonna hold me down
Yeah, I'm my own soulmate (Yeah, yeah)
No, I'm never lonely (Lonely)
I know I'm a queen but I don't need no crown
Look up in the mirror like damn she the one
One, one, one, one, one, one (The one)
Like damn she the one
One, one, one (The one)
That bitch in the mirror like yeah, I'm in love
Love, love, love, love, love, love (In love)
Like yeah, I'm in love
Love, love, love (In love)
Look up in the mirror like damn she the one
And she never tell me to exercise
We always get extra fries
And you know the sex is fire
And I gotta testify
I get flowers every Sunday
I'mma marry me one day
True love ain't something you can buy yourself
True love finally happens when you by yourself
So if you by yourself, then go and buy yourself
Another round from the bottle on the higher shelf
'Cause I'm my own soulmate (Yeah, yeah)
I know how to love me (Love me)
I know that I'm always gonna hold me down
(Always gonna hold me down)
Yeah, I'm my own soulmate (Yeah, yeah)
No, I'm never lonely (Lonely)
(No I'm never lonely, no)
I know I'm a queen but I don't need no crown
Look up in the mirror like damn she the one
One, one, one, one, one, one (The one)
Like damn she the one (She the one, she the one)
One, one, one (The one) (She the one, she the one, she the one)
That bitch in the mirror like yeah, I'm in love
(I'm in love, I'm in love, I'm in love)
Love, love, love, love, love, love (In love)
(I'm in love, I'm in love)
Like yeah, I'm in love
(I'm in love, yeah I'm in love)
Love, love, love (In love)
Look up in the mirror like damn she the one
I'm the one (Oh)
I'm the one (You're the one)
I'm the one, the one
Look up in the mirror like damn she the one
One, one, one, one, one, one
Like damn she the one
One, one, one, one
That bitch in the mirror like yeah, I'm in love
Love, love, love, love, love, love (In love)
Like yeah, I'm in love
In love
Look up in the mirror
'Cause I'm my own soulmate (Yeah, yeah)
I know how to love me (Love me)
I know that I'm always gonna hold me down
(Look up in the mirror like damn she the one)
Yeah, I'm my own soulmate (Yeah, yeah)
No, I'm never lonely (Lonely)
I know I'm a queen but I don't need no crown
Look up in the mirror like damn she the one
In this song, Lizzo talks about her realization that she is her own soulmate. In the past, she used to be with people who were not the best for her, including Gemini, and dealt with two-faced people. She was always told by society that in order to secure and keep a man, she needed to look and cook well. However, she has learned to be content with herself and has adopted a new attitude of self-love.
The chorus emphasizes the message of self-love, with Lizzo embracing being her own soulmate instead of finding fulfillment in others. She highlights the positives of being alone by being able to eat junk food and not have to exercise. She even suggests buying oneself another round for a celebration. She then concludes by saying that true love is not something you can buy, it happens naturally, so it's better to just love oneself if one is alone.
Overall, the song promotes self-love and the idea that one does not need anyone else to be happy. Lizzo is a strong advocate for self-love and body positivity, and this song illustrates that message effectively.
Line by Line Meaning
True story
This is a true story
No glory, let's go
Let's skip the fame and get straight to it
Yeah, the old me used to love a Gemini
I used to be attracted to people who had two sides to them
Like a threesome, fuckin' with him every night
I used to always be intertwined with these people who had both good and bad qualities
A lotta two-faced people show me both sides
I encountered many dishonest people who showed me different sides of themselves
So I figured out I gotta be my own type
I realized that I need to embrace and accept myself for who I am
They used to say to get a man you had to know how to look
People once claimed that to attract a romantic partner, one had to have a certain appearance
They used to say to keep a man you had to know how to cook
People once believed that to keep a partner happy, one had to be skilled in cooking
But I'm solo in Soho, sippin' Soju in Malibu
Despite what others have said, I'm comfortable being alone and doing what I enjoy
It's a me, myself kinda attitude
I have a self-assured attitude and am focused on being myself
'Cause I'm my own soulmate (Yeah, yeah)
I am my own soulmate, my own perfect match
I know how to love me (Love me)
I am capable of loving myself
I know that I'm always gonna hold me down
I will always have my back and be there for myself
No, I'm never lonely (Lonely)
Despite being single, I never feel lonely because I have myself
I know I'm a queen but I don't need no crown
I'm confident in who I am and don't need validation from external sources
Look up in the mirror like damn she the one
When I look at myself in the mirror, I see someone amazing
That bitch in the mirror like yeah, I'm in love
I see myself as someone worthy of love
And she never tell me to exercise
I don't push myself to be someone I'm not
We always get extra fries
I indulge in things that make me happy
And you know the sex is fire
I have great sexual chemistry with myself
And I gotta testify
I need to speak my truth and show others that it's possible to be happy alone
I get flowers every Sunday
I treat myself to small things that make me feel special
I'mma marry me one day
One day, I'll commit to making myself happy for the rest of my life
True love ain't something you can buy yourself
Real love can't be purchased, it comes from within
True love finally happens when you by yourself
Love will occur naturally once you're comfortable being alone
So if you by yourself, then go and buy yourself
If you're currently single, you should invest in yourself
Another round from the bottle on the higher shelf
Treat yourself to something nice
I'm the one (Oh)
I am enough
No, I'm never lonely (Lonely)
I don't feel lonely despite being single
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Melissa Jefferson, Sean Douglas, Warren Felder
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@musomaina8659
True story
No glory, let's go!
Yeah, the old me used to love a Gemini
Like a threesome, fuckin' with him every night
A lotta two-faced people show me both sides
So I figured out I gotta be my own type
They used to say to get a man you had to know how to look
They used to say to keep a man you had to know how to cook
But I'm solo in Soho, sippin' Soju in Malibu
It's a me, myself kinda attitude
'Cause I'm my own soulmate (Yeah, yeah)
I know how to love me (Love me)
I know that I'm always gonna hold me down
Yeah, I'm my own soulmate (Yeah, yeah)
No, I'm never lonely (Lonely)
I know I'm a queen but I don't need no crown
Look up in the mirror like damn she the one
One, one, one, one, one, one (The one)
Like damn she the one
One, one, one (The one)
That bitch in the mirror like yeah, I'm in love
Love, love, love, love, love, love (In love)
Like yeah, I'm in love
Love, love, love (In love)
Look up in the mirror like damn she the one
And she never tell me to exercise
We always get extra fries
And you know the sex is fire
And I gotta testify
I get flowers every Sunday
I'mma marry me one day
True love ain't something you can buy yourself
True love finally happens when you by yourself
So if you by yourself, then go and buy yourself
Another round from the bottle on the higher shelf
'Cause I'm my own soulmate (Yeah, yeah)
I know how to love me (Love me)
I know that I'm always gonna hold me down
(Always gonna hold me down)
Yeah, I'm my own soulmate (Yeah, yeah)
No, I'm never lonely (Lonely)
(No I'm never lonely, no)
I know I'm a queen but I don't need no crown
Look up in the mirror like damn she the one
One, one, one, one, one, one (The one)
Like damn she the one (She the one, she the one)
One, one, one (The one) (She the one, she the one, she the one)
That bitch in the mirror like yeah, I'm in love
(I'm in love, I'm in love, I'm in love)
Love, love, love, love, love, love (In love)
(I'm in love, I'm in love)
Like yeah, I'm in love
(I'm in love, yeah I'm in love)
Love, love, love (In love)
Look up in the mirror like damn she the one
I'm the one (Oh)
I'm the one (You're the one)
I'm the one, the one
Look up in the mirror like damn she the one
One, one, one, one, one, one
Like damn she the one
One, one, one, one
That bitch in the mirror like yeah, I'm in love
Love, love, love, love, love, love (In love)
Like yeah, I'm in love
In love
Look up in the mirror
'Cause I'm my own soulmate (Yeah, yeah)
I know how to love me (Love me)
I know that I'm always gonna hold me down
(Look up in the mirror like damn she the one)
Yeah, I'm my own soulmate (Yeah, yeah)
No, I'm never lonely (Lonely)
I know I'm a queen but I don't need no crown
Look up in the mirror like damn she the one
@andrea-ot7mq
Lizzo: “yeah the old me used to love a Gemini”
Doja Cat: “Can’t trust a big butt and a Gemini”
Madison Beer: “all you only ever do is lie, why you always such a Gemini”
Me: :o
Screams in Gemini :-;
@wlwcats5810
Lizzo is like the big sister I never had but always needed, she's the best at making you feel good about yourself and letting you know your worth
@Majessty333
I wish she was my sister
@spicywatermelon343
Same
@klikbate8916
fax, i'm the eldest kid and i've never had a big brother or sister figure to look up to...well here she is
@keshaanderson6155
She’s the girl that defends you from the mean girls at summer camp! She’s always the GOAT
@bryanstivengomezmontoya9376
You're*
@chantellwarren3581
“They said to get a man you need to how to look. They said to keep a man you need to how to cook” Lizzo be out here destroying misogyny and body shaming in one song. Queen!
@IAF-mq9fo
She is a fucking queen
@Rita-kx3yr
Heard this from my mama the other day. This song feels like the response lol
@samanthiamoore3348
Chantell Warren yassssss 🙌