Singer Lizzo has made headlines after her latest album, “B-TCH,” failed to chart on the Billboard 200. The “Truth Hurts” singer, whose real name is Melissa Jefferson, recently opened up about the project’s disappointing performance on a podcast, citing several factors she believes contributed to its lackluster showing. However, many on social media didn’t buy her explanation, with some claiming that the album flopped simply because they don’t think she’s a good artist.
On the “Swiftologist” podcast, Lizzo hinted that she was confused by the album’s disappointing chart performance because she believed she had released some of her “best” work.
“When I dropped the album, I took it really, really hard,” she said, adding that she “hurt my own feelings” and “was really stressed” after releasing “B-TCH.”
She went on to say that she recently had to “come to terms” with changes in the music industry, including radio play, as well as her “connection” to the world. “And I think I had to grieve that,” she said.
Lizzo was worried about her album sales before she even released the project
Ahead of her album’s release, Lizzo opened up about her fears that the project would “flop,” according to a previous report from The explosion.
The singer said she believed she was being washed out by social media algorithms and even questioned why she wasn’t getting more support from her record label.
“Baby, I’m asking the same question because I definitely approved billboards in the marketing meetings. I definitely approved ads, but crickets,” she said in response to a fan. “I don’t know, but I’m rushing my label right now because I just really like – I feel like no marketing money is being put into my ideas.”
Lizzo says she tried to take matters into her own hands weeks before her album was released
On the podcast, Lizzo said that because she wasn’t getting the support from her label that she felt she deserved, she took matters into her own hands.
“I went out and put up posters and I talked to people and I connected and it was really, really fun,” she said. “I had so much fun, y’all. Like, ‘oh my God, I feel like 2019 Lizzo again.’ And then I had all these high hopes for what we were going to do that first week, and it didn’t fit.”
Lizzo’s candid remarks didn’t win over many social media users. Instead, critics pushed back on her explanation, claiming that the ever-changing landscape of the music industry was not to blame for the album’s disappointing performance.
“I really think she’s downplaying the lawsuits and it bothers me that she’s blaming the music industry for being different,” wrote one on X.
“Yes, this drop is not normal,” wrote another user. “I don’t listen to her enough to know if this is her best stuff or not, but I know her new album is pretty solid. It’s not a quality issue; it seems like it’s just a Lizzo issue. Your character and brand matter. She’s got a big hit.”
A third user chimed in, saying: “A project you posted called ‘B-TCH’ is definitely not some of your best stuff, let’s be serious.”
And another seemed to agree, writing: “Not her best work though. Sounds messy, poorly focused, cheaply produced, terrible visuals. Take the L, grow sonically and get back in the booth.”
How did the album actually work?
According to one Rolling Stone report, Lizzo’s latest project sold 2,649 copies in its first week and pulled in under 2.7 million streams. The album was expected to sell only 650 copies the following week and have under 900,000 streams. That’s a marked departure from her last album, “Special,” which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 after selling 39,000 copies in its first week.
A Rolling Stone staff member shared their thoughts on the state of Lizzo’s career, saying that the album’s performance is due to the singer never having a “core fanbase”. They added: “She was a very song-driven, radio hits-driven artist who lacked a core fan base, and that’s what you need today to have longevity.”
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