Lizzo: I've had anxiety shadow me my whole life

Bang Showbiz on Jun 11, 2026

Published in Women

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Lizzo thought she was "very annoying" as a child.

The 38-year-old music star has recalled feeling insecure and having a negative perception of herself during her younger years.

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times newspaper, Lizzo explained: "I grew up feeling very annoying.

"It was a huge insecurity of mine. I'm the baby in the family, and I played probably the most annoying instrument to be bad at. Hearing someone be bad at the flute is a nightmare. And I was bad for at least two years."

Lizzo is now convinced that she's managed to overcome her deep-rooted, long-held anxieties.

The chart-topping star said: "I've had that anxiety shadow me my whole life, and I think I'm healing something in myself -- in my inner child -- that I didn't even realise I'm healing."

Lizzo explained that, over time, she's developed ways of coping with criticism in a healthy way.

The pop star shared: "I've heard everything I could possibly hear about me, so nothing can bother me now.

"I've seen myself mashed up with Kamala Harris. I've seen me as a mannequin dummy. I've seen Chili's baby back ribs slathered across my face."

Meanwhile, Lizzo previously explained that music has helped her to navigate depression.

The singer admitted that making music helped her to overcome some of the darkest and most depressing moments in her life.

Asked about her experience of dealing with depression, Lizzo told Rolling Stone: "My relationship with music was still very intense.

"I still am like, 'Music saved my life,' because there were really dark moments when I was working on Love in Real Life, my album, where I was like, 'Okay, I don't think I can make it through the day, but I have to go to the studio.'"

Lizzo used to agonise over her lyrics because she feared offending fans. But the singer is now much more comfortable with who she is and how she thinks.

She explained: "I always overthink these things because I know who's consuming my music and I'm very [concerned about] how they're going to feel, how it's going to affect them.

"But it's like -- to keep it very, very funky with you -- everybody's offended by everything today, so it's impossible to not offend somebody. So it's like, just say what you want to say. Just say whatever you want to say."