Lizzo says she was used as a ‘punchline’ after shooting to fame

Lizzo has said people began using her as “some sort of punchline or joke” after she became famous.

The pop star and body positivity advocate, 34, told Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 that she noticed some people’s behaviour towards her changed once she broke through as an artist.

Speaking about the impact of the online abuse aimed at her, the Juice singer said she was trying to “distance” herself from those comments.

However, she admitted it was “very difficult” and she felt sometimes felt she couldn’t “escape”.

Her fourth album Special is due out this Friday and features the hit single About Damn Time.

She said: “I’ve noticed that once people knew who I was, because before it was discovery, it was like, ‘Who is this? Who is that?’

“Then once people knew who I was and it became kind of solidified, they became more comfortable with using me as some sort of punchline or joke, or immediately they want to criticise whatever I’m doing because there’s levels to me that they don’t accept.

“So, I’ve found that I’m always going to receive some sort of backlash or criticism whenever I put myself in a public space, just because of who I am and the way I choose to exist.

“It’s absolutely bait now. People use negativity as clout and attention, and it makes them feel good to get that kind of attention, which is…

“It’s very addictive. It is like an adrenaline, it’s drug-like. And I don’t know, I’m trying to distance myself from even looking at those people and reading those comments.

“It’s been very difficult because I just feel I can’t escape it.”