Lizzo marked her 38th birthday on Monday, April 27, with an announcement that immediately set the internet ablaze. The Grammy-winning singer and rapper revealed that her new album, titled Bitch, is set for release on June 5, and wasted no time explaining exactly what the project means to her.
In a statement shared alongside the announcement, Lizzo described the album title as an act of reclamation. She framed the word not as an insult but as a symbol of power, confidence, and the kind of self-love that refuses to apologize for itself. The Yitty CEO made clear that her intention is to reshape the meaning of a term that has historically been wielded to diminish women and return it to those it was used against.
Lizzo and the women who paved the way
Lizzo pointed to a lineage of women in music who have done exactly that before her. She referenced artists like Meredith Brooks and Missy Elliott, both of whom used the word in their own music to push back against its negative connotations. Brooks released her 1997 hit of the same name, while Elliott claimed it defiantly on her own track years later.
The connection to Brooks runs deeper than admiration. The album’s title track, set for release on Friday, May 1, directly interpolates Brooks’ song, threading a line between generations of women who refused to be defined by how others labeled them. Lizzo had already previewed the track live at WeHo Pride in June 2025, giving fans an early taste of what the album represents.
She also leaned into her own history with the word, nodding to her breakout hit Truth Hurts, in which she declared herself “100% that bitch” and turned the phrase into one of the most quoted lines of that era. For Lizzo, naming this album Bitch feels less like a provocation and more like a homecoming.
What comes with the album
Alongside the announcement, Lizzo shared the album cover on Instagram, a striking visual featuring a hand holding up her body in place of a middle finger. The image said everything the statement did not need to.
The album already has a head start. The lead single, Don’t Make Me Love U, dropped last month with an accompanying music video and serves as the opening chapter of this new era.
Bitch follows My Face Hurts from Smiling, a mixtape released last year that featured collaborations with SZA, Doja Cat, Lil Jon, and Tierra Whack. It also represents a pivot from what fans had expected. Lizzo had previously announced a studio album called Love in Real Life and even released two songs from the project, including its title track and Still Bad, performing both on Saturday Night Live alongside Don’t Make Me Love U. That project has since been set aside in favor of this one.
A busy season ahead
Music is only part of what Lizzo has on her plate. She is preparing to release her first children’s book, Lil Lizzo Meets Sasha B. Flootin’, in September. She is also set to take on her first lead acting role, portraying gospel pioneer Sister Rosetta Tharpe in an upcoming Amazon MGM biopic about the rock and roll trailblazer.
Between a chart-ready album, a children’s book, and a major film role, Lizzo is clearly entering one of the most expansive chapters of her career. And she is doing it entirely on her own terms.
