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Lizzo named Time's Entertainer of the Year

By Annie Martin

Dec. 11 (UPI) -- Grammy-nominated singer Lizzo is Time's Entertainer of the Year of 2019.

Time announced the news Wednesday and unveiled its cover featuring Lizzo, 31, on Twitter. The image was taken by photographer Paola Kudacki.

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Lizzo celebrated the honor in an Instagram post Wednesday.

"ARE.. YOU.. NOT.. ENTERTAINED?!? thank you @time for naming me Entertainer of the Year," she wrote.

In a profile for Time, Lizzo discussed her message of body positivity and self-empowerment that has connected with fans around the globe.

"I've been doing positive music for a long-[expletive] time," Lizzo said. "Then the culture changed. There were a lot of things that weren't popular but existed, like body positivity, which at first was a form of protest for fat bodies and black women and has now become a trendy, commercialized thing. Now I've seen it reach the mainstream. Suddenly I'm mainstream!"

Lizzo promotes self-love in her music and her social media posts, which sometimes include nude photos.

"I think it's healthy to have a relationship with your naked body, even if no one ever sees it," she said. "But I've always felt the need to share it."

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While many celebrate Lizzo and her music, the singer said her fame has also given rise to critics and detractors.

"I have to bite my tongue on certain things," she said. "When people challenge my talent, they challenge whether I deserve to be here. They challenge my blackness."

Lizzo also said she's in therapy to cope with some unhappiness and the newfound pressures of celebrity.

"I was not happy with the way I felt to my body. I didn't feel sexy, and I didn't know when it was going to end. There were times when I would go onstage and be like, 'Y'all, I'm not going to lie. I'm not feeling myself.' Sometimes I'd break down and cry," she shared. "I need to fall back in love with my body."

Lizzo is known for the singles "Good as Hell," "Truth Hurts," "Juice" and "Tempo" featuring Missy Elliott, and released her third studio album, Cuz I Love You, in April. She is nominated for eight awards at the 2020 Grammys.

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