US musician Lizzo has received a wave of online backlash after stating her belief that only musicians should review albums.
For as long as music has existed, people have been around to review it. In fact, while even the most simplistic response to music serves as a review, some have decided to make a career out of it.
While names like Robert Christgau, Ann Powers, Anthony Fantano, and Greil Marcus are some of best-known music critics and reviewers, most of them don’t moonlight as musicians in their own right.
However, while this has never been considered an issue by most, US musician Lizzo has raised eyebrows after noting a musical history must be a prerequisite to pass judgement on any work.
Taking to Twitter yesterday, Lizzo – whose recent album Cuz I Love You scored a Double J Feature Album spot and numerous positive reviews – claimed that “people who ‘review’ albums and don’t make music themselves should be unemployed.”
https://twitter.com/lizzo/status/1120196214136328192
Almost instantly, this Tweet set off a flurry of discussion, with very few of Lizzo’s followers appearing to actually take her side.
“This isn’t the way to go, sis,” wrote advocate April Reign. “You have a tremendous career in front of you. Don’t alienate folks with something you can’t support.”
“Just about every single industry that is publicly critiqued has folks who don’t create what they’re critiquing (food, film, fashion, TV, music).”
“People who write about music are usually speaking to people who don’t make music themselves. Fans,” added Larry Heath, founder of The AU Review. “So under that argument, fans should only be musicians themselves too?”
“Also, everyone is musical, so what’s that line? Also, music reviewers are often unpaid volunteers so….”
https://twitter.com/lizzo/status/1120352906761232384
https://twitter.com/lizzo/status/1120357421874966528
Ur absolutely right https://t.co/QTH0sSXB8j
— FOLLOW @YITTY (@lizzo) April 22, 2019
Gonna take my temper off the internet 😖
— FOLLOW @YITTY (@lizzo) April 22, 2019
After some fans had hit back at Lizzo’s opinion, the artist herself took to Twitter again to double down on her position. “I honestly feel this way about everything,” she wrote. “Like don’t criticize my mac & cheese if you burn rice… period.”
Soon though, Lizzo appeared to have learnt from the fans messaging her, agreeing with one fan who noted that her argument would have likely changed if a review written by a non-musician were positive.
Lizzo eventually ended her series of Tweets by extended an invitation for music journalists to accompany her into the studio next time. I’d like to understand your world as much as you can understand mine,” she wrote.
Check out Lizzo’s ‘Juice’:
