Lizzo issues anger-filled “I QUIT” message amidst ongoing controversy

Writing that she’s “starting to feel like the world doesn’t want me in it,” musical artist Lizzo posted a highly emotional statement on Instagram earlier this evening, ending the post with an all-caps “I QUIT.” The message cites much of the controversy that has surrounded the “Juice” singer over the last year or so, a backlash that began when 3 backup dancers who toured with Lizzo announced they were suing the artist and her team for alleged harassment, weight-shaming, and even false imprisonment.

In the aftermath of the suit—which was entered into the public record in August of 2023—a couple of things have happened. On the one hand, Lizzo herself has denied all allegations, calling the entire situation “outrageous,” and with one of her reps calling a second lawsuit—from clothing designer Asha Daniels—an “absurd publicity-stunt lawsuit.” At the same time, other women have come forward backing up the claims of the dancers, including filmmaker Sophia Nahli Allison, who says she dropped out of a 2019 documentary about Lizzo because she witnessed “arrogant, self-centered, and unkind” behavior from the singer.

Although litigation is still pending—with a judge denying a blanket call for dismissal from the Lizzo camp, despite knocking out a few of the charges against her, back in February—the whole thing has been pretty disastrous for the Lizzo brand, which is rooted in themes of body positivity and self-acceptance. Among other things, she hasn’t toured or released new music since the lawsuit was launched, and generally seems to be in a bit of a holding pattern.

Which gets us back to today, when Lizzo hopped on social media and posted the following:

I’m getting tired of putting up with being dragged by everyone in my life and on the internet. All I want is to make music and make people happy and help the world be a little better than how I found it. But I’m starting to feel like the world doesn’t want me in it. I’m constantly up against lies being told about me for clout and views…being the butt of the joke every single time because of how I look…my character being picked apart by people who don’t know me and disrespecting my name. I didn’t sign up for this shit—I QUIT.

Now, obviously, “I QUIT” can mean a lot of stuff, ranging from a break from social media up to full retirement. (The latter seems unlikely, although the genuine emotion in the post is pretty clear.) But as a statement from someone who swiftly became a major musical artist in a shockingly short amount of time, it is, at the very least, an indicator that something is getting close to an obvious breaking point.