After a two-year hiatus, Lizzo made a triumphant return to the public stage on March 12 at the Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles, delivering her first concert and a heartfelt confession about her struggles with depression.
The Truth Hurts singer revealed, “I didn’t want to live anymore,” reflecting on a dark period in 2023 that she’s now channeling into her upcoming album, Love in Real Life.
Lizzo first hinted at her mental health challenges last year, but her journey took a public turn in August 2023 when former backup dancers Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, and Noelle Rodriguez sued her, alleging racial and sexual harassment, bullying, and a toxic workplace.
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Lizzo has fiercely denied the claims, stating in September 2023, “Any and all claims to the contrary are ridiculous,” as she sought to dismiss the lawsuit. She later requested the dismissal of a harassment suit from former stylist Asha Daniels in December 2023.
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A California judge partially ruled in her favor in December 2024, dismissing some claims, but Lizzo’s assertion on Keke Palmer’s podcast that she was “dismissed” from the case was contested by Daniels’ lawyer, Ron Zambrano.
Zambrano told People, “A judge saw this, and in the court of law, he looked at the evidence and said, ‘OK. We can’t allow this to go through.’ The lawsuit is still very active and has not been dismissed. The ruling was not for lack of evidence, but rather on procedural jurisdictional grounds.
It by no means absolves Lizzo of the egregious claims that occurred on her watch.” He clarified that Lizzo and her tour manager were dropped as individual defendants due to jurisdictional limits under Title VII and FLSA, not the merits, with the case continuing against Big Grrl Touring.
The dancers’ sexual harassment lawsuit, meanwhile, was paused in March 2024 after Lizzo appealed a SLAPP law ruling, per Billboard, and remains ongoing.
Amid the legal storm, Lizzo opened up about her mental and physical health in April 2024, hinting at quitting music before clarifying she’d ditch negativity instead. Her March 12 performance brought those struggles to the forefront.
Toward the concert’s end, as shared on social media, she explained the album title Love in Real Life, saying, “I named it that because about a year and a half ago — it’s so hard for me to talk about — I was in such a dark, deep depression. I was so heartbroken by the world and so deeply hurt that I didn’t want to live anymore, and I was so deeply afraid of people that I didn’t want to be seen. Eventually, I got over that fear. As I was walking through the crowd to get to my spot, something miraculous happened. Somebody, who I didn’t know, looked at me and said, ‘Lizzo, I love you.’ And they reached out, and I reached back, and we hugged, and it felt so damn good.”
Calling the moment “f*ing life-saving,” Lizzo told the crowd, “And after that experience, I was like, ‘Damn, you can’t get this sht on the internet, bro. This is the kind of love you can only get in real life. And I don’t share that story to gain some sort of sympathy. We’re beyond that, b*tch. Look at me!”
She hopes her story inspires others, adding, “If you’re depressed, reach out to someone who will listen. If you’re mad about the government, reach out to someone else who’s mad about the government and fking organize. If you hate the way you look, reach out to someone who loves you and who will tell you, ‘You are f**king beautiful as you are right now, no matter how your body changes.’ Because you may not believe, but you are special.”
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