We Can Thank Beyoncé For Inspiring Lizzo’s Grammy-Winning Music

While accepting the award for Record of the Year at the 2023 Grammys, Lizzo took a trip down memory lane to share that she skipped school in the fifth grade to see Beyoncé in concert.

By Kelly Gilmore Feb 06, 2023 5:06 AMTags

This speech is good as hell.

Lizzo took home the award for Record of the Year at the 2023 Grammys ceremony, hosted by Trevor Noah, on Feb. 5. While accepting the coveted honor, the 34-year-old gave a special shout out to Beyoncé, who was also nominated.

"Beyoncé, in the fifth grade I skipped school to see you perform," Lizzo admitted onstage. "My sister, she got me out of school. It was literature, I'm good."

Indeed, Beyoncé—who made history as the most decorated artist in Grammys history—had a huge impact on Lizzo.

"You changed my life," she declared on stage to the "Cuff It" artist, who was sitting in the audience. "You sang that gospel medley. And the way you made me feel, I was like, ‘I want to make people feel this way with my music.' So thank you so much. You clearly are the artist of our lives!"

Beyoncé wasn't the only artist she shouted out.

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"I want to dedicate this award to Prince," Lizzo shared. "When we lost Prince, I decided to dedicate my life to making positive music. And I was like, 'I don't care if my positivity bother you. What's wrong with you?'"

Reflecting on that turning point in her life, Lizzo shared that it was at "a time when positive music and feel-good music wasn't mainstream."

"I felt very misunderstood," she recalled. "I felt on the outside looking in, but I stayed true to myself because I wanted to make the world a better place so I had to be that change to make the world better place."

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Indeed, Lizzo feels a movement has taken place since then for the better.

"Now I look around, and there's all these songs that are about loving our bodies and feeling comfortable in our skin and feeling good! she continued. "And I'm just so proud to be a part of it."

Steve LacyKendrick LamarHarry StylesABBAAdeleMary J. BligeDoja Cat and Brandi Carlile (whose song features Lucius) were also nominated for Record of the Year.

Find out more winners at the 2023 Grammy Awards below.

Album of the Year

Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers - Kendrick Lamar

Special - Lizzo

Good Morning Gorgeous - Mary J. Blige

In These Silent Days - Brandi Carlile

Music of the Spheres - Coldplay

Voyage - ABBA

WINNER: Harry's House - Harry Styles

30 - Adele

Un Verano Sin Ti - Bad Bunny

Renaissance - Beyonce

Record of the Year

"Bad Habit" - Steve Lacy

"The Heart Part 5" - Kendrick Lamar

"As It Was" - Harry Styles

"Don't Shut Me Down" - ABBA

"Easy on Me" - Adele

"Break My Soul" - Beyonce

"Good Morning Gorgeous" - Mary J. Blige

WINNER: "About Damn Time" - Lizzo

"You And Me On The Rock" - Brandi Carlile featuring Lucius

"Woman" - Doja Cat

Song of the Year

"abcdefu" - GAYLE

"About Damn Time" - Lizzo

"All Too Well (10 Minute Version, The Short Film)" - Taylor Swift

"As It Was" - Harry Styles

"Bad Habit" - Steve Lacy

"Break My Soul" - Beyonce

"Easy on Me" - Adele

"God Did" - DJ Khaled featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend & Fridayy

"The Heart Part 5" - Kendrick Lamar

WINNER: "Just Like That" - Bonnie Raitt

Best New Artist

Anitta

Latto

Omar Apollo

Maneskin

DOMi & JD Beck

Tobe Nwigwe

Muni Long

WINNER: Samara Joy

Molly Tuttle

Wet Leg

Best Music Video

"Easy On Me" - Adele

"Woman" - Doja Cat

"As It Was" - Harry Styles

"The Heart Part 5" - Kendrick Lamar

"Yet To Come" - BTS

WINNER: "All Too Well: The Short Film" - Taylor Swift

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

"Don't Shut Me Down" - ABBA

"Bam Bam" - Camilla Cabello featuring Ed Sheeran

"My Universe" - Coldplay & BTS

"I Like You (A Happier Song) - Post Malone & Doja Cat

WINNER: "Unholy" - Sam Smith & Kim Petras

Best Pop Vocal Album

Voyage - ABBA

30 - Adele

Music of the Spheres - Coldplay

WINNER: Harry's House - Harry Styles

Special - Lizzo

Best Rap Song

"Churchill Downs" - Jack Harlow featuring Drake

"God Did" - DJ Khaled featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend & Fridayy

"Pushin P" - Gunna & Future featuring Young Thug

"WAIT FOR YOU" - Future featuring Drake & Tems

WINNER: "The Heart Part 5" - Kendrick Lamar

Best Rap Album

God Did - DJ Khaled

I Never Liked You - Future

Come Home The Kids Miss You - Jack Harlow

WINNER: Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers - Kendrick Lamar 

It's Almost Dry - Pusha T

 

Best R&B Performance

"Virgo's Groove" — Beyoncé

"Over" — Lucky Dave

"Hurt Me So Good" — Jazmine Sullivan

"Here With Me" — Mary J. Blige feat. Anderson .Paak

WINNER: "HRS & HRS" — Muni Long

Best R&B Song

WINNER: "Cuff It" - Beyoncé

"Good Morning Gorgeous" - Mary J. Blige

"Hrs & Hrs" - Muni Long

"Hurt Me So Good"  - Jazmine Sullivan

"Please Don't Walk Away" - PJ Morton

 

Best Traditional R&B Performance

"Do 4 Love" — Snoh Aalegra

WINNER: "Plastic Off the Sofa" — Beyoncé

"Good Morning Gorgeous" — Mary J. Blige

"Keeps on Fallin'" — Babyface feat. Ella Mai

"'Round Midnight" — Adam Blackstone feat. Jazmine Sullivan

 

Best Dance/Electronic Recording

WINNER: "Break My Soul" — Beyoncé

"Rosewood" — Bonobo

"Don't Forget My Love" — Diplo and Miguel

"I'm Good (Blue)" — David Guetta and Bebe Rexha

"Intimidated" — Kaytranada feat. H.E.R.

"On My Knees" — Rüfüs Du Sol

Best R&B Album

Good Morning Gorgeous (Deluxe) - Mary J. Blige

Breezy (Deluxe) - Chris Brown

Candydrip - Lucky Daye

Watch The Sun - PJ Morton

WINNER: Black Radio III - Robert Glasper

Best Country Song

WINNER: "Til You Can't" - Cody Johnson

"Circles Around This Town" - Maren Morris

"Doin' This" - Luke Combs

"I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor's Version, From The Vault)" - Taylor Swift

"If I Was a Cowboy" - Miranda Lambert

"I'll Love You Until The Day I Die" - Willie Nelson

Best Country Album

Growin' Up - Luke Combs

Palomino - Miranda Lambert

Ashley McBryde Presents: Lindeville - Ashley McBryde 

Humble Quest - Maren Morris

WINNER: A Beautiful Time - Willie Nelson

Best Rock Song

WINNER: "Broken Horses" - Brandi Carlile

"Black Summer" - Red Hot Chili Peppers

"Blackout" - Turnstile

"Harmonia's Dream" - The War On Drugs

"Patient Number 9" - Ozzy Osbourne featuring Jeff Beck

Best Rock Album

Dropout Boogie - The Black Keys

The Boy Named If - Elvis Costello & The Imposters

Crawler - Idles

Mainstream Sellout - Machine Gun Kelly

WINNER: Patient Number 9 - Ozzy Osbourne

Lucifer on the Sofa - Spoon

Best Latin Pop Album

AGUILERA - Christina Aguilera

De Adentro Pa Afuera - Camilo

VIAJANTE - Fonseca

WINNER: Pasieros - Rubén Blades & Boca Livre

Dharma + - Sebastián Yatra

 

Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording

Act Like You Got Some Sense - Jamie Foxx

All About Me!: My Remarkable Life In Show Business by Mel Brooks - Mel Brooks

Aristotle and Dante Dive Into The Waters of The World - Lin-Manuel Miranda

WINNER: Finding Me - Viola Davis

Music Is History - Questlove

Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album

El Alimento - Cimafunk

Tinta y Tiempo - Jorge Drexler

1940 Carmen - Mon Laferte

Alegoría - Gaby Moreno

Los Años Salvajes - Fito Paez

WINNER: Motomami - Rosalía

 

Best Alternative Music Album

WE — Arcade Fire

Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe in You — Big Thief

Fossora — Björk

WINNER: Wet Leg — Wet Leg

Cool It Down — Yeah Yeah Yeahs

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