Lizzo Reflects on ‘Soul-Crushing’ Commercial Performance of New Album

Grammy Award-winning artist Lizzo is opening up about the commercial struggles of her latest studio album, describing the project’s lack of chart success as a “soul-crushing” experience that forced her to reevaluate her personal worth. The singer’s new record, titled “Btch,” failed to crack the Billboard 200 albums chart following its June 5 release. The performance marks a sharp decline from her 2022 effort, “Special,” which debuted at No. 2 on the same chart with 69,000 equivalent album units in its first week.

In a candid interview with Zachary Hourihane, also known as the Swiftologist, the “About Damn Time” singer admitted that while she met her initial pre-save goals, the actual release didn’t meet her expectations. She revealed that she spent a full day internalizing the data as a personal failure. “I think that there was, like, 24 hours of my life where I based my success and my worth on a number,” Lizzo said. “And I think that was soul-crushing.” Industry data shows that “Btch” moved 2,649 pure copies during its debut week, totaling just 5,000 album-equivalent units. The momentum slowed further in the second week, with the album moving approximately 650 units.

This is the first time a project from the artist has failed to chart since 2015’s “Big Grrrl Small World.” The singer, who previously dominated the Billboard Hot 100 with hits like “Truth Hurts,” told Hourihane that she had to “mourn” the changing landscape of the industry. She noted that her musical connection with the global audience has shifted significantly over the last three years. Despite the low sales figures, Lizzo expressed a sense of resilience and indicated she is already preparing to head back into the studio.

She said the experience has helped her move past a fear of commercial rejection. “I’m not afraid of failure anymore because I’ve already won,” the singer said. “And I think that’s something that the general public may not believe or understand about me.” The artist concluded that while the reception was stressful and sad, she remains confident in the quality of the work, describing the new tracks as some of her best material to date.