“I just took a DNA test, turns out I’m 100% that bitch!”
On this week’s artist profiling we’re taking an indepth look at the explosive force that is, Lizzo. She’s super talented, she’s big, she’s black and she’s unapologetic for being her. This multi-threat star is garnering attention very quickly for her positive approach to feminism, larger girls, black girls, LGBT issues and so much more. How is she doing this? We look through her Instagram and dissect it for you…
Who Are YOU?
Bad Bitch
Sasha Flute
Twerker
Motivational Speaker
Uncensored
Lizzo understands the importance of her fanbase and is strongly in favour of only making the music she wants to make, and getting that music to the people who need to hear it. In the short time she has been in the spotlight she has made a strong following of fans which has driven her career to new heights. She will consistently say “we” made it to the top, rather than “I”, because she owes her success to the fans.
The way that Lizzo has managed to speak out for so many marginalised groups has been key to her success. Especially in a time when LGBTQIA+ issues are being very openly discussed and more visibility is being fought for across gender equality, black lives matter and body positivity. Lizzo falls into many of these categories and connects with her fans who identify as a minority in one way or another. She uses her Instagram account to spread messages of love, motivational speaking, self love and accepting who you are. She’s even dubbed her fans “Lizzbians” – adding humour to the fact that a lot of her fans are gay.
Lizzo’s performing talents go beyond just her lyrical finesse, she is also a talented flute player which she’s even create an instagram account for. @sashabefluting is her secondary account where there a lots of videos of Lizzo playing the flute.
This account already has almost 300,000 followers. If you have enough content to create a side account for your brand, this will allow you to gain visibility on a different level.
Now let’s take a closer look at some of the content strategies Lizzo is using that you as a musician can also utilise.
GIFs & Loop Videos:
Creating short videos that loop again and again is effective. Tik Tok is living proof of this having just hit 1.5 billion downloads, the video looping app has broken Facebook’s monopoly on social media. These shorter videos are also great for your metrics as it generates more views because people are watching them on loop.
Lizzo is also using this format on Instagram, where she creates short videos of mostly herself doing random things. They are super captivating and they have you watching them over and over. I mean, the video compilation of her laughing whilst getting driven away on the back of golf carts was hilarious and I just don’t know why (see here). It is mesmerising is all I know. This particular video created a sea of memes, in one her laughter was compared to a duck, which Lizzo then reposted herself:
Try using this format as it is a proven successful method. Use it on both Tik Tok and Instagram. Tik Tok is still 100% free and organic – so you’d be silly to not be utilising the platform’s incredible visibility.
User Generated Content
If your fans are listening or dancing to your song and they share it… RESHARE IT! This is basically like a business testimonial. This way you are showing that people are listening to your music. And it’s usable content, of course. Proof of concept almost, right? The same as if anybody makes a remix or content piece with your song, it should be shared, along with your thoughts on it.
If you don’t have the visibility of Lizzo at the beginning then you can always reach out to content creators on Instagram of Tik Tok and ask them to create something with your music, once you’ve built up some sort of rapport first. As you’ll see from Tik Tok, if the right person/people create the right piece of content for your song, it could very well blow up in one day.
Sharing Personal Stories
You must give a lot of yourself to your fans if you are interested in building a solid fan base. Sharing personal stories and different sides of your life is important in order for fans to connect with you on a real level. When they start getting to know you, it allows a deeper connection to form which will keep them coming back for more.
Talk With Them, Not To Them
Take a leaf out of Lizzo’s book when communicating with your fanbase. She talks through the use of videos, captions, etc. and is done in a very personal way. You almost feel like she’s talking directly to you. She shares her personal thoughts, stories and even opened up to her fanbase about her depression. The connection she has with her fans through her channels is certainly unique.
Build Up Hype Around Your Shows
With such great content that surfaces from her shows such as twerking while playing a flute solo- it’s easy to see why people are adding a Lizzo show to their bucket list. The grande performances include lots of dancers and colours and all sorts. Using footage from any performances is a good way to build up hype for your next show. Of course not everyone will have Lizzo’s budget, but it’s a good idea to plan before what will look good on camera to share as content online.
Lizzo shows us that in order to succeed, you don’t have to fit in to the usual standards that most music genres seems to have. Take your differences, celebrate them, and connect with others that also celebrate theirs. Create, collaborate and celebrate. Use videos as a way to connect with fans and make it feel personal. Use looped videos for laughs! Be yourself and do it loudly.
