Lizzo graces the newest issue of New York magazine, and inside, her longtime friend SZA steps up to defend her. The “Kill Bill” singer opened up about why she has remained firmly by Lizzo’s side as the star continues to face lawsuits and public backlash.
SZA did not hold back when addressing how people turned on Lizzo following multiple lawsuits filed against her. “It was so weird to watch everybody attack her because it actually had nothing to do with what was going on,” she explained. To SZA, what sets Lizzo apart is her ability to rise above turmoil. “I think what’s special about my friend is she is a master healer. She is always going to get to the bottom of herself. Nobody cleared her name for her. Nobody could give her that vindication; she gave it to herself. I just felt like she 100 percent genie’d herself through that.”
The lawsuits date back to 2023, when a former employee, Asha Daniels, alleged harassment and discrimination before Lizzo was later dismissed from that particular case. Another legal battle, filed by three former backup dancers, is still active and includes claims of harassment, disability discrimination, and false imprisonment.
Even with the legal drama, the bond between SZA and Lizzo has remained strong. In early 2025, the two joined forces on Lizzo’s My Face Hurts From Smiling mixtape. Before that, they recorded the remix of “Special” in 2023, and Lizzo surprised audiences at shows on SZA and Kendrick Lamar’s Grand National Tour.
During her own New York magazine interview, Lizzo opened up about her shelved project, Love in Real Life, much of which was written in 2022. “I sat down at the table and I said, ‘I need to do s—t my way starting from now. And I need y’all to have my back. It’s going to be a little scary,’” she recalled. “And everybody agreed. And they said, ‘We got your back, whatever you need.’”
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