Lizzo Reflects on ‘Soul-Crushing’ Album Sales for ‘Btch’

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, marking a significant departure from the performance of her 2022 effort, “Special,” which debuted at No. 2.

In a candid interview with Zachary Hourihane, known as the Swiftologist, the “About Damn Time” singer admitted that while she met her initial pre-save goals, the actual release did not 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 indicates that “Btch” moved 2,649 pure copies during its debut week, totaling approximately 5,000 album-equivalent units.

This marks the first time a project from the artist has failed to chart since 2015’s “Big Grrrl Small World.” Reflecting on the shifting landscape of the music industry, Lizzo noted that her connection with the global audience has evolved significantly over the last three years. Despite the low sales figures, she expressed a sense of resilience and confirmed she is already preparing to return to the studio.

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