“About Damn Time” could end up being the biggest song of Lizzo’s career. Currently, it’s at least in the conversation, as it recently became her second No. 1 single (after “Truth Hurts”) and it now has two weeks on top (to the seven of “Truth Hurts”). Whatever the case, what can be confirmed is that it was clearly an excellent choice for lead single from Lizzo’s album Special. There was a time, though, when Lizzo didn’t think that would be the case.
Lizzo is the guest on today’s new episode of Hot Ones and at 8:52 into the video, Sean Evans asks how Lizzo chooses her lead singles. Lizzo responded with the “About Damn Time” backstory, saying:
“‘About Damn Time’ was the last song I wrote for the album. I was turning in my masters in March. I wrote ‘About Damn Time’ in February, and I was like, ‘This one? [I don’t know] about this one.’ ‘Cause the hook wasn’t done, the verses wasn’t, ‘In a minute, I’ma need a….’ It wasn’t there yet. So I was like, ‘Uh-uh’ [shakes head].
And when I finished it, I was like, ‘Oh f*ck, this song needs to come out right motherf*ckin’ now. ‘I been so down and under pressure? I’m way too fine to be this stressed?’ It’s like, hello, we needed that right then when I dropped that motherf*cker. She I’m so bad at picking singles for myself because I think everything I do is incredible. I really do.”
Elsewhere in the episode, Lizzo talks about the Minneapolis music scene, her best older rap song, and more, so check it out above.
Lizzo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.