Funk-pop heroine Lizzo sent fans into meltdown mode on June 24 by announcing a surprise mixtape titled MY FACE HURTS FROM SMILING. It dropped today via Nice Life and Atlantic Records, with 13 hard-hitting tracks, featuring collaborations with Doja Cat and SZA (my personal holy trinity, to be honest). Co-produced with longtime collaborators Blake Slatkin and Ricky Reed, Lizzo has leaned into a grittier sound. The “Truth Hurts” singer uses a mix of her soulful vocals and fierce rap skills to paint pictures of a Lizzo who is as bold and confident as ever.
SMILING is Lizzo’s first full-length release since 2022’s Special, which gave us viral hits “About Damn Time,” and “2 Be Loved (Am I Ready).” She’s keeping fans well fed, with her forthcoming album, Love in Real Life, also set to release sometime in 2025. She revealed in an Instagram post on March 19 that the album was complete, so fans have likely been expecting an official release date rather than an entirely separate project.
You might be wondering, “What’s the difference between an album and a mixtape?” I’m glad you asked. Albums are generally more formal works with marketing strategies and a gradual rollout of singles and music videos. The mixtape tends to be more experimental, rougher around the edges, with less of a clear commercial purpose. Traditionally, mixtapes were short compilations of music on physical cassette tapes or compact discs that developing artists would distribute for free or at a low cost to give listeners a taste and get their name out there. Since the rise of digital streaming, the mixtape has become a means for emerging and established artists to experiment with different sounds and share music that may not fit the trajectory of their broader body of work.
That seems to be what Lizzo has done with MY FACE HURTS FROM SMILING. She is embracing her rap roots, empowering other women in rap and taking audacious musical risks. She has teased snippets of several songs in recent months, and the full project has struck a chord with fans so far. An Instagram user commented, “I should not be this lit this early in the morning. Got me at work shaking all my little a**!” On TikTok, commenters are “loving rap Lizzo,” and “ready for a Yitty summer!”
MY FACE HURTS FROM SMILING is available to stream wherever you listen to music.
Keep up with Lizzo: Instagram // Facebook // X // YouTube // Spotify // Apple Music
