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Lizzo Speaks Out in Support of Palestine, Sudan, DR Congo & College Protests: ‘We Ain’t Free ‘Til We All Free’

The star also gave an update on her mental health.

Lizzo attends the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 10, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Lizzo attends the 2024 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 10, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic

More and more celebrities are speaking up amid devastating violence, genocide and famine in Palestine, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Lizzo took to Instagram on Monday (May 13) to join the conversation.

“I just want to take a second and give a personal thank you to all of the activists who have been working tirelessly to help the liberation and the freedom of the people who have been genocided all over the world, specifically Palestine, Sudan and the Congo,” she shared in an Instagram video, speaking directly to the camera. “As someone who has worked closely with activists, I know the toll it can take on your mental and your physical and it can feel thankless so if you have not heard it today, thank you. Your work is not in vain. You have helped so many people, you have saved literal lives and, on a personal note, you have activated me.”


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The “Special” singer added that she was “in a deep, dark depression” and “had some mental health crises and episodes” over the last year, which left her in “an emotional state where I could not process or handle anything. It was very dark.”

She continued, “I’m not saying this to make excuses, nor do I want sympathy. I just haven’t been able to be transparent with y’all in a long time. This has been weighing on my heart to share with y’all. The people in my life who love and care about me, they helped me get out of this dark space. I appreciate them, kind words from people on the internet, they really motivated me, but also the activism that I’ve been seeing has been extremely motivating. Y’all have really motivated me to get my a– up and get back to who I am.”

Lizzo concluded her message by shouting out the students who have been tirelessly protesting on college campuses, as well as organizations like Operation Olive Branch, which have been working to connect people directly with struggling Palestinian families. “I have been reaching out to activists seeing how I can help and stay tuned for more information on how you can help these ongoing genocides in the world because we ain’t free ’til we all free,” she shared.

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Watch Lizzo’s full video below.

This article was originally published by Billboard U.S.

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Domhnall Gleeson & Taylor Swift
@taylorswift (Instagram)

Domhnall Gleeson & Taylor Swift

Pop

Taylor Swift Drops Two Extended Versions of ‘Opalite’ Video With Hilarious Behind-the-Scenes Outtakes: ‘Never Want to Forget a Single Detail’

The bonus versions include Swift describing the genesis of the throwback clip.

A week after dropping the hilarious, retro ’90s video for “Opalite,” Taylor Swift is doubling down with two extended versions of the star-studded clip. In an Instagram post announcing the bonus footage on Friday morning (Feb. 13), Swift shared a series of behind-the-scenes screen grabs from the set, writing, “I never want to forget a single detail of this hysterical shoot, and now I don’t have to! Excited to share more of the ‘Opalite’ Music Video with two extended versions full of dance lessoning, our phenomenal cameos, camcorder footage, gigantic scrunchies & fanny pack angles!”

In the first extended cut, after the full official video featuring dance partner Domhnall Gleeson, as well as Lewis Capaldi, Greta Lee, Jodie Turner-Smith, Graham Norton and Cillian Murphy unspools, Swift pops up on old school TV explaining the genesis of the clip that had a real-life inspiration. “For like a year I was like, ‘what would I do for the ‘Opalite’ video?’,” Swift says, explaining that the idea for the visual she wrote and directed was hatched when she appeared on Norton’s British chat show in October with a panel that became the cast of the video.

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