Photo of Lizzo
Photo: Treefort Music Fest · CC BY 2.0

Solo Artist

Lizzo

Active2011-present
OriginDetroit, Michigan, U.S. (raised in Houston, Texas; based in Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Albums5
Tracks60

Most frequent collaborator: Ricky Reed  ·  22 tracks

PopHip-HopR&BSoulFunk-Pop
98%
Authorship
Complete Artist

Holds writing credit on 59 of 60 tracks

Does Lizzo write her own songs?

Yes. Lizzo is credited on about 98% of her catalogue and co-writes every song, most often with producer Ricky Reed. Hits like 'Juice,' 'About Damn Time,' and 'Truth Hurts' are her co-writes. She also plays flute on her records, adding a distinctive touch to her pop-soul-rap sound.

By the Numbers

5
Studio Albums
60
Tracks Credited
98%
Self-Written
15
Years Active
121
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 59 / 60 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 60 tracks: how many Lizzo wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Lizzo has a writing credit98%
20%
78%
2%
Sole author12tracks20%
Co-written47tracks78%
Outside writers1tracks2%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Lizzo's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 60 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)98%
Composer (music)98%
Producer20%
Performer100%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Lizzo's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 98%
100%
100%
100%
100%
92%
2013Lizzobangers
2015Big Grrrl Small World
2019Cuz I Love You
2022Special
2026Bitch
Early · 100% written
Late · 96% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

100%
2010s
Lizzobangers, Big Grrrl Small World +1 more
96%
2020s
Special, Bitch

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Lizzo sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Lizzo
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Whitney Houston5%
Aretha Franklin14%
The Jacksons24%
Kelly Clarkson49%
TLC59%
Christina Aguilera74%
John Legend83%
98%Lizzo
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Juice
Cuz I Love You
Written by Lizzo, Eric Frederic, Theron Thomas, Sam Sumser, Sean Small
Co-wrote
Tempo
Cuz I Love You
Written by Lizzo, Dan Farber, Eric Frederic, Tobias Wincorn, Theron Thomas, Raymond Scott, Antonio Cuna, Missy Elliott
Co-wrote
About Damn Time
Special
Written by Lizzo, Theron Thomas, Eric Frederic, Blake Slatkin, Malcolm McLaren, Ronald Larkins, Larry Price, Stephen Hague
Co-wrote
2 Be Loved (Am I Ready)
Special
Written by Lizzo, Peter Svensson, Max Martin, Savan Kotecha, Ilya Salmanzadeh
Co-wrote
Special
Special
Written by Lizzo, Theron Thomas, Max Martin, Pop Wansel, Ian Kirkpatrick, Daoud Anthony
Co-wrote
Don't Make Me Love U
Bitch
Written by Lizzo, Cheche Alara, Desmond Child, Eric Frederic, Holly Knight, Jon Bon Jovi, Mike Chapman, Richie Sambora, Sam Nelson Harris, Ricky Reed
Co-wrote

Discography 5 albums

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Lizzo60 tracks
RR22 EF18 TT15 L14 AM13 RO13

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. RR Ricky Reed · EF Eric Frederic · TT Theron Thomas · L Lazerbeak · AM Aaron Mader · RO Ryan Olson

The Writers & Producers Behind Lizzo 6 key collaborators

RR
Ricky Reed
Songwriter & Producer
Cuz I Love You / Special / Bitch22 tracks
EF
Eric Frederic
Songwriter
Cuz I Love You / Special / Bitch18 tracks
TT
Theron Thomas
Songwriter
Cuz I Love You / Special / Bitch15 tracks
L
Lazerbeak
Producer
Lizzobangers / Big Grrrl Small World14 tracks
AM
Aaron Mader
Songwriter
Lizzobangers13 tracks
RO
Ryan Olson
Songwriter
Lizzobangers13 tracks

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Lizzo is a consistent co-writer across her entire catalog, holding songwriting credit on every track except the title track of her 2026 album Bitch, a cover of Meredith Brooks' 1997 song. Her early albums feature her as the sole credited writer, while her major-label records bring in professional co-writing teams. Beginning with Bitch (2026), she also takes explicit co-production credits on most tracks. Her lyricist score is very high; her composer score is somewhat lower due to heavy external production across Cuz I Love You and Special.

Quick Facts

  • GrammysWon Best Pop Solo Performance for 'Truth Hurts' (2020) and Record of the Year for 'About Damn Time' (2023)
  • Truth HurtsSpent seven weeks at number one, a record for a rap song by a female artist at the time
  • Main producerRicky Reed is her most frequent co-writer and producer
  • FlutistA classically trained flutist who performs with her flute, named Sasha Flute
  • Cuz I Love YouHer 2019 major-label breakthrough reached number four on the Billboard 200

Creative Fingerprint

A co-writer on nearly everything: Lizzo is credited on about 98% of her catalogue, co-writing every song, most often with producer Ricky Reed, blending rap, pop, and soul with her own flute playing.

The Story

Lizzo (born Melissa Viviane Jefferson, April 27, 1988) is an American singer, rapper, and multi-instrumentalist raised in Houston, Texas, who built her career in Minneapolis. A classically trained flautist, she incorporates the flute as a signature element of her live performances and recordings. Her 2019 major-label debut Cuz I Love You and the accompanying single "Truth Hurts", which went viral over a year after its initial release, launched her to mainstream stardom, with "Truth Hurts" reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. She received the Grammy Award for Best Urban Contemporary Album for Cuz I Love You in 2020. Lizzo co-writes virtually all of her own music and has increasingly taken on co-production credits across her later albums.

Awards & Recognition

Won Best Pop Solo Performance for 'Truth Hurts' (2020)
Won Record of the Year for 'About Damn Time' (2023)
'Truth Hurts' spent seven weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100
Cuz I Love You (2019) reached number four on the Billboard 200

Frequently Asked Questions Lizzo

Does Lizzo write her own songs?
Yes. Lizzo is credited on about 98% of her catalogue and co-writes every song, most often with producer Ricky Reed. Hits like 'Juice,' 'About Damn Time,' and 'Truth Hurts' are her co-writes. She also plays flute on her records, adding a distinctive touch to her pop-soul-rap sound.
Who wrote 'Truth Hurts'?
'Truth Hurts,' released in 2017, was co-written by Lizzo with a team of writers and producers. After going viral in 2019 it became her first number-one single and spent seven weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. It was a single rather than a standard album track at first.
Who is Ricky Reed to Lizzo?
Ricky Reed, born Eric Frederic, is Lizzo's most frequent producer and co-writer. He helped shape her breakthrough sound across Cuz I Love You and her biggest singles.
Did Lizzo win a Grammy?
Yes. She won Best Pop Solo Performance for 'Truth Hurts' in 2020 and Record of the Year for 'About Damn Time' in 2023, among several nominations across her career.
Who wrote 'About Damn Time'?
'About Damn Time,' from Special (2022), was co-written by Lizzo with a team including Ricky Reed. The disco-influenced single won the Grammy for Record of the Year and returned her to the top of the charts.
How many albums has Lizzo released?
This catalogue covers her studio albums from Lizzobangers (2013) through Bitch (2026), including her commercial breakthrough Cuz I Love You and the Grammy-winning Special.
Does Lizzo play an instrument?
Yes. Lizzo is a classically trained flutist and often incorporates flute into her performances and recordings, even naming her instrument Sasha Flute. It sets her apart among pop stars.
What genre is Lizzo?
Lizzo makes pop, hip-hop, R&B, and soul with funk influences, mixing rapping and belting on empowerment anthems like 'Juice,' 'Good as Hell,' and 'About Damn Time.'

Sources

Wikipedia: Lizzo