Lizzo Announces New Mixtape ‘My Face Hurts From Smiling’ Featuring Doja Cat and SZA
Lizzo Drops Surprise Mixtape ‘My Face Hurts From Smiling’ This Friday
Lizzo is back in the spotlight with a brand-new mixtape, and it’s dropping sooner than you think. On Tuesday, the 37-year-old artist took to Instagram to announce My Face Hurts From Smiling — a 13-track project landing this Friday and packed with star power, including features from Doja Cat and SZA.The mixtape's edgy cover art shows Lizzo flipping off the camera with smiley face emojis covering her middle fingers, adding a signature dose of boldness to the reveal. She captioned the post simply: “‘My Face Hurts From Smiling’ – The mixtape – drops Friday.”
Mixtape Comes Ahead of Studio Album ‘Love in Real Life’
My Face Hurts From Smiling appears to be separate from Lizzo’s upcoming studio album, Love in Real Life, which she first teased earlier this year. While her label has yet to confirm whether this is an official prelude or a stand-alone project, fans now have not one but two major Lizzo releases to look forward to.Lizzo’s Return to Music After a Quiet Period
The title track, released back in February, marked Lizzo’s first solo single in nearly three years. With a rock-infused pop vibe, it signaled a fresh sonic chapter for the Grammy-winning artist, whose last full-length album was 2022’s Special.She followed it up with a second single, “Still Bad,” in March — keeping momentum steady as anticipation grew for her next big move.
“End of an Era” and a New Creative Phase
Lizzo had been hinting at a reset since last year. In February, she posted a video spray-painting over her Special album art while repeating the phrase “Bye, Bitch”, calling it the “End of an Era.”But it wasn’t until a December appearance on Keke Palmer’s podcast, Baby, This is Keke Palmer, that Lizzo confirmed what fans had been hoping for: “My album is done. I’m so happy. People thought I was on a gap year, but mama was in the studio.”
Lizzo Addresses Legal Challenges and Moving Forward
During that same podcast, Lizzo also opened up about the lawsuit filed by former tour dancers alleging sexual harassment and hostile work conditions. She described the lawsuit as a blindsiding experience that came just after the tour ended.“I got dismissed from the case,” she told Palmer. “We’re continuing to fight the other claims until they’re all dismissed—not dropped, but dismissed. That’s a big victory.”
Tracklist and Features Preview
While a full tracklist is yet to be officially confirmed, the Instagram post hinted at features from Doja Cat and SZA, two powerhouse collaborators who suggest the mixtape will be both emotionally charged and sonically rich.Between her brash humor, raw honesty, and undeniable talent, Lizzo looks ready to re-enter the pop conversation in a major way.
