LEVEL B1
Listen at 3 different speeds
Check how well you can understand spoken English. Choose a speed and listen to the report. Practise listening faster and slower to help you improve.
Hide
transcript
Pop star changes lyrics - 4th July 2022
Lizzo has made a quick change to her newest song 'GRRRLS'. Her fans were unhappy with an offensive word she used.
The original version of 'GRRRLS' had an offensive word for the disorder, spastic diplegia. This is a form of the brain condition, cerebral palsy. She used it in an offensive way. This "shocked" and "disappointed" her fans. They asked her to remove the word. Lizzo quickly made a new version and replaced the word.
Lizzo apologised and said she didn't mean to hurt anyone. She also posted on social media. "As a fat black woman in America, I've had many hurtful words used against me, so I understand the power words can have."
Lizzo said she listened to her fans and made the change quickly. She wants to use her music to bring positive changes to the world. The original version of the song is no longer played. The new version is now on Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube.
Author Malorie Blackman admired how quickly Lizzo made the change. Autism activist Callum Stephen was also pleased with her actions. He wrote on Twitter "Everyone makes mistakes - what is important is how we respond to them."
