Lizzo accepted the People’s Champion Award from her mother, Shari Johnson-Jefferson, at the 2022 People’s Choice Awards last night (December 6). “When I first heard about this award, I was on the fence about whether I should accept because if I’m the people’s champ, I don’t need a trophy for championing people,” the Special songwriter said to begin her acceptance speech. “To be an icon isn’t about how long you’ve had your platform; being an icon is what you do with that platform.” It’s universally agreed upon that Lizzo used her six-minute People’s Choice platform beautifully.
The Emmy and Grammy winner brought several activists to the stage, naming them all and explaining each woman’s cause — including Jayla Rose, one of her Big Grrrls backup dancers, and Breonna Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer. Lizzo held back tears when introducing Maggie Mireles, whose sister, Eva Mireles, died while protecting her students during May’s Uvalde, Texas school shooting.
Lizzo’s speech concluded by urging the audience to “give them their flowers.” Stevie Nicks took to Instagram today (December 7) to give Lizzo flowers with an open letter.
“In my opinion~ your presentation last night on the People’s Choice Awards was not only so beautiful and so needed~ that you get the award for being a great woman of our time,” Nicks’s post reads. “I was so impressed and so touched that you put that together and pulled it off. It was stunning~ and everyone heard you. You have given all women soundbites forever~ flute player, singer, songwriter, future politician…? Your name is in the stars now.”
Lizzo also won Song Of 2022 for “About Damn Time” at the ceremony.
Watch her People’s Champion acceptance speech above.
Lizzo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.