Big Grrrl Small World (sometimes stylized as Big GRRRL Small World)[5][6] is the second studio album by American rapper and singer Lizzo.[7] It was released on her own record label BGSW[8] on December 11, 2015.[9] The album received "generally favorable reviews" from critics.[10]
| Big Grrrl Small World | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio albumby | ||||
| Released | December 11, 2015 (2015-12-11) | |||
| Recorded | 2013–2015 | |||
| Genre | Hip hop[1] | |||
| Length | 43:30 | |||
| Label | BGSW | |||
| Producer |
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| Lizzo chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Big Grrrl Small World | ||||
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As soon as her debut studio album Lizzobangers was released in 2013, Lizzo started writing new songs.[11] She made at least 25 demos that didn't end up on Big Grrrl Small World.[11] The oldest song on the album is "The Fade".[12]
In 2014, Lizzo participated in StyleLikeU's What's Underneath project, where she removed her clothes as she talked about her relationships with her body.[13] Inspired by the experience, she wrote "My Skin",[13] which she described as "the thesis statement of the album".[12] In a 2015 interview with Vice, she said: "You can wake up and change many things about your appearance, but the inevitability of waking up in your skin is what unifies us."[13]
The recording of the album took place at Justin Vernon's April Base Studios in Fall Creek, Wisconsin.[14]
The album was released on BGSW on December 11, 2015.[9] In 2019, the album was removed from all streaming services and digital retailers, to aid in Lizzo's campaign for Best New Artist at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.[15]
Music videos were created for "My Skin"[16] and "Humanize".[17] Paste placed the video for "My Skin" at number 8 on the "25 Best Music Videos of 2015" list.[18]
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 79/100[10] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| DIY |   [19] |
| The Guardian | [20] |
| NME | 4/5[21] |
| The Observer | [22] |
| Paste | 8.2/10[23] |
| Pitchfork | 7.5/10[24] |
| Spin | 7/10[9] |
AtMetacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 79, based on 10 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[10]
Alexis Petridis of The Guardian gave the album four stars out of five, saying, "the album's tracks display a marked tendency to end up in an entirely different place from where they started, helped by the fact that Lizzo is as strong a vocalist as she is a rapper."[20]
Hilary Saunders of Paste gave the album an 8.2 out of 10, praising Lizzo's "ability to rap and sing with equal tenacity."[23]
Andrea Swensson of The Current wrote: "There's an old feminist adage that says that the personal is political, and Lizzo seems to understand this concept intrinsically."[25]
Star Tribune placed the album at number 3 on the "Twin Cities Critics Tally 2015" list.[26] Spin placed it at number 17 on the "50 Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2015" list.[1]
All tracks written by Melissa "Lizzo" Jefferson.
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Ain't I" |
| 3:55 |
| 2. | "Betcha" | Burton | 2:59 |
| 3. | "Ride" |
| 3:50 |
| 4. | "Humanize" | Burton | 3:30 |
| 5. | "Bother Me" | Burton | 5:02 |
| 6. | "B.G.S.W." | Stefon "Bionik" Taylor | 3:16 |
| 7. | "The Fade" | Taskforce | 2:59 |
| 8. | "1 Deep" | Burton | 3:26 |
| 9. | "The Realest" | Burton | 3:54 |
| 10. | "En Love" | Taylor | 3:24 |
| 11. | "My Skin" | Taylor | 4:18 |
| 12. | "Jang a Lang" | Taylor | 2:51 |
| Total length: | 43:30 | ||
Credits adapted from the 2015 CD edition's liner notes.