Lizzo Slams the ‘Khia Asylum’ Meme as Misogynistic: These Artists Embraced It
After Lizzo’s latest album failed to chart, people began to joke that she was stuck in the “Khia Asylum.” The viral phrase is used to describe artists whose careers are struggling. Lizzo said that she resents the phrase, partially because it denigrates the artist Khia, and because she thinks it’s typically used to describe women. While she doesn’t like it, other artists have embraced the phrase.
Lizzo said she doesn’t like the ‘Khia Asylum’ meme
Lizzo’s most recent album, Bitch, failed to chart. As a result, people began joking that she was now locked in the Khia Asylum.
“Even that is backhanded in itself, to name it after this extremely phenomenal… this extremely talented incredible pillar in the Black community and in Black rap music,” she said in an interview with Zachary Hourihane (via Entertainment Weekly).
She added that she thinks the joke has become a “weapon that targets only women, and a lot of Black women. Let’s be real.”
While she said she doesn’t have a problem with it as a meme, she doesn’t think people should take it seriously.
“I think it’s just funny for people, and I think it should remain funny, it should remain a meme,” she said. “Now it’s evolved to a thing where somebody could be the most successful artist last year, and now they’re back in the Khia Asylum?”
She added that she sees it as “a tool to bully artists and have power over them.” Lizzo also doesn’t believe she should be described this way because she has won Grammys and had previous hits.
“I am a successful artist,” she said, adding, “Save that for the one-hit wonders. No shade!”
These artists have a different take on the ‘Khia Asylum’ meme than Lizzo
While Lizzo resents having people see her as being locked in the Khia Asylum, other artists have gotten in on the joke. Bebe Rexha shared a meme of the Grim Reaper freeing artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX, and Zara Larsson from the asylum. She remains behind a locked door, though.
“Guys please help me,” she wrote in the post. “It’s so lonely in here.”
“I heard Sabrina got out. Zara, Charli, they left,” she said in a follow-up voice note. “They never looked back. And my fat a**, flop a** is still in here.”
Larsson, who has recently seen more career success, joked that she’s finally free from the Khia Asylum.
“I feel like I’m out of the Khia Asylum for sure,” she told Dazed Digital. “I’m like wait, it’s cool to listen to my songs?”
Charli had a huge moment after the release of Brat. Still, she joked that she could end up back in the asylum.
“Who says I’m not going back there?” she said during a screening of her film The Moment. “The doors to the asylum, I hear they keep them open. And I’d love to pop back in there, see all my cool friends.”
Her most recent release, “Wink Wink,” failed to chart on the Spotify global chart.
