Lizzo said she was coming, and she wasn’t playing around. After all  the online backlash about her weight loss journey, she took her frustrations toin the booth and came out with a mixtape. “My Face Hurts From Smiling” is 13 tracks of unapologetic energy that prove Lizzo will never let internet chatter or opinions stop her bag. She didn’t just quietly drop this project either. Over Memorial Day weekend, Lizzo teased her return with a freestyle called “WHIM WHAMMIE” that let everyone know Rap Lizzie was back and ready to claim her summer.

This mixtape is Lizzo fully embracing her rap skills and showing off that confidence that kills quietly. There’s no holding back, lyrically or creatively, throughout. The project gives listeners a taste of her versatility and readiness to switch lanes whenever she wants.

On the feature front, Lizzo links up with Doja Cat for the track “Still Can’t Fuh,” which is a high-energy collaboration that starts the mixtape off strong. She also teams up with SZA on “IRL,” bringing back the chemistry they first showed on the 2023 remix of Lizzo’s song “Special.” SZA teased this new collab earlier this week, calling herself a “guest star” on Lizzo’s project after what she described as a “lil after-dinner session” on Instagram. Just last month, the two performed “Special” together on the first LA stop of SZA and Kendrick Lamar’s Grand National Tour, reminding fans why their creative energy works so well together.

“My Face Hurts From Smiling” bridges the gap between now and Lizzo’s next full-length album, “Love in Real Life.” She confirmed back in March that she finished recording the album, which will include previously released singles like “Still Bad” and the title track. There’s no official release date yet, but this mixtape is keeping fans satisfied and hyped for what’s next.