Lizzo has joined those criticising Sydney Sweeney’s controversial American Eagle advert.
- READ MORE: Lizzo – ‘Special’ review: joyful superstar uplifts with self-assured, self-empowering bops
The Euphoria star has faced backlash in recent days after starring in a new ad campaign for American Eagle, which repeatedly uses the slogan, “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans”
Many have been quick to criticise the “jeans” and “genes” homophone, suggesting that pairing the actor – who has blue eyes and blonde hair – with the tagline implies racist undertones and is reminiscent of dog-whistling eugenics.
Now, Lizzo has joined in on the backlash to the ad. Posting an image on Instagram yesterday (July 31) of her also dressed in head-to-toe denim alongside a caption: “If the Democrats won the election”, and “My jeans are black”.
Lizzo AE jeans
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— Popmemes by Jon
She joins Doja Cat, who also poked fun at the ad earlier this week when she posted a video on TikTok mimicking what Sweeney says in one of the ads, using an over-the-top Southern drawl.
While some people have suggested that the slogan used in the campaign has historical links to celebrating whiteness and eugenics, others have dismissed the backlash as faux, saying that critics are looking into a deeper meaning that isn’t there.
Others have criticised how the campaign looks to raise awareness for domestic violence with the new line of jeans, saying that the decision to pair this ad in particular with the cause is “tone deaf”.
Neither Sweeney nor American Eagle have spoken out on the uproar surrounding the campaign yet.
The actor will next be seen in the biopic Christy, where she is taking on the role of boxer Christy Martin. The film is due to premiere in September.
As for Lizzo, she recently took to social media to reveal the “truth” behind her weight loss, saying that it was down to diet and lifestyle changes rather than weight loss drugs.
Earlier this year, Lizzo was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live, where she played a medley of ‘Still Bad’ and ‘Love In Real Life’, the latter being the title track of her upcoming fifth studio album. In March, she said the record was “finished”, and it is likely also to include ‘Don’t Make Me Love You’, which she also played on SNL.
Lizzo has explained how she came up with the album title, saying that it came about after she realised how much more integral real-life friendships are compared to those made through social media.
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