Lizzo - "About Damn Time"

Overview: "About Damn Time" is a 2022 single by American singer and rapper Lizzo, released as the lead single from her fourth studio album, Special. The song blends funk-pop and nu-disco elements and became one of Lizzo's highest-profile releases of the 2022 album cycle.

Quick facts

Title: "About Damn Time"
Artist: Lizzo (Melissa Viviane Jefferson)
Release date: April 14, 2022.
Album: Special (fourth studio album).
Length: 3:11 (original single).
Label: Nice Life / Atlantic.

Writers and producers

The credited songwriters for "About Damn Time" include Blake Slatkin, Eric Frederic (Ricky Reed), Larry Price, Malcolm McLaren, Melissa Jefferson (Lizzo), Ronald Larkins, Stephen Hague, and Theron Makiel Thomas. The officially credited producers are Blake Slatkin and Ricky Reed. These credits reflect the song's authorship and the interpolation credited to earlier works.

Recording and studio details

According to interviews with collaborators, work on "About Damn Time" began in early January 2022 with producers Blake Slatkin and Ricky Reed creating initial chord and bass ideas; Lizzo then contributed hooks and melodies. The track underwent many sessions and iterations during its completion, with Slatkin and team describing a multi-month, multi-session process to finalize the song. Specific studio names for the final tracking and mixing are not consistently listed in public liner-note summaries; interview accounts emphasize an extended collaborative studio process rather than a single, named studio session.

Composition and interpolation

Musically the song is described as funk-pop and nu-disco with a prominent bassline and a piano motif in the chorus. The chorus features an interpolation credited to the 1984 track "Hey DJ" by The World's Famous Supreme Team; the interpolation accounts for some of the additional songwriting credits. The song combines upbeat disco-tinged production with celebratory lyrical themes.

Chart performance and certifications

"About Damn Time" debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 in April 2022 and climbed to number one on the Hot 100 in July 2022, becoming Lizzo's second US number-one single; it held the top position for two consecutive weeks. The single also reached high positions internationally, including top-three placings in several countries and a top-10 placement on the Billboard Global 200. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the single multi-platinum in the United States.

Promotion, viral reach, and media uses

Promotion for the single included television previews and high-profile live performances (including Saturday Night Live in April 2022). The song became a viral sensation on social media, particularly TikTok, where a choreographed routine by a creator (Jaeden Gomez) spread widely and was picked up by celebrities, influencers, and fans; Lizzo amplified this activity with performance and tutorial clips. The track was used in mainstream broadcasts and platforms, including a Sportsnet "Hockey Night in Canada" pre-game montage in October 2022 and inclusion in Just Dance+.

Music video

The official music video for "About Damn Time" was directed by Christian Breslauer. The video presents a sequence of comedic and high-energy scenes, including a support-group setup, wardrobe transformations, choreographed hallway and dance sequences, and playful visual set pieces consistent with the song's upbeat tone.

Awards and notable remixes

At the 2023 Grammy Awards, "About Damn Time" won Record of the Year.
The Purple Disco Machine remix of "About Damn Time" won the Grammy Award for Best Remixed Recording. The remix and its producer were recognized at the same ceremony.

Controversies and legal matters (contextual to the artist and touring period)

Separate from the song itself, Lizzo became the subject of legal claims and lawsuits beginning in 2023 that involved former tour dancers and a wardrobe/styling employee who alleged a hostile work environment and other misconduct by members of touring staff. Lizzo publicly denied those allegations. Court proceedings have produced mixed rulings on specific claims and plaintiffs; for example, a federal judge in December 2024 ruled in one stylist's case that the singer could not be sued as an individual on some counts while leaving the touring company as a defendant. A Los Angeles judge in early 2024 denied a motion to dismiss the dancers' lawsuit in part, allowing certain allegations to proceed while dismissing others. These events concern the artist and her touring organization broadly rather than the single "About Damn Time" itself. The legal record and reporting are the sources for these facts.

Notable cover versions and remixes

There are prominent remixes of the single, most notably the Purple Disco Machine remix which received critical attention and a Grammy win for Best Remixed Recording. Major mainstream cover versions by other well-known recording artists do not appear in major press summaries or official release listings as widely noted; live fan and creator covers circulated online as part of the song's viral moment, but no single mainstream cover release has been identified as widely reported.

Expanded song meaning and artist comments

Lizzo described the song in interviews as intended to be uplifting and celebratory, a track to mark survival and resilience after difficult periods; she framed it as a song meant to lift listeners' spirits and provide a positive, danceable moment. Collaborators have described Lizzo as integral to crafting the hook and melodies and have recounted the lengthy creative process behind finalising the chorus and arrangement. Beyond those published interview remarks from Lizzo and collaborators, no extended documentary-style commentary exists that reinterprets the lyrics in technical academic terms; the primary on-record explanations are the artist's own statements about wanting a feel-good, empowering anthem.

Short lyric excerpt

"It's about damn time"

Summary

"About Damn Time" stands as a commercially successful and culturally visible single in Lizzo's catalog: a lead single from Special (2022) that topped the US charts, won major awards, inspired viral choreography and remixes, and became entwined with the artist's widely reported touring-era legal controversies. Public, verifiable sources document the song's credits, chart path, awards, and some media placements; reporting on lawsuits concerns the broader tour and staffing environment rather than the musical composition itself.