If there’s one thing students do when they’re studying or on their way to class, it’s listening to music. In particular, Minnesota resident Melissa Vivianne Jefferson— commonly known as Lizzo—has captured the attention of millions across the nation through her music.

As an artist known for empowering women and preaching about self-confidence, her lyrics have been revolutionary for many of her listeners.  “She’s such a positive force of good that you can’t help but fall in love with her. She’s so body positive and accepting of diversity,” sophomore Olivia Sedarski said.

Even though she first started rapping as a teenager, Lizzo only recently gained attention. “I think that there still aren’t a whole lot of strong popular women, so I think that it’s awesome that [Lizzo’s] out there. She’s writing her own music, and so when she performs, it brings a whole extra level of authenticity when she’s using her own stuff,” Edina High School choir director Serina Jolivette said.

After continuously topping the Billboard charts this year for her 2017 song, “Truth Hurts,” Lizzo has proven that she will continue her musical legacy. “You can’t help but dance along to [her music]. The message is good—which is important—but it’s also music that you can just jam to,” Sedarski said.

Recently, Lizzo’s homecoming performance at The Armory in Minneapolis proved her incredible show presence. “I went into [her concert] not expecting that much because it was my first concert ever, but I knew it was Lizzo, so she was going to pull out all the stops for her home city and make it amazing,” Sedarski said. “The whole thing was just so full of energy and so incredible.”

Lizzo’s feel-good attitude and iconic flute skills produces an ear-catching quality to her unique approach to music that creates a lasting experience for her audience. “Her message is so completely accepting and positive, more so than I think any other artist that I know and just a bigger woman of color singing these songs as this huge superstar is just amazing,” Sedarski said. “I think she’s going to be one of those artists where you look back decades into the future and you say, ‘Oh my gosh, look at Lizzo, she was one of the artists that changed music.”