Birthdays? Not always so fun. There are bars with cover charges, memento mori, bad hangovers. But Beyoncé wishing you a happy birthday on your birthday? Based on Lizzo’s reaction to this exact experience, it seems fun and cathartic.
On Monday, Lizzo’s 32nd birthday, Beyoncé posted a picture of baby Lizzo with the message “HAPPY BIRTHDAY LIZZO” on her website. Lizzo responded the next day with an ecstatic Instagram post containing a selfie of her covering her smiling face with her hand (perhaps wiping away tears of joy?) and a message that reads, “YALL. @beyonce BEY YON SAY wished me a happy birthday BITCH ! I don’t know how to ACT … She is my inspiration to be a singer after seeing destiny’s child perform in the 5th grade.”
Not done with her fun, Lizzo posted a video of herself further thanking Beyoncé. “Beyoncé wished me happy birthday. Beyoncé wished me happy birthday on her website. She knows it’s my birthday,” she said, clearly on the verge of tears. “Thank you, Beyoncé. She knows. She knows I exist. I don’t know what to do with myself. Wow, gonna sit with that one for a while.”
In fact, lots of celebrities wished Lizzo a happy birthday on Instagram. In the comments of one of Lizzo’s birthday posts alone Lil Nas X, Lili Reinhart, Megan Thee Stallion, Diplo, Normani, Charli XCX, Junglepussy, Janet Mock, and many, many more sent Lizzo congratulations on the big 3-2.
But as Lizzo teaches us, there’s no greater gift than celebrating yourself.