Lizzo is the multi-talented Minneapolis-based MC bringing hip-hop back to the future. The latest subject of our series with Yours Truly has been compared to Missy Elliot and André 3000—“If they wanna call me that, it’s cool with me!”—and is classically trained yet street savvy. At 20 she gave up the prospect of a career as a flautist to teach herself how to become a solo artist, armed with a Beyoncé-loaded iPod and her own obsessive will. Born Melissa Jefferson in Detroit and raised in Ms. Knowles’ own Houston before moving to her current home city three years ago, her musical epiphanies have been manifold, ranging from skipping school to catch Destiny’s Child perform at Walmart, to playing flute in her school band. “When we played ‘White Christmas’ in sixth grade I got goose-bumps,” says the 26-year-old, who also grew up on the gospel music of her family. “Music has always moved me in the same way, and I wanted to translate that into what I create.” Her debut album Lizzobangers is a fierce slice of balls-out hip-hop, fueled as much by her effervescent, polyphonic compositions as her uncompromising beats and lyrical flow. “The music that I make is a conversation with myself, where I let out my pent up emotion, whether it’s happiness, sadness or whatever,” she says. “Everyone pops up: family, friends, Anna Wintour. It’s weird rap!”

Lizzo plays Reading and Leeds festivals from Friday August 22 before touring the US from September 7.