Her success owes nothing to the usual requirement for a female performer to merely fit in a standard-sized dress and warble without embarrassment.
Rather, she has earned genuine respect for her musical ability, production work and artistic expression in her videos. It's been a triumph of style and substance over prejudice.
As she tells it in Joy, on last year's The Cookbook album: “Since ‘92 I came to win and never lose/They try to stop a chubby chick from comin' through/My belly out and sellin' out these venues.”
In the 1990s she co-wrote the songs with childhood friend and legendary beat master Timbaland that became hits for SWV, Destiny's Child and most notably Aaliya. She has also worked with Lil' Kim, Big Boi, Sean “Puffy” Combs, Nelly Furtado, Alicia Keys, and many others.
With her long-term collaborators -- including Magoo, Ginuwine and Playa -- she broke the mold of rhythm and blues to forge a glistening new-school style layered with innovative sounds, rap and soulful vocals.
The album Supa Dupa Fly in 1997 launched her solo career but she became a megastar with Miss E ... So Addictive in 2001. This album's clean production and impeccable beats have defined the genre.
Last year Elliott was nominated for five Grammy Awards and won Best Short Form Video for Lose Control. She was also nominated Best International Female Artist at the Brit Awards. Universal Pictures is making a movie about her life and a greatest hits album is coming out this month. The single We Run This was released earlier this year.
This doesn't sound like an artist on her way out. In fact, Elliott is on top of her game and her concert will be the hottest ticket in town next week.
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