‘Here we go, here we go, here we go again!’
By Judy Jak-Klein (she/her)
Warming up for Lizzo on her fourth trip to Glasgow was Sophia Eris, the ‘Juice’ star’s long-term DJ and friend, followed by Joy Crookes, who aptly described the headliner as “a very inspiring human being”.
Having been suitably warmed up by Eris and Crookes, the eager crowd went wild as the lights dimmed and Lizzo emerged from beneath the stage.
Overjoyed, the crowd sang along to the opener, ‘The Sign’, as Lizzo proceeded to roll out the likes of ‘2 Be Loved’, ‘Truth Hurts’ and the tour’s title track, ‘Special’.
She also performed her widely known songs, ‘Boys’ and ‘Water me’, hitting every high note perfectly. And, of course, it wouldn’t be a Lizzo performance without a solo on her flute, Sasha, and some juicy twerking on stage. Her backup singers were also on point and seemed like they were having fun, because who wouldn’t want to dance with Lizzo?
Never forgetting her audience, Lizzo repeatedly encouraged the crowd to sing and rap along with her, appearing pleasantly surprised by how convincingly the room was able to keep up with some of her trickier verses.
She even paused to have a conversation with one of her fans’ friends on FaceTime, and the crowd roared with laughter as Lizzo asked the absent fan why they weren’t in attendance.
The four-time Grammy winner even managed to help facilitate a live proposal, which, thankfully for everyone involved, was answered with a resounding yes:
Lizzo made sure the night lived up to its ‘Special’ title, filling the evening with inspirational quotes, and her own unique brand of sassiness and empathy towards the adoring, sold-out Glasgow crowd.
As I made my way out of the venue, I felt lucky to have witnessed such a talented artist and performer in the flesh.
Lizzo visited the OVO Hydro, Glasgow, on the 8th of March, 2023.
