I typically like to use this column to focus on Portland hip-hop, but I have to break my own rule when an artist as dope as Lizzo comes to town. The positive feelings her music gives me are so rare and pure that I just canât get enough of her magicâsheâs like the real-life Rose Quartz of Steven Universeâs Crystal Gems.
Thereâs so much to love about the Minneapolis-based rapper/singer, and it seems like she loves Portland right backâafter her two-night stint at the Wonder this week, sheâll have visited three times in the past year. Lizzoâs a BBW singer who loves her plus-size figure enough to perform demanding choreography in a leotard just like BeyoncĂ©, and thatâs often seen as radical or a political statement. But sheâs just being unapologetically herself: talented, big, beautiful, and loving it.
More than anything else, Lizzoâs artistry is funâher sound is animated and celebratory, which is probably why her songs often land on soundtracks for TV shows and movies like Broad City, Girls, and Barbershop: The Next Cut. Though Lizzoâs unafraid to sing about her personal journey with self acceptance (âMy Skinâ) and relationship issues (âHumanizeâ), some tracks are simply about âBatches & Cookiesâ or losing your phone at the club (âPhoneâ).
On more rap-focused projects like 2013âs Lizzobangers and 2015âs Big Grrrl Small World, Lizzo proves sheâs got major chops as a lyricist, and on last yearâs Coconut Oil EP, she sets a beautiful example for fans with six R&B tracks about self love, self care, and self empowerment. Now sheâs back with two new singles, and it doesnât seem like she has any interest in switching up her message.
Itâs hard to pick a favorite: âWater Meâ is an upbeat pop song (and perfect workout jam) in which Lizzo demands to be âwateredâ in a relationship: âI donât get dehydrated/I moisturize it daily/I am my inspiration,â she sings before the party-vibed chorus, âI am free, yeah yeah/Come water me, oh oh/Love you so, but if you donât/I have to leave, oh no.â
âTruth Hurtsâ expresses a similar sentiment. Itâs backed by an exaggerated piano-and-strings melody, and sees Lizzo rising above a relationship with a fuckboy, asserting her worth, and moving on to the next thing. In a mocking whine, Lizzo rap-sings, âYou coulda had a bad bitch, noncommittal/Help you with your career just a little/Youâre âposed to hold me down, but youâre holding me back/And thatâs the sound of me not calling you back.â
Singing and dancing along to Lizzoâs live show feels like therapy. And the entertainment value is HIGHâshe performs with two curvy backup dancers, her excellent DJ/MC Sophia Eris, and an impressive female opening act (this tour sheâs bringing Doja Cat). If you havenât seen her yet, attending one of Lizzoâs Portland shows will turn you into an avid stan.