Lizzo does whatever the fuck she wants to do.
I could’ve ended the article right here. I believe along with her incredible talents, it’s Lizzo’s rebellious essence that drew me to her. I do whatever the f*** I want to. We have that in common.
Admittedly, I go into this new project not completely abreast of Lizzo’s music catalog. Yes, I’ve heard the singles. But mostly as I was getting in an uber or maybe at a clothing store. So, I knew I had to urge myself to listen. Conveniently enough for me, I was caught up in Harry Reid International Airport until 5 AM waiting on my flight home.
I frankly had no idea what to expect… But man the intro “The Sign” was hard bruh. LIke she burst in the door and got right to it. Lizzo ain’t even take her coat off before hopping right into her bag. She literally starts the song off with “Hi motherf****** Did you miss me?”
I had to look at my phone and make sure I was listening to what I was supposed to be listening to. I looked at the lady sitting next to me in the airport who was also miserable because her flight was also postponed, and said, “Lizzo kinda hard, yea?” and she had no idea what I was talking about. But her noncompliance didn’t matter.
The tone was set and I was pleasantly surprised. Lizzo also dropped a ton of “b******” and “h***” and it really made me feel at home.
It was pop music but it wasn’t. It was like Urban Pop.
I don’t know if that’s a thing but if not I’ll take the credit for it. The lyrics were lite and massive, the tone was serious but the delivery and context of it was all business.
Aight so boom… “About Damn Time.” *Insert Flame emoji* This song is a heater. It has all the elements of a hit. It’s well produced and well written, and it’s got a bounce to it. She sang her ass off and she’s talking that shit.
One of my favorite things about the song is a really random and isolated “b****” Lizzo throws in at the end, followed by the joyous laughter and adulation you can hear in the song’s outro. I love when musicians leave the rough unedited parts in their music. Really gives it a certain je ne sais quoi.
It’s just a really infectious song and once you hear it you’ll feel the same. The chorus of the song changes the trajectory and puts it in a different tier unless Seth Partnow is ranking it (that’s a basketball joke). Truthfully the song made me bypass the bleakness of my terminal existence.
Not a song made for me, but sonically it’s catchy as hell. Nothing incorrect about having fun with your friends and actually it was cool with me until the Lorena Bobbitt references. I had to instantly skip. I can’t tell you what the rest of the song sounded like.
It was kind of strange too because the random airport lady looked me in my eyes. Spirit of Lorena?! Who knows. But I was hella uncomfortable. I made sure to switch seats too.
80s poppy type feel with vulgarity. I can’t wait to hear this one on season five of Stranger Things. I really love Lizzo’s confidence. The music is great. Her vocal range is incredible. But the confidence and the shit she talks to emphasize it should not be overlooked. She is on her Michael Jordan trash talk apex.
I did some digging about this song. Apparently a tweet from Cardi B saying, “I want a love song from Lizzo next” is the reason we have this gem. We really don’t deserve Cardi B. Then it made me dig into Lizzo’s bio and I found out she’s from Houston.
This song is her version of Z-Ro’s legendary “I Hate You”. She absolutely flipped it into a pop song but it’s still gangsta. Hearing Lizzo sing “I Love You Bitch” at the top of her lungs was not the thing I knew I needed. Romantic as hell. Thank you Lizzo. Thank you Z-Ro. Thank you Cardi.
The horns on the title track “Special” are just that. Feels really triumphant. Something about Lizzo’s style of singing is kinda different. Not just this song, but in general. She’s singing, but it’s really a rap-style type cadence.
She beautifully flows her way through tracks using her voice like the instrument it is. Just bending and flipping sonnets into a pop song. It dawned on me that Lizzo is a rap-singing, flute-playing, musical juggernaut. But this song feels like healing or being made whole.
And just in case nobody told you today, you’re special. Broken but still perfect. You’re special. Those words are powerful.
An obligatory heartache song from the onset but the first couple bars are deceiving. It turns around to Lizzo singing about second chances and redemption while also warning that she does not break up twice. I heard that Lizzo f**** looking back. Lot’s wife got turned into a pillar of salt for that, feel me? Always look ahead.
Shout out to my LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters. This feels like a funky disco night at Studio 54 in midtown Manhattan. I hear Rick James all through the song and the vibes are vibing. Lizzo wants you to take your mask on and be yourself, as free as the wind when it blows.
Most importantly, always be proud. Protect women. Let people do whatever they want with their bodies. Protect Trans humans. Be proud to be you. Love.
Talk that shit Lizzo. Beautiful song. Lizzo invites you into her curvaceous temple and asks are you man enough to handle it? A song about being vulnerable, unclothed in front of your human. The guitar riffs are A1 and the guitar almost feels as if it’s sobbing as its strings play.
My biggest flex is that my team the same
I started from the bottom with my hoes
Love y’all so fuckin much
Man. I tell you what, Lizzo is alright with me. That’s the hood dream: come up with who you started with and brag about it in a verse.
Heavy.
I learned to love me as myself
But when I’m with somebody else I question everything I know
How can you say I’m beautiful
I constantly implore my people to not be humble. But as a human, you go through these lulls where you feel that way. Our brains never shut off so we live in a constant state of doubt. This song is an accurate representation of that. It’s beautiful. I really appreciate Lizzo’s vulnerability in her songwriting.
First off if you’re gonna flip “Yellow” by Coldplay let me tell you something: YOU GOT ME. I am in! Simply one of my favorite songs of all time. We get another Lizzo love song about the certainty of her love. As a vocalist thought? Oh, this is gold teeth with diamonds in them. She is shining!
I gotta say I love the album. It got me through a difficult time when I just wanted to go home. I lost my debit card. The Vegas heat beat my ass.
A man from Nigeria told me I was Nigerian. A Vietnamese woman asked me what part of Asia I was from. I had the creepiest Uber drivers ever. The day I finally got to go to a pool it rained. Sat in the airport for 10 hours hungry, tired, and wanting to get back to my family…but listening to Special made it okay.
The album is a big, vulnerable, ratchet balloon of fun, truth, confidence, uncertainty, and love. Shout out Lizzo: it’s your world. You are super special and talented. This album made me go back to her debut and that shit was fire too. My bad for sleeping Lizzo. I’m up now. Can’t wait to see what’s next. *dap hugs*
