The body-positive feminist pop star left a 200,000 person crowd screaming for more Queen energy on Halloweekend
By SIERRA JIMENEZ — arts@theaggie.org
The acclaimed singer, songwriter, rapper and flutist Lizzo dominated the stage Halloween weekend as Saturday’s headliner for Outside Lands 2021. Her skintight neon green leotard only accentuated her girl boss energy as she paraded around the stage, animating her 200,000 fans in the crowd.
Never a dull moment, she began her set with her new single, “Rumors” feat. Cardi B, followed by classic fan favorites such as “Good as Hell,” “Boys” and “Truth Hurts,” which she revealed was her personal favorite on stage.
“I have been touring since 2012, and San Francisco has consistently shown me love for nearly a decade,” she told the audience.
Lizzo, who made her debut at Outside Lands in 2018, told the crowd that she had previously performed at the 2 p.m. slot, and now she is headlining the festival, reminding her fans that anything is possible. Utterly grateful, she put so much heart and soul into her performance that she shed tears of joy, causing the audience to do the same.
She took multiple pauses in her set to sit and talk directly to her fans. She preached self-love and self-growth, having the audience repeat positive manifestations such as, “I love you, you are beautiful and you can do anything.”
Lizzo, known for her body- and self-positivity, was backed by an all Black female dance crew and band. Her dancers defied the idealized body image normalized in popular culture as they confidently strutted across the stage in their neon pink pleather jumpsuits. The admired popstar enthusiastically danced her heart out, twerking and making her curves known and loved by the screaming crowd.
Dancing along to the TikTok famous song from the popular children’s show, “The Backyardigans,” “Into the Thick of It,” Lizzo substituted the juvenile song lyrics to her own explicit, “I am a thicker b*tch,” further affirming her body positivity.
An avid TikTok enthusiast, Lizzo commemorated the moment by having the crowd participate in her own rendition of the “Food Dance” TikTok that she posted Sunday, Nov. 1 with the caption, “THIS IS THE RECORD FOR THE MOST PEOPLE TO EVER DO A SINGLE TIKTOK TREND—TO MY 200,000 NEW BESTIES.. TAG URSELF IF U WERE THERE.”
Lizzo personified popular culture last weekend as she dressed up in multiple extravagant costumes for this spooky season. Appearing at a Spotify concert in Los Angeles Friday Oct. 29, she dressed as Baby Yoda from the Star Wars franchise TV series, “The Mandalorian,” in which she joked with the crowd at Outside Lands that she still had traces of green on her butt — which, in fact, she did.
Incorporating the famed Netflix series “Squid Game,” Lizzo and her girls dressed up in appropriate costumes from the drama to perform Michael Jackson’s 1982 Halloween hit, “Thriller,” in her set. The dancers emerged as masked henchmen to the series’ theme music while Lizzo took stage as the robotic female doll, flawlessly executing the iconic “Thriller” dance.
Ending her set with a proper encore — satisfying the crowd’s ferver for Lizzo’s fire — she revealed herself once more on stage with her bestie, “Sasha flute.” Lizzo electrified the audience with a musical interlude of her song “Juice” from her 2019 album, “Cuz I Love You.” The crowd sang along to her final bang, ecstatic from Lizzo’s vibrant energy as fireworks concluded the night.
Lizzo gave an unforgettable headlining show not only through her continuous positivity and enthusiasm, but also for her evident appreciation for her fans and music. Even as a top chart artist, Lizzo remained humble while performing. By taking time on stage to soak in the glory of the night, this was not an experience she took for granted despite her substantial fame.
Her inclusion of a Black female band and back-up dancers along with her empowering female-centric music brought people together from all walks of life this Halloween weekend. Reflected through the diversity of her fanbase in the crowd, Lizzo is a staple artist for and with the people.
Written by: Sierra Jimenez — arts@theaggie.org
