Lizzo’s historic performance using a 200-year-old crystal flute in hand has sent the internet in a frenzy. As we earlier reported, the singer and rapper became the first person to play the crystal flute that was made for the 4th U.S. President James Madison in 1813 on Tuesday night (September 27). Lent to Lizzo by the Library of Congress, the flute was crafted by the Parisian watchmaker and mechanic Claude Laurent in 1813, before making its way to Madison.
On a day that the Library of Congress was closed to the public, Lizzo spent an afternoon exploring its massive flute collection and trying out several of the historical instruments.
“She is amazingly talented,” said Carol Lynn Ward-Bamford, who serves as the library’s curator for the flute collection. She said she handed Lizzo more than a half dozen different types of flutes and she could play them all. The library has the largest flute collection in the world.
Carla Hayden, the 14th Librarian of Congress, sent Lizzo an invite via Twitter, writing to the artist, “The @librarycongress has the largest flute collection in the world with more than 1,800,” Hayden tweeted last week. “It incl Pres James Madison’s 1813 crystal flute. @lizzo we would love for you to come see it and even play a couple when you are in DC next week. Like your song they are ‘Good as hell’” with a winking face emoji.
When it came time for her performance, Lizzo told the crowd, “I want everybody to make some noise for James Madison’s crystal flute, y’all! Bitch, I’m scared.” As her very long nails made their way over the instrument, she added to the screaming crowd, “It’s crystal, it’s like playing out of a wine glass, so be patient.” After playing the smoothest note and getting the audience’s approval, Lizzo cheekily sticks her tongue out to the crowd and gets back to playing the crystal flute some more while adding some leg gyrating.
After successfully not dropping the historical artifact, she raised the crystal up with a face of astonishment and happiness before returning it to the Library of Congress people. “Bitch, I just twerked and played James Madison’s crystal flute from the 1800s. We just made history tonight! Thank you to the Library of Congress for preserving our history and making history freaking cool! History is freaking cool, you guys.”
NOBODY HAS EVER HEARD THIS FAMOUS CRYSTAL FLUTE BEFORE
— FOLLOW @YITTY (@lizzo) September 28, 2022
NOW YOU HAVE
IM THE FIRST & ONLY PERSON TO EVER PLAY THIS PRESIDENTIAL 200-YEAR-OLD CRYSTAL FLUTE— THANK YOU @librarycongress ❤️ pic.twitter.com/VgXjpC49sO
As the Library of Congress assured concerned people, they wrote: “Music Division curators made sure it could be played without damage. This sort of thing is not all that unusual, in fact. Some of the Library’s priceless instruments were donated with the stipulation that they remain functional & be played.”
For those concerned about the flute: Music Division curators made sure it could be played without damage. This sort of thing is not all that unusual, in fact. Some of the Library's priceless instruments were donated with the stipulation that they remain functional & be played. pic.twitter.com/9F7SASQcvP
— Library of Congress (@librarycongress) September 28, 2022
Lizzo responds to the haters with a “cheeky” tweet:
https://twitter.com/lizzo/status/1575596364058066945?s=20&t=PmNBC0utrJaYQKGfhMXiWA
See how folks on Twitter reacted to Lizzo’s historic performance below:
