Lizzo missed the Twin Cities and it’s clear the feeling was mutual. At the beginning of her first Twin Cities arena show, Lizzo gave one of many speeches about her affinity for Minneapolis-St. Paul. She recalls this as the place where she received valuable support (“Shout out to The Current”) and is eternally grateful for it.

Personally, I haven’t seen Lizzo live since New Year’s 2018 at Myth in Maplewood. The venue only held 3,000 people which is a fraction of the Xcel’s 17,000. The winter cold was especially bitter that night, but Lizzo’s performance made up for it. Seeing her rise since “Good as Hell” and “Truth Hurts” came out — they were relatively new at the time of her Myth performance — has been incredible to witness.

Starting at precisely “bad bitch o'clock” Lizzo spent two hours filling the Xcel Energy Center with serotonin-inducing songs without missing a beat. She was supported on stage by a crew of Black women which included her long-time DJ, Sophia Eris, her Lizzbians band, and her dancers, the Big Grrrls. (Asia Banks, a participant from Lizzo’s Emmy award-winning Prime program, Watch Out For the Big Grrrls, was also present on stage showing there are real benefits to competing on her reality show.) Bringing new and old together, she performed a rendition of her 2022 single “Grrrls” and 2016’s “Phone,” from her 2016 Coconut Oil EP — same release that introduced “Good As Hell.”

Sporting a sparkly pink Yitty hat that we can only hope will soon become available online, Lizzo transitioned into “Boys.” Lizzo had the whole arena bouncing up and down while singing along. This was one of many clear crowd favorites. The track not only sounds like it has Minnesota’s beloved Prince’s influence, but its music video also honors the late legend by taking place in front of the iconic Schmitt Music note mural. (Prince was photographed there in 1977.)

The Lizzbians then took the reins and geared up the crowd for “Tempo” with a electrifying solo from their 19-year-old guitarist, whom DJ Sophia Eris affectionately called “the baby girl on the team.” Accompanied by background visuals reminiscent of Rihanna’s “Bitch Better Have My Money” era, Lizzo and her dancers twerked to the club track.

To cue up “Rumors,” the jumbotron began showing text messages. “Lizzo and Chris Evans are dating!?” “Lizzo is engaged!!” “What’s next, a baby?” The visual was evocative of Demi Lovato’s infamous “Sorry Not Sorry” performance at the 2017 American Music Awards. Cardi B made a surprise appearance “ringing” in via pre-recorded FaceTime call to deliver her verse in “Rumors.” The video worked so seamlessly into the concert, more artists should consider implementing this when performing songs with a featured artist.

For the next song, “Naked,” which she debuted on her Emmy-winning Watch Out For The Big Grrrls, Lizzo got more intimate with the crowd. She strutted down the walkway in a feather boa robe fit for a mansion to get closer to the concertgoers in the standing room. As she got nearer to the audience in GA she disrobed and was seemingly naked. (Don’t worry, she was wearing a nude-colored bodysuit, presumably from her brand Yitty.) She bared all to give lyrics to the song new life. The dark arena lit up with phone camera flashes while the stage light beautifully displayed different shapes and colors before finally reading in clear bold letters “My Body My Choice” on Lizzo’s silhouette.

“If you’ve dated a Gemini, you’re entitled to compensation,” says Lizzo from the therapy-style chair she had brought on stage while performing “Jerome.” “Break Up Twice” in meaning is a straightforward song. Lizzo doesn’t break up twice. She does it [date] once and does it right. The background of this song, however, is especially intriguing. It was produced by the legendary Mark Ronson, and contains an interpolation of Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing).” Before hopping off stage for an outfit switch, she and DJ Sophia Eris rapped the first part of the Hill hit, then handed it off to her incredibly on-key background singers.

Finally, Lizzo performed the track that her tour and album are named after, “Special.” In a public declaration of self-love, she had the crowd wave their hands in unison. Lizzo’s encouraging voice saying “I love you. You are beautiful. And you can do anything. In case no one told you today, you are special!” was still ringing in everyone’s ears while she performed. The last few lines being sung a cappella was a goosebumps moment.

In a transition that could’ve either been a bit or completely real, Lizzo spotted a fan on the barricade in a wedding dress. She asked the fan if she recently got married — to which they replied, “I got dumped.” Some members of the audience audibly said “aw,” taking pity on the person. Lizzo, on the other hand, gave the fan a pep talk and reassured them, “I got just the song for you” before singing “Truth Hurts.” While performing, she made sure to sing some lines directly to the heartbroken fan. After the song ended, she took a few minutes to acknowledge the crowd. She showed off her 20/20 vision by specifically pointing out what people were wearing, even if they were in nose bleeds. A concert attendee dressed in a “f*ck fatphobia” crop top and sheer leggings drew special attention.

At one point Lizzo restated a point she made in her recent Vanity Fair cover story when the writer asked about criticism that she makes music catering to white audiences. “My name is Lizzo,” she said. “I’m a Black woman, making music from my Black experience. And I make music for every-f*cking-body. Period. Because I know when you see me on this stage, you see yourself as well. I’ve lived enough life at this point to know we all go through our own individual struggles and it may not look the same, but it is the struggle nonetheless. And if you’ve gone through the last two years like I’ve gone through you’re a survivor. Period.”

While crying a little bit, she had the crowd sing back the words to “I Love You Bitch” to her. “I never thought a song called ‘I Love You Bitch’ would make me so emotional.” She continued with “Good As Hell” and “Juice” before ending with “About Damn Time” for an encore. Performing those upbeat songs had the audience forgetting it was the end of the concert. Many did not start leaving their seat until a video of Lizzo on the jumbotron exclaiming her iconic line, “bye b*tch!”

Setlist

The Sign

2 Be Loved (Am I Ready)

Soulmate

Grrrls/Phone

Boys

Tempo

Rumors

Scuse Me

Naked

Jerome

Break Up Twice

Doo Wop (That Thing) [Lauryn Hill cover]

Special

Like a Girl

Birthday Girl

Everybody’s Gay

Water Me

Cuz I Love You

If You Love Me

Coldplay

I Love You Bitch

Good As Hell

Encore

Juice

About Damn Time