Lizzo: Cuz I Love You review – Flute-playing rapper plays a hypnotic happy tune

As the prophet Cyndi Lauper once said, girls just wanna have fun, and that’s exactly what Lizzo instigates on her vibrant third album. Not only is she “out here gettin’ loose” on the retro sass-pop single Juice, one of this year’s biggest and catchiest songs, the Texan singer, rapper and flautist (she’s classically trained) wants us to join her on her quest for self-love, self-acceptance and unabashed joy.

Packing in more personality than R&B chart-toppers Bruno Mars, Jason Derulo and Justin Timberlake combined, Lizzo doesn’t just celebrate femininity on the snappy Like a Girl or on the self-love anthem Soulmate, she flaunts it as a god-given right.

She dials down her powerhouse vocals on Tempo, a tripping, trap-inspired collaboration with Missy Elliot, and the song’s mantra, “I’m a thick bitch, I need tempo”, is a hypnotic education in confidence.

As she delivers songs such as Cry Baby and Jerome with such soulful, comedic and dramatic flair, it’s insane that Lizzo isn’t a household name already, but that will no doubt change soon. While misery is the hottest trend in pop right now, Lizzo puts happiness at the forefront and, girl, does it feel good.