Lizzo is a woman of many firsts: the first woman to headline the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, the first female rapper in history to top 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 with 3 solo songs, and now the first person to play nearly 200 a year-old flute that belonged to a former president of the United States.
The ‘2 Be Loved’ singer is known for her talents on the woodwind instrument, most recently receiving the honor of playing the glass flute given to James Madison in 1813. The Library of Congress had kept the flute for decades before. it was presented to Lizzo at her first tour stop in Washington, DC.
Lizzo shared images of the moment she choked when putting her hands on the instrument. Despite her enthusiasm, she was sure to handle the instrument with care and she told the fans:
Bitch, I’m scared. It’s made of glass. It’s like playing with a wineglass bitch, so be patient.”
Bitch I just twerked and played James Madison’s 19th century flute. We just made history tonight! Thanks to the Library of Congress for preserving our history and making history great. The story is great, guys.”
Just days before Lizzo’s performance, Carla Hayden, the first African American woman and librarian of Congress, invited Lizzo to see the flute in a tweet. Lizzo’s excited response got things moving, and handlers brought the flute onstage at her concert on Wednesday night.
I’M COMING CARLA! AND I’M PLAYING THAT GLASS FLUTE!!!!! https://t.co/aPcIthlqeo
— FOLLOW @YITTY (@lizzo) September 24, 2022
The Library later tweeted that the flute returned safely with the help of local police.
We just did a DNA test. Turns out it’s 100% that. [crystal] flute @lizzo played in his DC stop at the #TourSpecial tonight. Now he is safe and sound in the library. Thank you @CapitolPolice for escorting him Watch this space for more information on Lizzo’s library visit. #LizzoAtLOC pic.twitter.com/YnS5wVoALN
— Library of Congress (@librarycongress) September 28, 2022