Culture

Lizzo Plays A 200-Year-Old Crystal Flute Once Owned By An American President—And She Does It While Twerking

Singer and flutist Lizzo has had many of her songs reach the top of the Billboard charts, making her a household name who only recently rose to fame. In a recent performance in DC, she was handed a presidential flute by the Library of Congress to play on stage. While twerking, of course.

By Gina Florio2 min read
lizzo
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Lizzo has named herself a "body icon" in the past and insisted that she suffers from oppression in the United States (while she's receiving an award on stage). It seems that the more Lizzo makes herself out to be a victim, the more she's rewarded. On Tuesday night, Lizzo performed in DC, where she was handed a presidential flute by the Library of Congress.

Lizzo Plays a 200-Year-Old Crystal Flute Once Owned by an American President—and She Does It While Twerking

Lizzo shared a short clip on Twitter of herself being handed a crystal flute, which is 200 years old and was once owned by President James Madison. It was loaned to her by the Library of Congress.

"NOBODY HAS EVER HEARD THIS FAMOUS CRYSTAL FLUTE BEFORE," she wrote in the tweet. "NOW YOU HAVE. I'M THE FIRST & ONLY PERSON TO EVER PLAY THIS PRESIDENTIAL 200-YEAR-OLD CRYSTAL FLUTE."

She thanked the Library of Congress for allowing her to borrow it. The flute was made specifically for President Madison in 1813 for his second inauguration. It's one of 1,800 flutes that are held in the Library of Congress. Carla Hayden, the librarian of Congress, tweeted at Lizzo a few days before her concert in DC and invited her to play it when she arrived.

"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'," she wrote.

When Lizzo grabbed the flute and took it to the microphone on stage, she told the crowd to be patient because the crystals on the 200-year-old instrument make it feel like she's "playing out of a wine glass."

She only played a couple of notes, but as she did, she twerked. She was wearing a sequined, sheer bodysuit with nothing over it.

"We just made history tonight!" Lizzo declared. She also thanked the Library of Congress for "making history freaking cool."

Of course, she's being praised by the media and celebrities for playing such a historic instrument, but it makes you wonder whether all decorum, respect, and class have been sucked out of mainstream American society. Our culture is far too scared to point out degeneracy when we see it out of fear of offending someone. But let's be real: This is a crass way to treat such a historical instrument that was created for and owned by an American president.