Lizzo plays 200-year-old crystal flute owned by former US president and fans are in awe
Lizzo made history after she played a 200-year-old crystal flute owned by James Madison, the fourth president of the US. (Twitter/@lizzo)
Lizzo has made history by playing a 200-year-old crystal flute that once belonged to US president James Madison at a concert – and fans were absolutely amazed at the symbolic performance.
The superstar singer and classically trained flautist played the one-of-a-kind flute during the Washington DC leg of her The Special Tour. The musical instrument was made for Madison, the fourth president of the USA, in 1813.
“I’m scared,” Lizzo admitted, as she took the sparkling flute from Carol Lynn Ward-Bamford, a curator at the Library of Congress.
“It’s crystal,” she added. “It’s like playing out of a wine glass.”
Lizzo played a few notes, making sure to twerk a little, as thousands of excited fans cheered. She then excitedly carried the flute over her head before handing it back to the Library of Congress official.
“B***h, I just twerked and played James Madison’s crystal flute from the 1800s,” she declared in amazement. “We just made history tonight!”
Lizzo tweeted that nobody has “ever heard this famous crystal flute” being played before as she is the “first and only person to ever play this presidential 200-year-old crystal flute”.
NOBODY HAS EVER HEARD THIS FAMOUS CRYSTAL FLUTE BEFORE
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
— FOLLOW @YITTY (@lizzo) September 28, 2022
It was truly a symbolic moment as Lizzo – a Grammy-winning Black singer, rapper and songwriter – played a rare instrument that once belonged to a president whose Virginia plantation was built by enslaved Black people.
Madison brought enslaved people to the White House during his presidency, which ran from 1809 to 1817.
Fans were absolutely enthralled by Lizzo’s symbolic and history-making performance.
Lizzo, a Black female superstar, collaborating with Carla Hayden, the first African American and first woman Librarian of Congress, to use a flute from James Madison, the Founding Father who originated the 3/5 Compromise and also the Library of Congress itself? The symbolism!!! https://t.co/n5AQsjJwKH— Tiffany C. Li (@tiffanycli) September 28, 2022
This flute once belonged to enslaver president James Madison.
And now it is being played by this gorgeous, talented Black woman for all the world to behold. 🌟 https://t.co/q2H4Yu0VuS— Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg (@TheRaDR) September 28, 2022
James Madison when he heard Lizzo was the first person to play his crystal flute pic.twitter.com/tBXsZPHcdE— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) September 28, 2022
find yourself someone who looks at you the way Lizzo looks at flute sheet music at the Library of Congress pic.twitter.com/ITEXYRfHbX
— Dan Munz also @ danmunz.bsky.social (@dan_munz) September 28, 2022
The crystal flute was made for Madison’s second inauguration by Parisian craftsman Claude Laurent. The flute’s silver joint is engraved with the president’s name, title and the year 1813.
Lizzo regularly plays the flute during her concerts, brought one along to this year’s Met Gala and even dedicated an entire sketch to playing the flute (and twerking) when she hosted Saturday Night Live.
Carla Hayden, the librarian of Congress, previously put out a tweet inviting Lizzo to see the library’s extensive flute collection and “even play a couple” when she stopped by the US capital city.
Lizzo happily replied that she planned to play “that crystal flute” during her trip.
IM COMING CARLA! AND IM PLAYIN THAT CRYSTAL FLUTE!!!!! https://t.co/aPcIthlqeo— FOLLOW @YITTY (@lizzo) September 24, 2022
The “About Damn Time” singer played the crystal flute when she was in the Great Hall and Main Reading Room of the Library of Congress before it was brought to her DC concert.
The library said Lizzo “filled the space with music as sublime as the art and architecture”.
