Live Review: 'No Fuckboys In 2020': Lizzo's Sydney Show Was Everything We Hoped

According to the Sydney Opera House, when tickets for Lizzo’s only Sydney show went on sale there were 12,000 hopeful people in the queue - the Opera House can seat 2,100. Add that sort of statistic to the general hysteria surrounding TIME’s Entertainer Of The Year for 2019 [Editor's note: and The Music's Artist Of The Year] and that’s set one high bar for her live show. One high bar that Lizzo successfully twerked right over last night in what will be one of the best concerts of 2020, less than a week into the new year.

Lizzo @ Sydney Opera House. Photo by Peter Dovgan.

From the moment Lizzo bellowed the opening chords of Cuz I Love You, the title track off her third and most recent studio album, the crowd was treated to a divine experience. Lizzo was the preacher and the audience her loyal followers as she sermonised about the things that matter in 2020 – body positivity and self-love and care. She led her flock through a singalong of Exactly How I Feel, a song “about honouring how we feel” before declaring, “I am my inspiration,” in Water Me. And there was a loud chorus of, “Amen,” when she declared “no fuck boys are coming into 2020” before passionately belting out the slower soul number Jerome.

Lizzo @ Sydney Opera House. Photo by Peter Dovgan.

Quick on the rhymes and on her feet, Lizzo came across as a natural entertainer. But whether it be the spontaneous flute solo during Juice or belting out the chorus of Aretha Franklin’s Respect, there’s no doubting that despite her fierce dance moves and light-hearted jokes, there is an absolute ocean of talent and hard work behind Lizzo’s success. Not to mention that for the entire night Lizzo kept good company on stage, with her touring DJ and MC Sophia Eris and backup dancers, The Big Grrrls, keeping pace and even stealing (some) of the spotlight on Tempo and Gigolo Game/Like A Girl.

Lizzo @ Sydney Opera House. Photo by Peter Dovgan.

Lizzo ended the night with a memorable combination of Juice and Truth Hurts with a flute solo in between the two anthems. If anything was to sum up the spontaneous energy and boisterous vocals of this powerhouse, that finale did it, proving without a doubt that Lizzo is “100% that bitch” and that her audience loved every second of it.

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