Lizzo
Cuz I Love You

Black, obese, and naked. The cover of "Cuz I Love You" shows us the perfect inverse of the popstar queen stereotype: white, blonde, model, sweaty abs on display (right, Britney and Aguilera?). Reduced to this, that poor girl, someone might say, should be ashamed, should go hide. Yet Lizzo, stage name for Melissa Jefferson, with her long black hair, doesn't bow her head: she looks at us confidently, deeply, almost in a defiant attitude. Because Lizzo has learned to love herself, and thus to love us; and conversely, as she says, if we manage to love her, we will love ourselves too. That's the essence of her latest album, released by Atlantic and likely a gem of 2019.

Speaking of essence, one cannot fail to mention "Juice", the single that allowed Lizzo to break into the mainstream (much to Henry Rollins' joy) and gain deserved fame. A catchy, reverberating funky groove accompanies a Disco-rap that goes down like a delightful cold beer, while in the video she mocks Jane Fonda, 80s commercials, and also pays tribute to some pop stars of the past. "It ain't my fault that I'm out there gettin' loose... gotta blame it on my Juice", where juice is slang for respect, self-esteem; the esteem that Lizzo teaches us to have, to cultivate, a message that in various shades pervades the entire work. If I'm shinin', everybody gonna shine.

Personally, I fell in love with "Cuz I Love You" from the first listen: there are several highlights on this album that moves between Pop, Soul, Rap, and R&B; I'll limit myself to mentioning a few.

The opener, which is also the title track, cannot be overlooked: Lizzo introduces us to the album with her voice, initially a bit whiny and vaguely embarrassing, but then unfolding in all its beauty, supported by a triumph of brass. A brief rap interlude leads to the chorus, where Jefferson's voice finds, as she said, the courage to unleash all its power, scraping the bottom of her lungs; courage sparked by undergoing therapy, courage to dive into love and its madness. No bullshit: a splendid performance.

A gutsy guitar riff introduces the album's latest single, "Tempo", a super club rap featuring (successfully) Missy Elliott, asserting the dignity of one's body, whatever it may be. This track seems a bit of an outlier, but in the end, Lizzo was convinced to include it, serving up another gem. "Cry Baby" moves sleek and sly, with the author's voice soaring in the chorus giving me (blasphemy?) some Chris Cornell vibes, while in the stunning "Heaven Help Me", an enchanting mix of genres, Lizzo reminds us she also made a name for herself as a "flute rockstar". The explicit is entrusted to the intimacy and sensuality of the dreamy "Lingerie".

"Cuz I Love You" is everything I would want from real Pop music. The main flaw of the album is the lack of cohesion and compactness, resulting perhaps more in an anthology of singles, potential or current, rather than an organic work; but given the quality of the offering, further permeated by a Rap aesthetic that I really don't mind, there are no issues for me. "Cuz I Love You" some will hate; the others will become happy.

Highly recommended.