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Lizzo is slammed after playing 200-year-old crystal flute belonging to James Madison

Yikes… Lizzo has managed to stir up controversy online after users have slammed her for playing a 200-year-old flute.

The ‘Truth Hurts’ singer, who is no stranger to criticism, was performing at a recent concert when she was given a fragile crystal flute side stage. As she got ready to play the instrument, carefully placing her fingers on the keys, the audience went quiet.

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Lizzo (pictured mid-performance at a California music festival in October 2021) has managed to stir up controversy online after users have slammed her for playing a 200-year-old flute. Credit: MediaPunch Inc / Alamy
In the singer’s Twitter clip that has since gone viral, the singer can be heard saying: “It’s crystal, it’s like playing out of a wine glass, b***h, so be patient.”

The crowd erupts into laughter as the hitmaker finally found the correct finger placement. After playing two short notes, whilst doing a little twerk, the 34-year-old handed the flute back to an assistant standing side stage.

“B***h I just twerked and played James Madison’s crystal flute from the 1800s,” she excitedly tells the crowd, adding: “We just made history tonight!”

The flute – which dates back to 1813 and was gifted to Madison by a Parisian watchmaker – is part of the largest flute collection in the world, currently held at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, posted about the 1,800-strong flute collection on September 23, offering the chance for Lizzo – who is a classically trained flute player – to come and play some of them: “The Library of Congress has the largest flute collection in the world with more than 1,800. It includes President James Madison’s 1813 crystal flute.”
“Lizzo 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,’” Hayden added, in reference to one of Lizzo’s songs.

 

Evidently, the Detroit native managed to come to an agreement with the Library of Congress to allow her to play the crystal flute belonging to the fourth POTUS, as she practiced on several different flutes ahead of her concert.

“A flute Lizzo played in the Main Reading Room Monday (with permission from some lucky researchers who were there!) looks similar to the crystal one she had at her concert, but is actually plexiglass. It is also very rare and was manufactured when the material was first invented,” the Library of Congress tweeted.

 

However, social media users have now taken to Twitter to voice their frustration at Lizzo being allowed to play such a delicate antique object.

Several people, including ultra conservative commentator Ben Shapiro expressed their displeasure at the situation.

“This Lizzo-flute controversy is a perfect example of what I have termed Face Tattoo Phenomenon™: the phenomenon whereby someone does something deliberately controversial in an attempt to draw attention, and then acts offended when you notice,” Shapiro wrote.

 

“The Library of Congress really took out a 200-year old flute that belonged to James Madison just so Lizzo could twerk with it. They degrade our history and then call you racist if you actually value it,” another user added.

 

However, other Twitter users came out in support of Lizzo, with George Takei commenting: “If you wouldn’t have a problem with Taylor Swift playing Ben Franklin’s piano, you shouldn’t have a problem with Lizzo playing James Madison’s flute. If you do have a problem, stop and think about why that is.”

 

“Fabulous superstar singer Lizzo is living rent-free in the empty minds of racists today for masterfully playing a 200 year old crystal flute they never even knew existed until she played it. Must be exhausting to live with such hate day in and day out,” someone else chimed in

 

Sunny Hostin, a host on US talkshow The View, also voiced her support for Lizzo, saying: “You have some people on the right who said that the Library of Congress really took out its 200-year-old flute that belonged to James Madison just so Lizzo could twerk with it [and that would] degrade our history.”

“James Madison owned 100 slaves — that’s a degradation of history. It’s a full-circle moment for American history… This is the promise of America: You have a slave’s ancestor playing the 200-year-old flute,” Hostin added.

Lizzo has joined a long list of celebrities being given the chance to get up close and personal with vintage relics, including Kim Kardashian who, earlier this year, wore a dress belonging to Marilyn Monroe to the MET Gala. Of course, that too was met with significant controversy.

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