Pop star Lizzo spoke, sang & danced with conviction in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH – Lizzo delivered an action-packed concert and a fortifying pep talk Saturday for a sold-out PPG Paints Arena.

One song in, the pop star pointed out this show wasn't about her; it was about the fans in the decisively female, and mixed-ages crowd.

"You are special," Lizzo said. "I want you to dance. I want you to laugh if you want to laugh and scream if you want to scream."

Fans did all that, feeling free and elated from the moment a fog machine covered the stage with smoke and Lizzo strutted into view in a gold and silver-blue sparkly costume ― her first of several colorful and bold choices.

A female band, with bass guitarist, keyboardist, drummer, DJ Sophia Eris on turntables and dazzling 19-year-old guitarist Jordan Waters, backed Lizzo who sang strongly and seamlessly added some light rapping, as on "Soulmate."

Big Grrrls, an eight-member dance squad, periodically joined in the fun, showcasing athletic dance steps and a full range of body sizes.

Love your body, and be who you want to be, were themes Lizzo spoke and sang consistently, adding her own unabashed booty-shaking and commenting how the women performers she grew up watching on awards show and in magazines didn't look like her.

The band rocked on "Boys," which began with a guitar burst from Yes' "Heart of The Sunrise," and "Tempo," where Waters finished her sizzling solo on her knees.

Pulling out a bedazzled ballcap and equally sparkling nested purses ― we'd also get a pink, fur-like regal cape ― Lizzo commanded the stage with energy, positivity and confidence, getting an assist via video screen from rapper Cardi B on "Rumours."

Green laser beams shot through the air for "Scuse Me."

In a voiceover amid a costume change, Lizzo said, "My body, my business ... I look good in my body." She returned to the stage for "Naked," which ended with her in a lighted costume effect where her body became a canvas graced by psychedelic imagery before displaying in stark letters the words ― "Free Your Body," with Lizzo in a rare stern-faced posture, indicating her seriousness.

She quickly returned to fun with "Jerome," where she hit and held some rather long notes while lounging on a loveseat that emerged on the stage runway that jutted into the general admission floor.

"Break Up Twice" rode a simple and catchy organ riff; Lizzo's backup singers pitched in on Lauryn Hill's "Doo Wop (That Thing)."

Maybe the high point came during the title track to 2022's highly praised "Special," where Lizzo insisted audience members repeat out loud an empowering message to themselves: "I love you, you are beautiful and you can do anything." Amid the song, Lizzo unleashed two testifying shouts of triumph that raised the energy level and segued into an audience clap-a-long.

"We live in a world where they're trying to take away our specialness," she said, adding the last person you need to hear negativity from "is yourself.

"And I'm no different than anyone in this room; you need to take time to tell yourself you're special," the 35-year-old icon said.

The pace stayed brisk, as Chaka Khan's "I'm Every Woman" got a bit of a gospel-ish intro; and "Everybody's Gay," complete with a rainbow flag, rode a Niles Rodgers'-ish disco guitar wave.

The crowd enthusiastically sang along to Lizzo's crossover smash "Truth Hurts," followed by a pretty cover of Coldplay's "Yellow" that led to Lizzo's first flute solo of the night.

"The most famous and spoiled flute in the world," she joked, adding a few more accomplished flute solos as the set hit its homestretch.

Lizzo's voice dazzled on an electrifying, long note on "Good as Hell," setting up the disco-y encore (large disco ball included) of "Juice" and "About Damn Time" with one more Lizzo reminder you can do anything you want.

Lizzo's first major Pittsburgh concert was a rousing success.

Opening act Latto rapped in a more raw, in-your-face style that seemed to evoke a lot of pre-recorded music. Fans in the seated areas stayed mostly seated until Latto heightened the energy with a decisively pro-choice song as her dancers held aloft "My Body My Choice" signs.

A sizable cheer erupted, and the crowd stayed engaged as Latto encouraged them to light up the darkness with their cellphones for "Sunshine."

Scott Tady is entertainment editor at The Times and easy to reach at [email protected].