The Lizzo Effect
‘Cuz I Love You’ is a pop R&B powerhouse
Pop and R&B singer Lizzo has blessed the world with her third album, and its 11 tracks that will make listeners feel sexier and more powerful with every listen.
The 30-year-old Houston native came onto the scene with a bang when she released her debut, Lizzobangers, in 2013. Big Grrrl Small World came a few years later in 2016, and her third album has been hotly anticipated since. A viral video of Lizzo dancing while playing the flute on stage only fueled the fire in late 2018.
Cuz I Love You is 33 minutes of sassy sensuality and celebrating of self. The album begins with its title track, a funky, gospel-inspired ballad that will shake listeners to the core from the first notes. “Like A Girl” follows and soon after comes “Soulmate,” both honoring femininity and self-love with danceable beats and killer vocals.
Lizzo draws clear inspiration from other influential voices in pop and R&B today while staking out her own territory as a visionary and independent female artist. “Crybaby” has a distinctly Bruno Mars vibe, with its slow and sensuous blues beat and bass guitar. But Lizzo’s phenomenal voice is unmatched even by Mars, the pop music hit machine.
The collabs of Cuz I Love You add a hip-hop flavor to the collection. “Tempo” features female rap legend Missy Elliott and is a loud and sexy proclamation of body positivity. The following track, “Exactly How I Feel,” pairs some of Lizzo’s biggest notes on the album with a verse by Gucci Mane, breaking up an otherwise classic funk track with a taste of contemporary rap.
The album polishes off with the bedroom-worthy “Lingerie,” finishing a sensational album of the highest highs with a slow and sexy tempo.
Every track on Cuz I Love You sounds like a perfected final product after years of hard work. Each is distinct, enjoyable and re-listenable, but the album remains cohesive in sound and energy. With her third album, Lizzo has cemented herself among the contemporary vocal greats.
