Lizzo Gets the Crowd “Ready” by Performing a Pair of ‘Special’ Singles at MTV Video Music Awards
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Three years after celebrating her breakthrough season at the Video Music Awards for the first time, Lizzo returned to the award show’s stage at the Prudential Center in New Jersey on Sunday night to perform the first two official singles from her 2022 album, Special.
The versatile performer kicked off the performance with the first verse of her smash hit “About Damn Time,” before pivoting to follow-up single “2 Be Loved (Am I Ready)” — pounding out the song’s distinctive opening organ hook with a set of keys that appeared below her feet on stage, à la Tom Hanks at FAO Schwartz in the movie Big. She went on to deliver a typically high-energy rendition of the up-tempo song, wailing and high-kicking alone on stage in front of a big screen as various graphics of lyrics and dancers appeared behind her.
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“About Damn Time” became Lizzo’s second No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 this summer, following “Truth Hurts” in 2019 — which she played, along with second top five hit “Good as Hell,” in a triumphant performance at that year’s VMAs ceremonies. “2 Be Loved” debuted at No. 84 on the Hot 100 following Special‘s week of release, and is currently growing at radio, having recently climbed to No. 19 on Billboard‘s Pop Airplay chart.
Lizzo is nominated for five awards at this year’s Video Music Awards: artist of the year, as well as song of the year, best pop, video for good and song of the summer, the last four all for “About Damn Time.” Lizzo was nominated for seven VMAs over the previous three ceremonies — most recently with her Cardi B collab “Rumors” earning a nod for song of summer in 2021 — but going into this year’s VMAs, has yet to actually take home a Moon Person statue.
This story first appeared on Billboard.com.
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