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Superstar Lizzo stops Splendour after fan’s wild act

US superstar Lizzo has halted her show during night one of the festival after a fan put out a truly outrageous request.

Splendour in the Grass 2023 has kicked off in Bryon Bay

Pop superstar Lizzo stopped Friday night’s concert at Splendour In The Grass to make one diehard fan’s wish come true with a permanent souvenir.

The visiting US singer, who opened the three-day festival as the headline act, was midway through her hour-long set when she spotted a sign being held up in the audience at the open-air amphitheatre.

“Lizzo, can you sign my arse and I’ll get it tattooed,” she read aloud.

“How can I sign your arse? OK, OK, f*ck. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

After instructing her security to let the woman through the barricades at the front of the stage, the Truth Hurts singer got to work.

“All right, it’s time to sign your arse.”

One very dedicated fan had a surprising idea during the show. Picture: Supplied/James Weir
One very dedicated fan had a surprising idea during the show. Picture: Supplied/James Weir
… And Lizzo loved it. Picture: Supplied/James Weir
… And Lizzo loved it. Picture: Supplied/James Weir

Thousands of concertgoers cheered as the woman named Bridget bent over and hiked up her dress to expose her behind. After getting branded by the pop star, Bridget turned around and showed off the scribble – a moment that was broadcast on the theatre’s jumbotron televisions.

“Well that’s a f**king first,” Lizzo said. “Only in Australia, b**ch.”

She dedicated the next song in the set, I Love You Bitch, to Bridget.

Lizzo during her Perth concert recently. Picture: Wayne Taylor
Lizzo during her Perth concert recently. Picture: Wayne Taylor

The stunt comes after a string of top musical artists have been accosted — by mobile phones, raunchy sex toys, and the ashes of a fan’s cremated mother, among other things — during live performances. Lizzo welcomed the rowdy behaviour, even taking a moment to address one fan’s hat that featured the slogan “hitties” – a reference to a viral TikTok moment involving British pop star Harry Styles, who bared his nipples in a revealing costume while performing on his own world tour.

21/07/2023 Festival goers enjoy day 1 of Splendour in the grass in Byron Bay. picture: Instagram
21/07/2023 Festival goers enjoy day 1 of Splendour in the grass in Byron Bay. picture: Instagram

But it seems Lizzo hasn’t been keeping up with trending TikTok moments.

“What does that mean? Hot titties?” she asked the crowd.

Elsewhere in the show, the singer performed her biggest hits including Juice and Good As Hell as well as a cover of Coldplay’s Yellow.

“I found out about y’all Down Under, b**ch,” Lizzo told the crowd, who braved plunging temperatures until midnight to see the concert. “Y’all be shakin’ mother f**kin’ ass, b**ch.”

The set closed out day one of the festival, which was blessed with blue skies and no mud – a stark contrast to last year’s disaster that saw the Byron parklands turned into boglands after being hit by torrential rain.

It seems the chaos of 2022 may have torpedoed ticket sales, which are down 30 per cent, according to Splendour In The Grass organisers. Days before the gates opened, 35,000 tickets had been sold, compared to 50,000 last year.

Fine weather is expected for Saturday, with punters looking forward to headline acts Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Flume.

Originally published as Superstar Lizzo stops Splendour after fan’s wild act

Original URL: https://www.thechronicle.com.au/entertainment/music/music-festivals/superstar-lizzo-stops-splendour-after-fans-wild-act/news-story/a7f6bc57ccf3de543c36a69102a9fa5b