The concert flute is an instrument that requires sprightliness and pep in your motherfucking step. Typically held away and to the right of the body, it demands good posture, coordination, dexterity—and, above all, lung capacity. The flute requires more air than any other instrument, even the tuba. In order to sustain a note, the flautist must have complete control over the amount of air held in their lungs, the speed at which it bursts through their lips, its flow. Diaphragmatic and circular breathing are musts. It might appear dainty, but the flute demands the physicality of an endurance runner.
Lizzo—born Melissa Jefferson—plays flute while twerking, singing, and rapping for an audience. She dips, twiddles, snatches, screams, yells, dances, smiles, and shimmies, all without losing her breath. It’s incredible. And it’s incredibly athletic. Watching her perform is like being a spectator at a rambunctious sporting event that involves sequins and ass jiggling.
