On her self-love anthem-packed third album, Lizzo proves she's the electric, complex pop star that the world needs.
Cuz I Love You is absolutely splendid, a joyous album to put a smile on your face, a song in your heart and your booty on the dance floor.
With Cuz I Love You, Lizzo has sidestepped the majority of frustrating industry standards to present a musical breathe of fresh air. The record is purposefully compact, genre-blending, unifying, reaffirming, devoid of corniness.
Offering up a mix of pop, hip-hop, R&B and a sprinkling of trap and neo soul for good measure, Lizzo covers all bases and serves the perfect introduction to her world for mainstream audiences.
At its core, Cuz I Love You is dripping in a confident rebellion that has been a catalyst for the R&B/soul divas throughout the decades.
A truly honest, empowering album of advice to dance, love and live your life by.
Cuz I Love You may not be perfect, but neither is self-love. It’s a tumultuous journey of trials, tribulations and everything in between, which is something Lizzo is able to illustrate quite well.
Her music and her persona may be inextricably entwined, but it’s a delightfully fun package.
Power and self-confidence run through the record.
This is a polished, playful album, though it has a DIY edge to it.
Colourful, positive and shamelessly retro, US singer and rapper Melissa Jefferson’s third album is the biggest, most focused set of her career thus far.
Expertly sequenced in a concise, 33-minute package, Cuz I Love You moves from strength to strength.
Cuz I Love You follows through on the legend she’s been steadily building over the past few years.
Though it succumbs to some trends and has a bit of a loose framework, Lizzo's latest album is still a fantastic fusion of rap and soul music.
What makes Cuz I Love You such a pleasurable listen is that regardless of the genre Lizzo tackles, everything is carefully pinned together by her enchanting personality. Her confidence and character transcend the songs themselves.
Although she already found her voice a few years back, it’s never sounded better than it does here, and even more importantly than that, it’s thrilling to see that the world is finally ready to hear it.
Fueled by megawatt energy that never lets up, Cuz I Love You is a triumphant showcase for every part of Lizzo's talent, physicality, and sexuality.
Lizzo’s best asset is her personality, and she’s at her best when she lets it shine bright.
Though imperfect, Cuz I Love You is the great leap forward that long-time fans of Lizzo have been waiting for, catapulting her into the upper echelons of stardom.
Cuz I Love You is chock-full of the type of melodic, infectious party bangers that Lizzo has been threatening to unleash since she first busted out on the scene in 2013.
Despite her obvious skill and charisma, some of the album’s 11 songs are burdened with overwrought production, awkward turns of phrase, and ham-handed rapping.
Cuz I Love You keeps its foot pressed down hard on the accelerator for half an hour in an attempt to ram-raid the charts. It’s hard not to hope it’s a success ... and hard not to hope that next time, she occasionally changes gear.
Yes, the album is impressive. But without much depth beyond its own self-absorption, it doesn't come on as strong as it thinks it does.
For all the confidence she radiates, she's got some growing up to do. And if part of maturing means elevating her music to her message, so much the better.
#2 | / | Fresh Air: Ken Tucker |
#2 | / | PEOPLE |
#2 | / | The Music |
#3 | / | Entertainment Weekly |
#3 | / | musicOMH |
#3 | / | Us Weekly |
#4 | / | Billboard |
#4 | / | The Key |
#4 | / | The Observer: Kitty Empire |
#4 | / | The Skinny |