Although she calls herself “America’s next bop star,” the title track from Lizzo’s upcoming album veers more into banger territory than anything else. A distinct departure from the rapper/singer’s usual feel good sound, “Cuz I Love You” finds our heroine a bit love drunk, with a gritty, ballad-esque chorus to match. It’s a welcomed change of pace, one that solidifies what most of us already knew: Lizzo is anything but a one-note artist. There’s an exhilaration to the release that might’ve been lacking had we received another of her immaculate bops.
Without giving the listener a moment to breathe, the multi-hyphenate launches into the boisterous, almost pleading refrain before an assault of brass instruments lead into the first verse; here, Lizzo explains that she’s never felt these emotions before, pondering “what the fuck are fucking feelings for?” She wastes no time searching for answers, just issues some well-advised self-care to open herself up to this new experience. Beyond declaring that she might be “love-impaired” in the chorus, the singer/rapper tells the object of her desires she’s about to “‘tatch [their] name” to hers in the second verse, proving she’s ready to take the deep dive into infatuation she’s been resisting all these years. With such a successful foray into her own unique take on balladry, the world is most certainly ready for the trajectory that Lizzo’s career is about to take.
Rating: 4/5