Superstar and three-time Grammy-award winner Lizzo is known for her unapologetically self, her confidence, and as one of the most inspiring female talents working today. Lizzo’s music is powerful and fun to listen to, including incredibly infectious songs to jam out to, whether it’s ‘Truth Hurts’, ‘Juice’, ‘Boys’, or even ‘Good as Hell’. Lizzo empowers others with her feel-good confident anthems. Recently, she teamed up with Amazon for a reality dance competition show, Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrls, which shines on the representation and diversity that celebrates plus-size women.
Lizzo is searching to find not just the best dancers, but the most confident and incredible women to join her upcoming world tour to dance as her elite backup dancer, BIG GRRRLS.
The show started out with 13 contestants, 3 have been eliminated as now 10 hopeful dancers are left to put their skills to the rigorous test, take on challenges, survive living in the Big Grrls mansion, and perform on stage with Lizzo at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee. (The concert was canceled due to the heavy rains from Hurricane Ida.) The girls are also expected to perform at Treasure Island in Minnesota. Anything can happen as in the first episode Lizzo was meant to send 3 of the 13 girls home. Lizzo sent 2 girls home and added 1 girl who is headed straight to rehearsal for her upcoming tour. Lizzo made it clear that she’s the boss and calls all the shots! Think of this show as a fun, non-toxic, and problematic edition of America’s Next Top Model.
The show follows a similar but standard formula which is typical of other reality shows of this type. Most competition shows have a contestant that is eliminated after each episode, but in this case, that does not exactly happen. Yes, dancers get eliminated, but Lizzo is here to root on all the girls as they try their hardest to join her team. Audiences can see this in the sweat and tears each girl brings on to the competition. The series is very inclusive and diverse focusing on plus-size women including those who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community, different cultures, and races as they embrace body positivity. Each contestant takes on challenges while getting ready to perform at the festival which includes the making of a music video, having a photo shoot that includes a nude photoshoot, getting the chance to work with Lizzo’s style squad, and having a super fierce fashion show.
The contestants go through rigorous and demanding non-stop dance rehearsals however, it would have been interesting to see the girls perform in front of larger audiences to get a true sense of what performing is like instead of just the small crew Lizzo pops up with.
Lizzo shares a remarkable bond with each of the girls and is the best cheerleader full of charisma and serves as the captain to root them on. It’s sweet to watch as each contestant is vulnerable as they share similar experiences. Lizzo expresses she wants each of the girls to thrive being who they are, love themselves, and know their worth. The theme of the series focuses on the narrative of doing a great job and giving what audiences want to see. However, the stakes should have been raised even higher as the outcome of the show has a predictable but happy ending. I wanted a little more juice, (no pun intended), but this show is definitely a better reality competition.
Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrls is a reality show that has only eight episodes, that is a completely fun, uplifting, and refreshing competition show that’s a breezy and easy binge to watch, the audience will want more. Perhaps Lizzo could record her adventures on her upcoming world tour.
