Watch Lizzo perform a flute duet with her childhood idol James Galway
nme.comLizzo has shared a video of her performing alongside her longtime idol and flute legend James Galway, and explained how he shaped her as a musician.The pop icon shared the footage to Instagram yesterday (May 3), and told fans how the flautist inspired her as a child.
The footage follows her duet with Galway at the Met Gala earlier this week (May 1).“Where do I begin…? When I was 11 years old and learning the flute I needed a challenge from my 5th grade level studies.
So I found ‘The Man with the Golden Flute’ by James Galway and it changed the trajectory of my life,” she wrote in the caption.“I learned most of the songs by ear because the sheet music was too difficult to read at the time,” she added. “Eventually I fell in love with virtuosic flute music and memorized ‘The Carnival of Venice’ (James’ version) when I was 14.”She explained it was after her parents heard her playing Galway’s work that they realised how seriously she was taking her flute lessons, and paid for her to get lessons from university-level teachers.
She also added that it was because of the inspiration from the flautist that she was gifted “Sasha Flute” — the main flute she still plays at her shows today.A post shared by Lizzo (@lizzobeeating)“When my dad passed away I played ‘Amazing Grace’ into ‘Carnival of Venice at his funeral’… it was my promise to never give up,” she continued. “Now, years later I had the honor to play beside Sir James Galway, and receive lessons from him and even play his alto flute.
Read more on nme.com