Artcetera: Lizzo sets the internet all a-Glo

It seems like every new year finds Lizzo nearer to superstardom, but 2019 really could be her breakout moment. After showing up on the lineup poster for April's Coachella festival late last week, the Minneapolis-weaned singer/rapper dropped a killer new single, "Juice," with a hilarious '80s-tinted video that quickly went viral. "A glorious ode to Soul Glo and retro glamour," declared the influential hip-hop blog Okayplayer, one of many websites to post the video with high praise. Others included Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Ebony, the Fader and GQ, which called it "already the best song of 2019." Lizzo herself tweeted out a photo of a Spotify billboard in downtown Toronto touting the single, plus a clip of a drag queen breaking out a routine to the song. The song's official video — directed by Lizzo's longtime Minneapolis collaborator Quinn Wilson — features her in a fantasy whirlwind of TV clips ranging from body lotion and hair commercials to a Jane Fonda workout video. It ends with an infomercial-style plug for Blameitonmyjuice.com, which takes you to an Atlantic Records-branded site featuring Lizzo's other inventive and infectious videos. The faux ad also includes fine print to "allow 3-6 weeks for delivery," which could be a hint at the long-awaited arrival of her first album for Atlantic.

CHRIS RIEMENSCHNEIDER

"Balls," the weekly late-night cabaret founded by performer Leslie Ball, is shaking things up this weekend as it celebrates its 25th anniversary at the Southern Theater in Minneapolis. Usually performed at midnight, it's shifting to a 7:30 p.m. start time for what's being called "Prime Time Balls." Another change: The lineup is usually top secret, but this week's acts have been posted. Friday's acts include comedic musician Dean Johnson, journalist Neal Karlen, poet Thadra Sheridan and singer/actor Norah Long; Saturday's lineup features juggler Benjamin Domask, dancer Kaleena Miller, singer/actor Thomasina Petrus and a dozen more. Fans of "Balls" — which started in 1991 at the Jungle Theater — know to expect the unexpected, though. As Ball put it last year, "You might see something offensive and artless, but two minutes later there's something that takes your breath away." Saturday's show will be followed by a 10:30 reception and then, at midnight, it's back to business as usual with another late-night chapter of "Balls."

CHRIS HEWITT

Paul Peterson — or "St. Paul Peterson" to fans who remember him from the "Purple Rain" edition of the Time — just released the first single under his own name in 15 years. Not surprisingly, "You Got 2 Love" is a big old funky slice of the Minneapolis Sound, with lyrics about one love in this divisive, segregated world. Peterson, who sang the original "Nothing Compares 2 U" with the Time spinoff the Family before exiting for a solo career, has worked as a music professor and a sideman with the likes of Kenny Loggins and Oleta Adams, resurrected the Family as fDeluxe, gigged with his jazzy family band the Petersons and led the Minneapolis Funk All-Stars. You can see how well connected he is in the video for "You Got 2 Love," with cameos by Sinbad, Fred Armisen, Tom Arnold, Donny Osmond, Victor Wooten, Jellybean Johnson, Monte Moir and Prince's sister, Tyka Nelson. He'll celebrate Friday night at the Icehouse in Minneapolis (10:30 p.m., $20).

JON BREAM

Minnesota magician Derek Hughes dazzled audiences at Acme Comedy Co. over the holidays with card tricks and mind games. But his most impressive act may be scoring a deal with Penguin Random House. The publishing giant acquired the rights to his children's book "Humpty Dumpty Lived Near a Wall," with illustrations by local actor and artist Nathan Christopher. Hughes, who recently moved back to the Twin Cities from L.A., worked on the rhyme-driven story for five years, getting helpful tips from Teller (of Penn and Teller) and performing it on NBC's "America's Got Talent" (where he reached the top 10 in 2015). He published it himself last year, investing $13,000 for 2,000 copies. "Aside from a successful piece of merchandise I could sell after my live shows, my intention from the start was to ... watch it blossom into a New York Times bestseller," said Hughes, who will participate Friday and Saturday in "Prime Time Balls" (see item above). Penguin plans a national rollout in September.

The spirit was so generous and celebratory that friends of trumpeter Bill Shiell are doing it again. A Twin Cities jazz mainstay and longtime member of the Lamont Cranston blues band, Shiell is suffering from a rare form of cancer. A benefit concert in November "made Bill so happy, he was weeping," said tabla player Marcus Wise. So he and others, including guitarist Dean Magraw, bassist Billy Peterson and drummer Mac Santiago, will throw another benefit at 2 p.m. Sunday at Jazz Central in Minneapolis. "No one played trumpet like Bill," said Wise. "Bill Shiell changed the direction of the jazz scene here when he came from the East Coast." Shiell has been reclusive in recent years, says Wise. "He's very frail. But he'll be there."J.B.

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