Key Points
- Lizzo was invited to the Library of Congress to check out the antique flutes on display.
- What happened next made history.
American pop star Lizzo has become the "first and only person" to play a crystal flute which was owned by a former United States president more than two hundred years ago.
The Library of Congress granted Lizzo approval to play the 209-year-old antique flute at a concert in Washington DC on Tuesday night
The flute previously belonged to the fourth US president, James Madison, who served the country from 1809 to 1817.
The Grammy award winner, known for her talent as a skilled flautist, posted a video of a woman handing her the flute on stage.
She said she is the "first and only person" to play this presidential crystal flute" and that she will "never be over it".
"No one has ever heard what it sounds like ... now you do," she wrote on Instagram.
"It's literally an heirloom."
Lizzo briefly played the flute and was met with cheers and applause from the crowd, before carefully handing it back to the woman on stage.
Last week, the Library of Congress invited Lizzo on Twitter to visit its enormous flute collection.
Lizzo jumped to the opportunity and attended the Library the day before her concert, playing a piece to researchers and staff in an intimate visit that was shared online.
The next day, she surprised her fans by playing the crystal instrument.
Roswell Encina, the chief communications officer for the Library of Congress, told US news show Inside Edition about the strict security surrounding the flute.
"It was escorted by three Capital police officers in an unmarked vehicle, " he said.
"It was escorted into the arena. It was treated like an actual artist."
After the concert, the Library confirmed the flute was returned to the collection.
