The great thing about small shows is that, often, the performers don't stay small for long. Over the years, the Quad-Cities has hosted pre-fame performances by pop acts like New Kids On The Block, Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift. In 2016, with just two albums to her name and zero chart-placing tracks, Lizzo played a show at Daytrotter's brand new venue in downtown Davenport.
On February 17, 2016, Lizzo was the first headliner of the week for "Daytrotter Downs," the organization's brand new four-day festival. At the time, the Houston-raised singer was based in Minneapolis. Daytrotter founder Sean Moeller said he first met Lizzo the year before at South By Southwest, where Daytrotter was recording satellite sessions.
He remembers "Batches & Cookies," a song from Lizzo's debut album "Lizzobangers" having some buzz before he booked her for Daytrotter Downs. "That was kind of what drew people out to check her out, that was making the rounds and people were listening," he said. "She wasn't a total nobody at all, but she certainly wasn't Lizzo.
" Moeller said that, when you're around music long enough, it's easy to develop an eye for when somebody has it. To recognize when a singer stands out enough to make the big step to household recognition. He saw it with Lizzo.
"Once you saw a Lizzo live show, it made all the sense in the world," he said. "As far as star power, she was, from the second we met her, a force." Minneapolis based alternative hip hop artist Melissa Jefferson, better k.