GRAMMY-award-winning singer Lizzo, who often speaks positively of her past marching band experience as a flutist, has taken that band love a step further. In December 2019, Lizzo re-released the music video for her 2016 hit single “Good as Hell,” this time featuring a special guest—the 275-member Human Jukebox from Southern University.
The end of 2019 was a whirlwind for the Human Jukebox, which participated in the three-day music video shoot during the middle of its homecoming preparations. In addition, the band participated in the 2020 Tournament of Roses Parade, “so that was another positive thing [where] our university [could represent] the state of Louisiana as an ambassador,” says Kedric Taylor, director of bands for Southern University.
Lizzo’s production team had reached out to the band searching for a group to feature, and getting approval from the university’s administration was easy, Taylor says. “They were very excited,” he adds.
The music video featured the Human Jukebox in multiple locations, including the rehearsal room, the field, and the band bus. “We did multiple [takes] to make sure we got multiple shots,” Taylor says.
Taylor recalls production days beginning at 8 or 9 in the morning and continuing until midnight. One night, due to rain delaying the production, the band stayed out until 2 a.m.
Despite the long hours, Taylor says the process didn’t feel like work. Rather it represented a professional achievement. “Hard work doesn’t go unnoticed,” Taylor says. “For them to find us and pick us out, I think that speaks volumes to the legacy and the tradition that we have at Southern University.”
