Lizzo drank tequila from her shoe at a concert in Australia

What the heck is a shoey? Lizzo just found out at her Australia concert

Lizzo sings on stage in a black leather outfit over a pink bodysuit with a dancer behind her

July 24, 2023 12:01 PM PT

When in Australia, shoe as the Australians shoe.

That’s the motto Lizzo appeared to adopt Sunday night while attempting to do a “shoey” onstage in Sydney. A shoey is an Australian tradition that entails pouring alcohol into your shoe and then drinking it before placing the shoe back on your foot, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

In footage from Lizzo’s concert at Qudos Bank Arena, the “About Damn Time” singer appears to take cues from someone in the crowd before removing a sparkly black boot from her foot and placing a whole bottle of tequila inside.

“I take a drink from my shoe?” she asks the audience. “Is that what you’re saying?”

Before taking her first swig, Lizzo issues “a reminder that this is f— up.”

“Here goes nothing, b—,” she says. “I got a bottle of tequila I been saving for you. Make some noise.”

After taking a long pull of tequila, the “Special” artist makes a scrunched up face and declares, “F— Australia.”

“How are you guys still walking if that’s how you take shots?” she continues. “I am scared that we’re not gonna get through the rest of this show if I don’t start singing soon.”

Multiple Australians were quick to point out on social media that the Grammy winner technically did a modified version of a shoey — drinking from the bottle inside the shoe rather than from the shoe itself. But, as one person remarked, “it’s the effort that counts.”

Lizzo is not the first artist to attempt a shoey while performing Down Under. In February, her fellow musician and industry bestie Harry Styles drank some alcohol directly from his green Adidas sneaker at a concert in Perth.

“This is one of the most disgusting traditions ... ever,” Styles said before chugging the liquid. “I’m ashamed of myself. ... I’ll be discussing this with my therapist at length.”

Other musicians who have done a shoey onstage include Post Malone, Kacey Musgraves, Jack Harlow and Tyler, the Creator.