SZA

For other uses, see SZA (disambiguation).

SZA
SZA looking towards a crowd while singing into a microphone
SZA in 2024
Born
Solána Imani Rowe

(1989-11-08) November 8, 1989 (age 35)
St. Louis, Missouri, US
OccupationSinger-songwriter
Years active2011–present
Works
AwardsFull list
Musical career
OriginMaplewood, New Jersey, US
Genres
InstrumentVocals
Labels
Websiteszactrl.com
szasos.com
Signature

Solána Imani Rowe (born November 8, 1989), known professionally as SZA (/ˈsɪzə/ ⓘ SIZ-ə), is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her diaristic lyrics and alternative R&B sound incorporating multiple genres, she is a significant figure in influencing contemporary R&B music.

SZA first garnered attention with her self-released extended plays (EPs) See.SZA.Run (2012) and S (2013). The projects led her to sign with Top Dawg Entertainment in 2013, through which she released her third EP, Z (2014). Her debut studio album, Ctrl (2017), was an alternative R&B effort and a critical and commercial success. It earned four Grammy Award nominations in 2018, and became the second longest-charting R&B album by a woman on the US Billboard 200. Her 2018 single "All the Stars" with Kendrick Lamar was a top-10 single in the US and UK, and it earned her Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for Best Original Song. SZA's feature on Doja Cat's "Kiss Me More" in 2021 set a record as the longest-running all-female collaboration in the US top-ten and won the singer her first Grammy Award.

SZA experimented with several genres like rock, hip-hop, and pop on her second studio album, SOS (2022). It has spent thirteen weeks at number one on the Billboard 200, broke several chart records, and set an achievement for the largest streaming week for an R&B album in the US. Its six singles include "Kill Bill", her first global number-one and the third best-selling song of 2023. SOS was reissued in 2024 as the deluxe album Lana, which spawned the top-ten singles "Saturn" and "30 for 30". That same year, SZA collaborated with Lamar on the single "Luther". It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for ten weeks, making it her longest-running number one in the US.

SZA has earned numerous accolades throughout her career, including five Grammy Awards, a Brit Award, an American Music Award, a Guild of Music Supervisors Award, and two Billboard Women in Music awards, including Woman of the Year. She has co-written songs for artists such as Nicki Minaj, Beyoncé, Travis Scott, Schoolboy Q, and Rihanna. In 2024, she received the Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Early life and education

Solána Imani Rowe[1] was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on November 8, 1989.[2][3] She grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey. Her parents are from the Southern United States; Rowe's mother, Audrey, was an executive at AT&T, while her father, Abdul, was a video producer at CNN.[4] As a child, Rowe was affectionally nicknamed by her mother "Chickabee", derived from the film Nell (1994).[5] Rowe's relatives include a half-sister, Panya, who is eleven years older than her; and a brother, Daniel, who is a rapper known by the stage name Manhattan.[6] She has a niece, Carolyn, who also makes music.[7] Rowe considers her maternal grandmother, Norma, her best friend.[8]

Audrey is Christian, while Abdul is Muslim.[9] Rowe's father would attend her mother's church for special occasions, while her mother would dress up for Jum'ah and accompany her father to the mosque.[6] Rowe attended both Sunday school and Muslim school.[6] In an interview with the blog Muslim Girl, she said that her parents have accepted each other's religions, "their faiths and beliefs [having integrated]".[10]

It's like the belief in one God, all the pillars of Islam et cetera, and I think those are ideas that will never leave me, those make sense in my spirit. It's the way that I connect with God; it has always made sense to me. I think I would love to wear my hijab but I feel like I don't wanna wear my hijab and talk crazy on stage and be in videos with Travis Scott. Like I don't wanna be disrespectful because I have too much love and respect for the religion, for my father, and for myself.[11]

Rowe wore a hijab during elementary and early middle school.[12] Following the September 11 attacks, in her middle school years, she stopped wearing one for fears of Islamophobic bullying.[12][13] She later attended Columbia High School, where she participated in the school's gymnastics and cheerleading teams, as well as its dance team dubbed the Special Dance Company.[14] After graduating in 2008, Rowe enrolled in three different colleges before settling at Delaware State University to study marine biology.[15][9][16] She dropped out in her final semester to focus on her music career and worked various jobs to support herself.[17]

After dropping out, Rowe often drank Malibu, smoked marijuana, and overslept daily.[6] She lied about her age to get a bartending job and occasionally danced at several strip clubs in New Jersey and New York City.[18] When she formed her stage name SZA, Rowe was inspired by Nation of Islam, a black nationalist religious movement.[19] She took cues from the Supreme Alphabet,[20] taking influence from rappers RZA and GZA of Wu-Tang Clan.[21] The last two letters in her name stand for Zig-Zag and Allah, while the first letter S can mean either savior or sovereign.[22][23]

Career

2011–2014: Career beginnings and EPs

SZA smiling while speaking to a microphone
SZA performing in 2013

SZA first met members of Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) during the CMJ New Music Report in 2011, when her boyfriend's clothing company sponsored a show in which Kendrick Lamar was performing. SZA's early music was shared with TDE president Terrence "Punch" Henderson, who was impressed by the quality of the material.[24] SZA's early music was recorded with friends and neighbors; many of the beats were taken from the Internet.[25] SZA self-released her debut extended play (EP) See.SZA.Run on October 29, 2012.[26][27] The extended play was met with positive reviews upon release. The Guardian commended the EP, its lyrical content and production, and compared it to the work of musicians like Drake and the Weeknd.[28]

SZA self-released her second EP, S, on April 10, 2013.[29][30] It was positively received; Consequence of Sound thought that the "dreamy [and] warped [EP] manage[d] to exude confidence and fragility".[31] SZA promoted the extended play with the release of a music video for the EP's lead single, "Ice.Moon".[32] SZA and Punch stayed in contact, and after the former began garnering attention with the release of her two EPs, TDE signed her on July 14, 2013, making her the label's first female artist.[24][33] In October 2013, SZA joined Swedish band Little Dragon for a four-show tour, beginning on October 17 at the El Rey Theater in Los Angeles and concluding on October 24 at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn.[34] That December, she released the song "Teen Spirit", which was later remixed with a guest verse from rapper 50 Cent.[23] The remix was accompanied by a music video directed by APlusFilmz.[35]

Throughout 2014, SZA was featured on multiple tracks from her labelmates' projects, including two songs on Isaiah Rashad's debut EP, Cilvia Demo,[36][37] and a collaboration on Schoolboy Q's debut album, Oxymoron.[38] She followed up with the release of her third studio EP, Z, on April 8,[39] led by the single "Babylon" featuring Lamar,[40] which was accompanied by a music video directed by APlusFilmz.[41] To promote the EP, SZA performed at several showcases during the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, Texas.[42][43] Z marked SZA's chart debut in the UK, reaching number 32 on the R&B chart for the week ending April 19.[44] In the US, the EP debuted at number 39 on the Billboard 200; it sold 6,980 copies in its first week and peaked at number nine on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.[45] Z acquired a small cult following online,[46] gaining popularity within niche communities on Tumblr which contributed to her slow rise in popularity.[47] In the tailend of the year, SZA opened for Jhené Aiko's Enter the Void Tour[48] and Coldplay's Ghost Stories Tour.[49]

During 2014, SZA befriended record producer ThankGod4Cody during a time when he was working on music for Rashad.[50][51] One time, she overheard him making a beat from the next room, and they decided to build a song out of it. It eventually became the standalone single "Sobriety".[51] She released it via SoundCloud in November, with the genre tag "Not R&B".[52] In 2015, she met another record producer, Carter Lang, via a chance encounter at a studio; they and ThankGod4Cody began a work relationship the same year, collaborating on an upcoming project by SZA.[51] Initially given the title A, the project was going to be the final EP of the "SZA" trilogy that started with S.[53] Work on it started back in 2014.[54] As time passed, A slowly developed into SZA's debut album Ctrl.[55]

2015–2018: Ctrl and breakthrough

A's release date was initially scheduled for late 2015.[56] However, due to disputes with TDE and persistent feelings of anxiety fueled by her perfectionism, SZA had to rework the project multiple times.[57][58] The label then postponed its release from 2015 to the start of 2016.[56] In a February post on Instagram, TDE implied A was in its final stage of creation and would be released the same year.[59] One of its prospective songs, "TwoAM",[60] was surprise-released through their SoundCloud account in May;[61] it was eventually scrapped from the tracklist.[60] Later that same month, SZA told Entertainment Weekly that A was now growing into a full-length album.[62] A mid-2016 release date was planned for the project,[63] only for it to be delayed again to November 8: a day before her birthday.[64] With frustrations mounting due to TDE's postponements, SZA angrily announced on Twitter that she wanted to quit music. She later retracted her statement.[65]

While working on A, SZA was co-writing songs for other singers.[53] She co-wrote "Feeling Myself" by Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé in 2014,[66] Scott's "Ok Alright" in 2015,[67] and Rihanna's "Consideration" in 2016. "Consideration" was going to be on A as a track called "LouAnne Johnson"; SZA deemed it the album's "centerpiece" and even had a music video filmed.[68] Much to her disappointment, TDE had other plans, handing the song to Rihanna for her album Anti and making SZA a feature instead.[69] Regardless, "Consideration" contributed to SZA's breakthrough, and she grew to appreciate the label's decision.[70] Apart from Rihanna, SZA's other collaborators in 2016 included four of her labelmates, namely Lamar,[71] Rashad,[72] Ab-Soul,[73] and Schoolboy Q.[74] She had also contributed background vocals on Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly a year prior.[53]

SZA performing at a concert while holding a microphone
SZA performing in Toronto on the Ctrl The Tour in August 2017

In 2017, SZA announced Ctrl as the new title for A,[75] with the official release date being June 9 of that year.[76] After she signed with RCA Records in April,[77] the album was finally released as scheduled.[78] In Ctrl, SZA continued to lean into her established alternative R&B sound, incorporating hints of alternative rock as well.[47][79] Meanwhile, critics mainly categorized it under contemporary R&B.[47][80] To promote the album, SZA released five singles: "Drew Barrymore", "Love Galore" featuring Scott,[81] "The Weekend", "Broken Clocks", and "Garden (Say It like Dat)".[82][83] She also embarked on Ctrl the Tour, which ran from 2017 to 2018 across North America and Oceania.[84] Ctrl was universally acclaimed upon its release,[85][86] with several publications including it on their 2017 year-end lists. It topped Time's ranking[87] and placed at number two on Billboard's,[88] Pitchfork's,[89] and NPR's.[90] In the US, Ctrl debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, sold 60,000 first-week units,[85] and became the second longest-charting R&B album by a woman.[91] Its run has lasted for over seven consecutive years.[92] Furthermore, "The Weekend" and "Love Galore" peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100.[93] In 2018, SZA received her first five Grammy nominations due to her work on Ctrl, including Best New Artist.[94][95] Although she was the most-nominated woman for that year, she did not win in any category.[96][97]

After Ctrl, SZA went on a series of song collaborations. Two of them were her first Hot 100 top-tens. The first, "What Lovers Do" (2017) by Maroon 5, peaked at number nine; the second, "All the Stars" with Lamar (2018), reached number seven.[98] The latter was also her first top-ten in the UK, where it peaked at number five.[99] "All the Stars" was released as the lead single from the soundtrack album of Black Panther.[100][101] With it, SZA received her first film award nominations, like an Academy Award for Best Original Song,[102] a Critics' Choice Award for Best Song,[103] and a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.[104] At the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards, "All the Stars" won Best Visual Effects.[105] Elsewhere, SZA contributed to the second soundtrack for the television series Insecure with "Quicksand";[106] featured on the remix of Lorde's "Homemade Dynamite" from Melodrama (2017);[107] and appeared on Cardi B's "I Do" from Invasion of Privacy (2018).[108]

2019–2023: Collaborations and SOS

SZA continued her string of collaborations in May 2019 with DJ Khaled's "Just Us" from Father of Asahd.[109] She worked with Justin Timberlake a year later in February 2020 for "The Other Side",[110][111] and she performed a rendition of "The Anonymous Ones" from the soundtrack of the Dear Evan Hansen film adaptation.[112][113] Earlier in April, SZA was featured on Doja Cat's "Kiss Me More", the lead single from the latter's album Planet Her.[114][115] The song became a global success, reaching number one in New Zealand[116] and landing in the top ten on the charts in the United States,[117] Canada,[118] the United Kingdom,[119] Australia,[120] Ireland,[121] and Lithuania.[122] It became the longest-charting all-female collaboration on the Hot 100, breaking the record set by Brandy and Monica's "The Boy is Mine" from 1998.[123] In November 2021, SZA and Summer Walker released "No Love" from Still Over It; the song was later re-released as an official single with an extended version in March 2022.[124]

In August 2020, SZA sparked speculation about label tensions when she tweeted and deleted, "At this point y'all gotta ask Punch".[125][126] In a follow-up tweet, she mentioned that all he ever told her about releasing new music was "soon".[127] This revealed that her relationship with her label had been hostile since the delays of her second album, which was last announced back in an interview in 2019.[128] SZA made her long-awaited return as a lead artist on September 4, 2020, with "Hit Different", featuring Ty Dolla Sign and produced by the Neptunes.[129][130] On December 25, she officially released "Good Days" after previewing it in the outro of the "Hit Different" music video.[131][132] The song, which featured background vocals from English singer Jacob Collier, peaked at number nine on the Hot 100, making it SZA's first solo top-ten.[133][134] She later revealed that "Good Days" was not initially planned as a single.[135] Both songs were originally expected to be included on her upcoming second studio album, but "Good Days" ultimately made the final tracklist.[136] Following its success on R&B charts, In December 2021, SZA officially released the single "I Hate U", after the song went viral on TikTok;[137] it was initially released exclusively on SoundCloud in August.[138][139] Following the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, SZA confirmed that her second studio album was completed and would be released "soon".[140]

On June 9, 2022, SZA released a deluxe edition of Ctrl to celebrate its five-year anniversary.[93][141] This version included seven previously unreleased tracks, such as "TwoAM",[note 1] "Jodie", "Percolator", and an alternate version of "Love Galore" without Travis Scott.[141] On October 28, 2022, SZA released a new single, "Shirt", accompanied by a music video starring actor LaKeith Stanfield.[143] Originally teased in late 2020, the song gained traction on TikTok through a viral challenge.[144] A snippet was later featured as the outro in the official music video for "Good Days".[145] At the end of the "Shirt" music video, SZA previewed another track, which she later confirmed was titled "Blind".[146][147]

On her 33rd birthday, November 8, 2022, SZA released a teaser titled "PSA" on Instagram.[148][149] The video ended with Morse code spelling out "S.O.S.", sparking speculation about a new project.[150] On November 16, 2022, Billboard officially confirmed that her second studio album would be titled SOS and was set for a December release.[151] After performing "Shirt" and "Blind" on Saturday Night Live, SZA announced that the album would be released on December 9, 2022.[152] Wanting to demonstrate her versatility, she incorporated an amalgam of genres on her second album, such as R&B, rap, rock, and pop.[153][154] In addition to "Good Days", "Shirt", and "I Hate U", SOS spawned three more singles: "Nobody Gets Me", "Kill Bill", and "Snooze".[155] "Kill Bill" was SZA's first number-one on the Billboard Global 200 and Hot 100 charts,[156][157] while "Snooze" was the only song to remain on the Hot 100 for all of 2023.[158] According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, "Kill Bill" was the year's third best-selling single worldwide. It earned 1.84 billion units internationally, based on streams and digital sales.[159]

SOS spent its first seven weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 – the longest run for a female album in the decade and the first R&B album to achieve this since Whitney Houston's Whitney (1987).[5] To promote the album, SZA embarked on the SOS Tour from 2023 to 2024, performing 63 shows across North America, Europe, and Oceania.[53][160] Omar Apollo, d4vd, Raye, and Sir served as opening acts for different legs of the tour.[161][162] In January 2023, SZA featured on the remix of Lizzo's single "Special" from her eponymous 2022 album.[163] In March 2023, SZA modeled for Kim Kardashian's fashion brand, Skims, representing the "Fits Everybody" collection, which includes size-inclusive T-shirts, bodysuits, and intimate apparel.[164][165] In September 2023, SZA collaborated with Drake on the single "Slime You Out" for the latter's eighth album, For All the Dogs.[166] "Slime You Out" was SZA's second song to top the Hot 100 chart, following "Kill Bill".[167]

The same month, SZA performed at an invite-only show in Brooklyn Navy Yard to celebrate the success of SOS. Included in the set were "PSA" alongside three other unreleased songs: "Saturn", "Diamond Boy (DTM)", and "BMF".[168][169] SZA told the crowd that the deluxe edition of SOS, titled Lana, would be "coming soon".[169] In November, she stated to Variety that Lana was not a conventional deluxe edition, but a virtually new album with a tracklist that was continuously expanding.[170] Many of the songs were newly recorded pieces of music; others were outtakes from SOS.[171] The scheduled release date for Lana was suggested by SZA to be around December 2023. That month on social media, she posted a series of images that contained a parental advisory sticker, hinting at potential cover artworks.[169] The year ended without any releases.[172]

2024–present: Lana and acting debut

SZA on stage smiling while looking at a crowd
SZA at the Glastonbury Festival 2024

Variety and Time magazines listed Lana as one of the most anticipated albums of 2024.[173][174] On February 22, SZA released "Saturn" as the album's lead single.[175] It became a major success, reaching top ten on both the Hot 100 and Global 200.[176][177] It later won Best R&B Song at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards in 2025 and was nominated for Best R&B Performance.[178][179]

On November 22, now-former labelmate Lamar released his sixth studio album GNX.[180][181] SZA was prominently featured on the third track, "Luther", contributing vocals on two verses as well as the chorus. She also appeared on the album's closing track, "Gloria", performing the chorus and outro.[182] On November 25, SZA announced that she would release a new album before the end of the year on Kai Cenat's Mafiathon 2 Twitch stream that also featured Lizzo. She also did an interview with British Vogue where she said that she had "projects in development".[183] Lana, the deluxe reissue for SOS, was released on December 20, 2024,[184] which, in addition to "Saturn", included the singles "BMF" and "30 for 30" with Lamar, as well as the promotional single "Drive".[185][186][187] On February 9, 2025, Lana was rereleased with four additional tracks, including "PSA" and a leaked song from 2021 titled "Joni".[188][189] With the new bonus tracks, SOS returned to the top of the Billboard 200 for two more weeks.[190]

In support of Lana and GNX, SZA and Lamar have embarked on the Grand National Tour since April 2025, which will run until August. The tour will run for 39 shows across Europe and North America.[191][192] Prior to this, SZA appeared alongside Lamar in his Super Bowl LIX halftime show performance, duetting some of their collaborations.[193] Following their joint performance, "30 for 30" reached a new peak of number 10 on the Hot 100 (despite not being part of the set list), and Lamar's diss track "Not Like Us" broke the record set by "Kill Bill" for the longest number-one on US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[194] The week after, "Luther" reached number one on the Hot 100, SZA's third song to do so.[195] Her longest-running number one in the US, "Luther" became one of only four percent of Hot 100 chart-toppers to spend at least ten weeks at number one on April 28.[196] During the Grand National Tour, SOS topped the Billboard 200 again in its 13th week at number one.[190]

SZA made her acting debut in the Issa Rae-produced film One of Them Days (2025), co-starring alongside Keke Palmer. SZA plays Alyssa while Palmer plays Dreux; the two must urgently find rent money after one of their boyfriends recklessly spends it all.[197][198] Several critics praised SZA and Palmer's on-screen chemistry,[199][200][201] and 93% of the 106 reviews from critics from Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a positive review.[202] Elmo declared SZA an "honorary muppet" during an episode filmed for the 55th season of Sesame Street, released in 2025.[203][204] In March 2025, SZA announced on The Jennifer Hudson Show that she was launching a line of lip products called Not Beauty, which would be available exclusively for purchase on the Grand National Tour. The line consists of lip glosses, creams, liners, and stains.[205]

Artistry

Influences

Ella Fitzgerald looking to her left while slightly smiling. The black and white image features a completely white background.
Black and white image of Lauryn Hill closing her eyes while singing into a microphone.
Ashanti in a somewhat dark room putting her hand on her left hip. She is looking directly at the camera while holding a smile.
SZA has cited musical artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Lauryn Hill and Ashanti as influences.

Growing up, SZA was exposed by her family to artists from different genres, which were formative influences for her music.[206] Her mother enjoyed R&B and church music,[207] her father was a fan of jazz and funk musicians like Miles Davis, Billie Holiday, and John Coltrane,[208][63] and her sister listened to melodic rap and hip-hop artists like Tupac Shakur.[5][206] SZA listens to Ella Fitzgerald for vocal influence[209] and has said that Lauryn Hill is one of her personal influences.[210] SZA has expressed admiration for singer Ashanti, citing her as a major inspiration and someone she has loved since childhood.[211]

SZA also cites Meelah, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, LFO, Macy Gray, Common, Björk, Jamiroquai, and "a lot of Wu, Nas, Mos Def, Hov" as inspirations.[16] Speaking on her influences, SZA said: "[My] personal influences came from dancing with American Ballet Theatre and doing pieces to Björk [music]. That's the only time I had really any outside influence to music. So, the people that I fell in love with on a musical level were always much older. Jamiroquai is just, like, the shit for me."[212] In an interview for Live Nation Entertainment, SZA described the meeting she had with Beyoncé for the writing of "Feeling Myself", affirming "Beyoncé might be the most perfect, beautiful being I've ever met in my whole life. She's the most inspirational woman on earth, next to my mother". SZA also expressed admiration for Rihanna, praising her strong and confident attitude and her commitment to creating only the music she truly wants to make.[213]

SZA is known for referencing films and television series across her discography. She has named multiple songs after actresses or the characters they play.[214] "Drew Barrymore" was named after and inspired by the actress,[215] "Jodie" was named after Jodie Foster,[note 2] and "Go Gina" is a reference to Tisha Campbell's role of Gina on the sitcom Martin (1992–1997).[218] Throughout SOS, SZA incorporates numerous film references in both song titles and lyrics: she named "Kill Bill" after the 2003–2004 film duology;[219] in "Blind", she references Julia Stiles in Save the Last Dance (2001); in the song "Used", SZA makes a reference to Obi-Wan, the Jedi Master from Star Wars; and "Smoking on My Ex Pack" contains a comparison between SZA's former romantic partners and Sideshow Bob, a character from The Simpsons who is both a clown and a criminal.[220] "Scorsese Baby Daddy", from Lana, is a reference to filmmaker and director Martin Scorsese.[221]

Music

"Drew Barrymore" (2017)
SZA self-identifies with the label "alternative", and she has resisted being categorized solely as R&B throughout her career. One song that demonstrates her style of alternative music is her 2017 single "Drew Barrymore".[79][47]
"30 for 30" (2025)
Throughout her career, SZA has experimented with various genres, like hip-hop, in tandem with R&B.[47][222] In the single "30 for 30", SZA combines her usual R&B singing style with a rap flow.[223][224]
Problems playing these files? See media help.

Genre

Critics have frequently described SZA as an R&B singer-songwriter,[225] a narrative for which she has expressed disdain since the beginning of her career. In 2014, when she uploaded the single "Teen Spirit" on SoundCloud, she tagged the song with the categories "Glitter Trap" and "Not R&B".[52] SZA's earliest songs are built around dreamlike, psychedelic, and lo-fi instrumentals; she describes them as "hood, with feminine inflections."[5]

SZA identifies with the label "alternative", a subgenre of R&B that borrows from other genres like rock music. Many of her songs from Ctrl have influences of alternative rock, whereas one track from SOS, "F2F", is explicitly pop rock.[79][47] In her view, her being described as a contemporary R&B artist in the media is restrictive and racially prejudiced.[226] She considers it a byproduct of the racist segregation of Black artists from White artists during the 20th century, which industry professionals did by relegating Black people to R&B categories.[5][227] Saying that Black music has never been limited to the genre, SZA told Consequence: "We started rock 'n' roll. Why can't we just be expansive and not reductive?"[227]

Outside of R&B, critics have also written that several of her works combine the genre with hip-hop[228][229] or pop music.[25] Regardless, SZA has expressed confusion about the media's attempts to categorize her. She prefers to be seen as simply someone who makes music and nothing more, saying, "when you try to label it, you remove the option for it to be limitless. It diminishes the music."[230] "Genre agnosticism" was how Michael Madden of Consequence described SZA's musical style.[231]

Voice

According to Rolling Stone's Marissa G. Muller, SZA's voice alternates between a "vapory husk and a sky-high falsetto".[232] Jordan Sargent, in a Pitchfork review of Z, describes her vocals as "chillwave" and "ethereal".[233] Her vocal style has been described as taking on the "lilt" of a jazz singer.[234]

SZA has a slight speech impediment, which influences her delivery.[235] Her fans treat it as a running joke, saying that she sings in "cursive and italics".[235][236] However, journalist Mankaprr Conteh argues that SZA's enunciation began to be clearer with SOS. Conteh adds that nevertheless, "her words retain the swirls and curves that can make them run together and occasionally become alluringly hard to decipher."[237]

Songwriting

When I'm in the studio, it hurts too much sometimes [...] It's easier to be me through [other artists'] eyes than it is to sit with some of the really harsh things that I say about myself to myself.

SZA while interviewing Kendrick Lamar for Harper's Bazaar, 2024

SZA sees songwriting as a way of proving her self-worth.[238] She personally considers her songwriting awards as her most important achievements, having started her career without anyone to write for her.[239] An enjoyer of poetry, SZA began writing songs due to her passion about the hobby.[25]

SZA also thinks of songwriting as a form of self-therapy, using it to record and resolve her struggles.[240] However, when she tries to draw from her experiences and emotions, the weight of the pain can be too much to bear. Therefore, she sometimes writes from the perspective of other people. With a tendency to self-deprecate, SZA sees the writing technique as a way to "say nicer things about [herself]".[241] For example, "Joni" (2025) – a song about being resilient and achieving perfection amid the difficulties of life – was written from the perspective of Canadian musician Joni Mitchell.[242][243] SZA's other muses include singer-songwriter Frank Ocean and rapper Future.[241]

SZA's writing style, as noted by Mesfin Fekadu in a review for The Hollywood Reporter, often takes a vulnerable, confessional, and reflective tone.[244] Thematically, her works often explore themes of heartbreak, nostalgia, abandonment,[245][246][247] as well as issues related to body image, self-worth, and insecurity.[248][249][250] Sydney Gore of Alternative Press writes that "whereas hypersexuality gives some people the ick, SZA's unfiltered canon of raw feelings seemingly makes others squirm because the level of vulnerability she exudes is too painfully real."[47] As her career evolved past Ctrl, SZA's writing has become more aggressive, unafraid to show her competitiveness and "not a nice girl" attitude.[221]

Many critics have also spoken about her songwriting's relatability – mainly due to its exploration of insecurity – to other Black women. Billboard's Kyle Denis writes that her "brand of self-deprecation" reflects many Black women's constantly experiencing shame from facing misogynoir in their pursuits of romance.[251] Elle journalist DeAsia Paige argues that SZA encourages other anxious Black women to embrace their insecurities – and defy expectations of being independent women – "in a world that relentlessly picks them apart" as a result of their race.[252] When SZA spoke about how Barrymore inspired the eponymous song, she said that she grew up not seeing herself represented enough in media like television series.[235]

Several of SZA's works are the result of improvisation. Because she writes to express whatever comes to her mind, she tends to freestyle and produce stream-of-consciousness songs.[25] In an interview for Variety, she recounts that she "never [has] topics" before starting a track.[207] Her freestyles are part of what SZA calls "palate cleanser" moments during recording. In them, she would quickly write songs in between her more serious projects, as a way to refresh her mind.[11] Some of her biggest songs, like "Kill Bill", were improvised. For this reason, she hates the majority of her commercially successful tracks: "I knew it would be something that pissed me off. It's always a song that I don't give a f–k about that's just super easy, not the sh-t that I put so much heart and energy into."[253]

Collaborations and features

Kendrick Lamar smiling
SZA has worked with Kendrick Lamar, her most well-known collaborator, on several songs since 2014.

SZA is known for her work relationship with former TDE labelmate Kendrick Lamar.[254][255][256] Heran Mamo of Billboard writes that they are the "ultimate rapper-singer duo",[257] and HipHopDX's Andy Bustard comments that they are the best such duo of their time.[258] Dubbed by SZA as her "sensei",[241][254] Lamar has inspired her to take risks and experiment when making music. In a talk show interview, she commented: "He's a huge part of my fumbling and finding era because I'm trusting his expertise ... So I'm just like, 'Teach me, sensei, what you know.'"[254] The two released their first song together in 2014, which was "Babylon" from SZA's third EP Z.[259] He and SZA have three top-ten singles: "All the Stars" in 2018,[260] the US number-one "Luther" in 2024,[195] and "30 for 30" in 2025.[261]

Many other artists have worked with SZA multiple times. One of her earliest collaborators was rapper Mac Miller, who produced two songs from Z.[262] She first met him when she moved to Los Angeles in 2014.[5][262] SZA and singer and rapper Lizzo, whom she befriended after a 2013 Red Bull tour,[263] once considered starting a rock band.[264] The two co-wrote "F2F" from SOS when the idea first came to them.[265] In 2023, Lizzo released a remix of "Special" featuring SZA,[163] and she was originally going to be a feature on "BMF".[note 3] Apart from singers and rappers, there are select producers with whom SZA often works. Two of them, Carter Lang and ThankGod4Cody, have produced several of her songs from Ctrl, SOS, and Lana.[51][267]

Norma Rowe, SZA's deceased maternal grandmother, appears via sampled voice recordings on Ctrl and SOS.[268] Rowe affectionally calls her "Granny",[269] and she is credited as such on both albums.[270][271] Writing for Vulture, journalist Zach Schonfeld ranked Rowe as the fourth-best mother to appear on their child or grandchild's songs. He gave her a "wholesome index" of eight out of ten.[268]

Fashion

During an interview, SZA said she is less inspired by strictly music, and more inspired by creating art in general; she has looked up to people who were not "typical artists" including her "favorite gymnast, ice-skater, saxophonist, painter, or movie director", continuing to say she was particularly inspired by film director Spike Lee.[212] During an interview with W, SZA spoke on her style influences, saying a large amount of her style inspiration comes from movies, including Wes Anderson films, praising his use of "pantone color palette" and that she "would love to dress like a character from Moonrise Kingdom. Or perhaps Bill Murray in The Life Aquatic."[272] Along with her music, SZA's image has been compared to neo-soul artists Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu.[273] SZA's hair became a point of interest during the early stages of her career and she discussed it in interviews with Vogue and Harper's Bazaar.[210] During her performances, SZA tends to wear "free-flowing" clothes that are easy to move around in and wears pajamas or baggy clothing onstage.[274]

Public image and reception

Impact and legacy

Many critics and musicians credit SZA with significantly influencing the sound of contemporary R&B.[237][275][276] Singer Baby Rose described SZA as "a radical light", while NME called her one of the most influential voices in contemporary music, stating that few artists have shaped the sound of modern R&B as much as SZA.[275] Vogue Australia's Liam Freeman concluded that "it's hard to imagine what an R&B playlist would sound like without her now".[277] Reviewing for Variety, Jem Aswad described SZA as "warm, witty and charismatic" and thought that her speaking voice can be as "honeying as the one she pours lavishly into her music".[207] SZA explained that her experience of exclusion in school while growing up motivated her to prioritize creating an inclusive environment for both herself and her fans.[278] Several critics have noted that SZA has cultivated a "girl next door" persona through her music,[279][280] and she has been dubbed the girl next door of R&B by several critics.[151][281]

Billboard recognized SZA as the second-greatest pop star of 2023 and ranked her at the top of the R&B/Hip-Hop Artist chart,[282] while in a 2023 Rolling Stone listicle, she is ranked as the 180th best singer of all time.[237] In 2023, Ctrl and SOS were respectively ranked at numbers 472 and 351 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.[283][284] Many retrospectives have credited Ctrl with influencing the sound of contemporary R&B.[285] In 2023, Sophie Williams of NME highlighted the album's lasting influence, noting that even six years after its release, Ctrl's impact continues to shape a "new generation of young, bright artists".[275] The Australian Broadcasting Corporation's journalist Al Newstead thought that the album redefined genre boundaries through combining classic R&B and neo soul traditions with modern sounds.[286] Many critics argue that Ctrl propelled SZA to mainstream pop stardom.[287][288][289]

Views and philanthropy

Many of SZA's unreleased songs have been leaked online, which she has openly criticized, stating, "When people leak my songs, they ruin them".[290] She feels that when a song is leaked, it no longer belongs to her but to the public, describing it as "something unfinished that you decided was ready to be shared".[291] In December 2018, SZA faced her first major leak when a nine-track unreleased album titled Comethru was distributed through a label called Scissor. On the album, SZA was credited as "Sister Solana", while Lamar made a guest appearance under the name "King Kenny".[292] In January 2024, SZA warned that she may pursue legal action against those who release her music without permission, stating that she promised to hold them accountable as much as the law allows.[293] In March 2024, SZA addressed a fan on Twitter who leaked unreleased images and audio, and later deleted and deactivated her accounts before RCA could take action.[294][295] Punch noted that leaks frequently result in project delays or complete cancellations.[296]

SZA has a strong online presence. Early in her career, she was very active on the social media site Tumblr,[297] where many people discovered her EPs and contributed to her rise to fame.[47] SZA described Tumblr as "her shit" and "such a crazy place" when she was still scouring the website.[297]

SZA is also known for her philanthropic efforts and supports a number of causes, including social and environmental justice as well as Palestinian rights.[278][298] Following Hurricane Harvey in 2017, SZA invited fans to spend time with her after Ctrl the Tour in exchange for donating essential items such as non-perishable food, diapers, gloves, masks, trash bags, and baby food.[299] In 2019, a fan of SZA diagnosed with lupus, sickle cell disease, and Crohn's disease shared on social media that the artist had contributed financially toward her chemotherapy treatments and used her platform to help find a kidney donor.[300] That same year, SZA launched a merchandise line called Ctrl Fishing Company, which included apparel featuring phrases such as "Puck Flastic" and "Sustainability Gang", as well as sea animals like blue whales and seahorses.[301] In 2021, SZA partnered with tea brand Tazo and American Forests to address environmental racism – disproportionate environmental harm affecting Black and brown communities. The corps comprised 25 locally hired fellows trained in climate justice advocacy, tree planting, and maintenance.[278][302] During an Auckland show for the SOS Tour on April 16, 2024, she expressed her support for Palestine by holding the country's flag and calling out, "Free Palestine".[298]

SZA has been vocal in her criticism of the 45th and 47th president of the United States, Donald Trump. In 2016, during that year's presidential election, she condemned Trump supporters, stating that they endorse "bigotry, lying, and xenophobia" and that "[people] are dying from the stereotypes he perpetuates." That same year, she also criticized the hypocrisy in public perception, stating that "we have Trump removing Muslims from conferences [and] spewing venomous bigotry [...] yet Beyoncé being positive is scary?"[303]

Personal life

SZA has been candid about her struggles with mental health, describing the music industry as "one of the most stressful, psychosis-inducing industries".[240] She became depressed and developed suicidal thoughts after the sudden deaths of three ex-boyfriends in quick succession. She found solace through prayer and music, which helped her work toward self-acceptance.[9] Her best friend Mac Miller's accidental lethal overdose in 2018 and grandmother's death in 2020 further pushed her into suicidal thoughts and demotivated her from making music.[8][269]

Due to her upbringing, SZA has practiced several religious beliefs throughout her life. She believes in a "higher power or presence [...] that's running and moving the world like a well-oiled machine," regardless of religion. She has practiced and identified with Christianity,[304] and she considers herself Muslim.[10] Apart from Abrahamic faiths, she incorporates Hinduism in her personal belief system. In 2020, she hosted an online meditation session with Lizzo on Instagram Live, where SZA played a Tibetan singing bowl.[305] She went to a silent retreat in India in 2025, refraining from social media use for over a week and practicing samyama all the while.[306] To maintain her wellness, she does yoga.[307]

SZA is known for keeping her dating life private.[308] Her known former partners include Drake, whom she dated in 2009.[309] Another is an unnamed fashion designer, whom she dated for eleven years and was her ex-fiancé for five.[310] She attributes the beginning of her career in part to him, who helped finance her everyday needs; she described her relationship with him as codependent. The two broke off around 2017, sending SZA in a catastrophizing state because he was a "rock in [her] life" and "nobody understood [her] the way he did". "Nobody Gets Me" was written about him, as were many other songs from SOS.[308]

Discography

Main articles: SZA discography and List of songs recorded by SZA

Filmography

Tours

Headlining

Co-headlining

Supporting

Achievements

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by SZA

In her career, SZA has received five Grammy Awards,[311] a Golden Globe nomination,[312] and an Academy Award nomination.[313] She has earned one American Music Award,[314] six Billboard Music Awards,[315] four MTV Video Music Awards,[105][316][317][318] and six BET Awards.[315] She received the "Rulebreaker Award" and "Women of the Year" at the Billboard Women in Music event in 2019 and 2023, respectively.[319] SZA has also won the Soul Train Music Award for Best New Artist in 2017.[320]

In September 2022, SZA was included as one of the rising stars on the Time 100 Next List.[321] At the 2022 Grammy Awards, SZA won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance with Doja Cat for their collaboration "Kiss Me More".[322] In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked SZA at number 180 on its list of the "200 Greatest Singers of All Time".[323] At the 2025 Grammy Awards, SZA won Best R&B Song for her single "Saturn".[324]

Notes

  1. ^ "TwoAM" was initially released unofficially in 2016 as a standalone single.[142][61]
  2. ^ "Jodie" is a song from Ctrl's deluxe edition, produced by rapper Tyler, the Creator.[216] It leaked sometime around 2021, and SZA referred to it as "Jodie Foster" then.[217]
  3. ^ "BMF" was formerly known as "Boy from South Detroit",[169] and initial reports about Lizzo's appearance used that title.[266]

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