Grammy winning alternative R&B star SZA revealed in a new interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music that she initially felt called to pursue music to prove a point to her ex-fiancé. Following struggling to discover her true passion, the New Jersey-raised singer decided to drop out of college a semester short of graduation. While she continued bartending to make a living, her fiancé, who she lived with at the time, handled the majority of their finances.
Eventually, SZA grew tired of being codependent on her ex-fiancé, who worked in design and was eight years older than her. Wanting independence and stumbling upon her vocal and writing abilities, SZA reflected that music felt like a natural transition for her to make.
SZA tells Zane Lowe she first started making music to prove a point to her ex-fiancé:
“It was because he was paying for everything. My food, my clothes, where I lived…I was so co-dependent, and he was so talented. His ex girlfriends were all lawyers, business women and… https://t.co/2G1rvlpEqN
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) December 13, 2023
Upon further elaborating upon her desire to continue creating new music, SZA revealed that she is “always proving a point.” The singer-songwriter has long been acclaimed for her ability to blend the alternative, hip hop, and R&B genres seamlessly for a new generation of listeners. Her early music rapidly found an audience on social media platform Tumblr, which popularized the alternative scene and associated fashion and lifestyle in the mid to late 2010s.
SZA’s most recent album “SOS” came out in 2022, and went on to secure nine Grammy nominations for the 2024 awards season, making her one of the most recognized artists of the year. The album cover famously mimics an image of the late Princess Diana of Wales on vacation, staring pensively into the open water. A number of artists feature on the album, including Phoebe Bridgers, Don Toliver, Travis Scott, and more. “Kill Bill”, the album’s lead single, made a major splash across TikTok throughout this year, sparking a number of viral video trends.
@cierraramirezofficial love a transition vid🤭🤍 @nailea <3 #sza #killbil #transition
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Social Media Reactions
Fans were excited to see SZA’s recent mainstream success and critical acclaim after years of hard work within the indie scene before signing with a major label. Now with RCA, SZA’s unique albums continue to captivate a wide audience.
and look at her now, a LEGEND pic.twitter.com/62w1J9HbOA
— alfonso🪽 (@ctrlalfonso) December 13, 2023
Others found her transparency about overcoming codependency to be refreshing and well reflected in her writing.
SZA's experience of overcoming co-dependency and forging her own path in the music industry is a powerful narrative of female empowerment. It reflects the importance of self-reliance and pursuing one's passions.
— Sergey Golubev (@serge_golubev) December 13, 2023
SZA will soon release her next album “LANA”. The exact release date remains a mystery, though many hope it will be sooner rather than later, as “SOS” was released in December 2022. The album is currently expected to have seven to ten tracks.
“Oh baby, the deluxe is SO far from the original album. It’s a whole other thing.”
— SZA to Zane Lowe on upcoming album ‘LANA’ pic.twitter.com/G1Z1Ujsq6V
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) December 13, 2023
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The Grammy awards will be televised via CBS on Feb. 4, 2024.
