SZA’s New Music Drops This Friday
SZA’s meteoric success this year is no secret. The talented singer-songwriter is continuing her streak by releasing new music to kick off the new year with the deluxe album LANA.
SZA’s rise to fame is nothing short of inspirational. She started her music career by handing out t-shirts at a concert for her now-collaborator Kendrick Lamar. In a unexpected moment, a friend played one of her mixtapes, which immediately caught the attention of Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) co-president Terrence “Punch” Henderson. That moment sparked the beginning of her journey into the music industry. Leaving school to chase her dreams, the artist independently released EPs that garnered attention and proved impossible for labels to ignore. By 2013, SZA had signed with TDE, becoming the first woman to join the label’s roster.
Following the success of her early EPs, the R&B singer expressed in an interview that she felt she “owed people more.” This drive fueled the creation of her debut studio album, Z. While the album became a foundation for many of her fans’ favorite tracks, the artist described its creation as the most challenging experience of her career, pushing her to dig deep and prove herself as an artist beyond the industry’s expectations.
After Z, she took a three-year hiatus to prepare her next project. In 2017, she released Ctrl, a dreamy album featuring ethereal melodies and meaningful lyrics that remain a staple in R&B playlists today. Tracks like “Love Galore” and “Doves in the Wind” are fan favorites that continue to resonate with listeners.
The Success of SOS
In 2022, after another notable pause, the star returned with SOS. This highly anticipated album had fans on edge, many of whom had already heard snippets of its songs through unreleased clips. The album delivered on every level, featuring standout singles like “Shirt,” “I Hate U,” and “Good Days,” along with collaborations with Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, and Travis Scott. SOS became an instant masterpiece, cementing SZA’s place as a modern icon.
Despite her initial doubts about the album’s reception, the results speak for themselves: SOS earned the “Kill Bill” singer three Grammy wins and held the top spot on the charts for an impressive 41 consecutive weeks.
Building on the momentum of the SOS era, the artist teased her fans by hinting at new music before the end of the year. During her recent live performances, she offered snippets of what’s to come, leaving her audience eager for more. Now, the wait is finally over, her deluxe album LANA drops this Friday.
Check out the album teaser trailer below.
