The follow up album to SZA’s well loved album “CTRL” is set to drop this December, though the singer says she is “currently stressed” to meet this deadline.
When SZA released her 2017 album ‘Ctrl’, it became a new classic immediately. These songs resonate with people from all walks of life. The songwriter tackled topics such as navigating life in your 20s, feeling like an outcast and wondering if you are enough for your significant other. SZA quickly became a realistic role model for so many young people, especially the black community. ‘Ctrl’ not only left a mark on the fans, but it also broke records. SZA was the most nominated woman at the 2018 Grammy Awards. Ctrl has also not left the Billboard 200 since it debuted, spending 281 consecutive weeks on the chart.
Fans have been pressing SZA for about five years now for a new album. Along the way, she has dropped some singles including “Hit Different,” “Good Days,” “I Hate U” and “Shirt.” She also put out the deluxe version of ‘Ctrl’ this past June. SZA has been teasing a new album for a while, which is why fans have been confused as to when it will actually drop. Even though she has confirmed the title of the new album, ‘S.O.S.’, and it is scheduled to release in December, SZA confesses how hard this has been on her. “I could literally burst into tears and run through this wall at any moment. I am effectively falling apart,” she reveals. “This isn’t meant for a person; it’s meant for a machine.” I think fans did not realize to consider that SZA feels she is not meant for the famous life. She loves making art and creating but feels like she is not cut out for the spotlight.
Despite all of the singer’s stress, her creative process does not seem to slow down. In the new Billboard interview writer Heran Mamo states, “Instrumentally, S.O.S is the most captivating music she has ever made, her beloved lo-fi beats sharing space with surf rock within the same track, a grunge record and an acoustic guitar-driven ballad coexisting without either sounding out of place.” This sounds like something new for SZA, and I am personally beyond excited to hear the new album myself! I love when artists experiment with their sound instead of staying inside a box. SZA also mentioned that her writing on ‘Ctrl’ was more of a carefree process and that she has sharpened her writing since.
The recording of this album was so difficult for SZA because of plenty of unavoidable roadblocks; deaths in her family, record label complications, her crazy touring schedule and not to mention the pandemic. As productive as SZA has been recently, she feels like this lifestyle might not be cut out for her in the long run. But as of right now, the R&B singer is mainly focused on bettering her craft like trying new writing and production styles, working on her stage presence and jumping on as many opportunities as she can. SZA has shifted the culture and will continue to do so, which is why I am so excited to hear the music she has been putting her heart and soul into!