Imagine if SZA just pulled a Taylor Swift and dropped a brand new full-length album out of the blue. Luckily for fans of the R&B sensation, they might have to start preparing for that best-case scenario. In an Nov. 29 interview with Variety, SZA held nothing back as she discussed the status of a follow-up album to S.O.S., her record-breaking sophomore project that dropped in 2022. She shared that by the time she hits the road for the Latin America and Australia/New Zealand legs of the S.O.S. tour, which kicks off in May 2024, she may have brand new music out.
Throughout Summer 2023, SZA had been posting teasers of brand-new songs. For months, fans suspected that she’d drop a deluxe version of S.O.S. or a brand new album altogether. SZA confirmed that the latter was coming in Fall 2023 at a Sept. 8 concert in Brooklyn, NY. She didn’t reveal a release date, but she did mention that the project’s called Lana and will contain 7-10 tracks. As of right now, the album is still in production.
The name Lana comes from SZA’s first tattoo. Since she didn’t have enough money at the time to get her full first name, Solana, SZA settled on Lana, which “became [her] nickname for no reason.” As for the original concept of Lana, SZA told Variety, “It was gonna be [SOS] outtakes and some new songs, but it’s become more than I expected. It was gonna be really soft, because I had made all my screaming points, and I just wanted to glide and not think [too much] and get out of my own head — I was so happy to say some sh*t that didn’t mean a f*cking thing.”
SZA is seriously toying with the idea of surprise-dropping Lana, since “no one’s actually expecting that from [her] right now.” But she’s also trying to strike a balance between “consistent” and “carefree.” During the interview, she reflected on how she used to post songs to SoundCloud. Back then, she could just upload music at the click of a button without the hassle of publishing royalties. “Some of my favorite songs were the ones that I dropped on SoundCloud [early in her career], because it was so stress free,” SZA said.
In an extremely relatable sentiment, SZA shared her tendency to procrastinate when it comes to turning in albums. “I never get these things done until like the day before the deadline,” she said. Me too, girl.
It’s also worth noting that in a special video for her top Spotify Wrapped listeners, the “Snooze” singer promised new music in 2024.
I, for one, really hope that SZA is delivering new music sooner than later. I’ll be here waiting whenever she’s ready.