SZA

For other uses, see SZA (disambiguation).

SZA
SZA in 2024
Born
Solána Imani Rowe

(1989-11-08) November 8, 1989 (age 35)
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • actress
Years active2011–present
WorksDiscography
AwardsFull list
Musical career
OriginMaplewood, New Jersey, U.S.
GenresR&B
InstrumentVocals
Labels
Websiteszactrl.com
szasos.com

Solána Imani Rowe (born November 8, 1989), known professionally as SZA (/ˈsɪzə/ SIZ-ə), is an American singer-songwriter. She first gained recognition through her self-released EPs See.SZA.Run (2012) and S (2013), which helped her become the first female artist to sign with Top Dawg Entertainment. Her third EP, Z (2014), was her first project to be released to digital retailers and reached the top-ten on the U.S. Independent Albums chart.

After signing a joint recording contract with RCA Records, SZA released her debut studio album, Ctrl (2017). It was met with critical and commercial success, earning four Grammy Award nominations and becoming the second longest-charting R&B album by a female artist on the Billboard 200.[1] The following year, SZA was nominated for the Golden Globe and Academy Awards for Best Original Song via her collaboration with Kendrick Lamar on the U.S. and UK top-ten single "All the Stars".[2] Her featured appearance on Doja Cat's "Kiss Me More" broke the record for the longest-running all-female collaboration within the U.S. top ten,[3] and won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.

SZA's second album, SOS (2022), spent ten non-consecutive weeks atop the Billboard 200 and broke the record for the largest streaming week for an R&B album in the U.S. Supported by six singles, including the top-ten songs "Good Days",[4] "I Hate U",[5] "Nobody Gets Me" and "Snooze", SZA earned her first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Kill Bill" in 2023. She later earned her second chart-topping single of the year with her guest appearance on Drake's "Slime You Out".

SZA has received several accolades in her career, including four 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). As a songwriter, she has co-written songs for Nicki Minaj, Beyoncé, Travis Scott, Schoolboy Q, and Rihanna. In 2024, she was honored with the Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.[6]

  1. ^ Smith, Danyel (February 8, 2023). "SZA's Ruination Brought Her Everything". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  2. ^ Davis, Rachaell (January 22, 2019). "All The Stars: SZA And Kendrick Lamar Are Now Oscar-Nominated". Essence. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  3. ^ "Doja Cat & SZA's "Kiss Me More" Breaks Record Held By Brandy & Monica". www.hotnewhiphop.com. August 24, 2021. Archived from the original on August 25, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2021.
  4. ^ "Morgan Wallen, SZA Hit Hot 100's Top 10, Chris Brown & Young Thug Rule Radio Songs". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 11, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  5. ^ "SZA reacts to landing her first solo 'Billboard' Hot 100 hit, "Good Days" – Music News – ABC News Radio". abcnewsradioonline.com. Archived from the original on May 2, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  6. ^ Aswad, Jem (April 16, 2024). "SZA to Be Honored by Songwriters Hall of Fame With Hal David Starlight Award (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved April 16, 2024.