‘SOS’: What The Industry Can Learn from SZA’s Success and Why It Matters

I first heard of SZA, like many of us, upon the release of her debut album CTRL. Completely different from anything I’d ever heard before, the record redefined the trajectory of mainstream R&B, brought groundbreaking representation for Black girls and women, and repopularized a confessional storytelling-style of songwriting that SZA has now become famous and revered for. Listening to that album, I felt held in a way I never had, loved for all the mistakes I’ve made in my own relationships, and seen in all my longing and sadness and hopeless romanticism. Nearly all of the tracks have become iconic in their own right and the album as a whole has landed on many all-time best album lists in the years following its release, including Rolling Stone’s. Overnight, she became the darling of so many including myself, raising the question of what she would do next and how her next album, when it came, topped the first. 

However, it quickly became clear to both fans and SZA herself that the path to a follow-up wouldn’t be so easy. The five years between CTRL and SOS were peppered with constant delays, controversies, arguments with her label Top Dawg, and promises and announcements of a new album only for fans to be let down again. And yet with each new sporadic single release, it became clear that SZA’s popularity was by no means going away, but only continuing to build. Why? I wondered, even as I felt myself being continually caught under her spell. 

First of all, SZA is not like other artists with a clean-cut image and an urge to cater to a specific audience. She doesn’t hold herself to a white standard of “professionalism” or align herself with a white male-dominated music industry that would love to pin her down and profit off her success. On the contrary, she’s not afraid or opposed to being messy, human, complicated, and fully herself. There’s this undeniable appeal about her that has as much to do with her music–which is beautiful and addictive and tender–as it has to do with who she is personally. 

While she’s been known to lie on Twitter (including a certain incident involving a broken foot), we her fans ironically find her one of the most honest and open artists in the mainstream today because of her laid-back demeanor, casual approach to social media, openness about her anxiety, and her tendency to be truthful only when she wants to be and with what she decides her fans should know. Just recently, SZA went viral when she revealed that she gotten a BBL, or a Brazilian Butt Lift, and not only had no shame about it, but also had no shyness about people knowing it. When female celebrities are no strangers to having their appearances being picked apart by the public whether or not they go forward with plastic surgery, it’s rare for a woman to reveal they’ve had work done and embrace it (unless, of course, you’re Dolly Parton or Jennifer Coolidge). What’s not to love about a woman who creates the narrative for herself and inspires others to do the same? 

I believe SZA also appeals to fans because of her image as sexually empowered woman, not only in her songs but also her visuals in music video and on social media. She’s not afraid to be sensual, sexual, or use her body and hair to tell a larger story. But even that isn’t something that always stays consistent. In her photoshoots, music videos, and magazine covers, you’ll often find her in a form-fitting gown, dress, top, bikini, or often no clothes at all alongside eye-catching, gorgeous make-up and hair, not to mention thick, multi-inch heels. But she’s also the same person who will wear the biggest, loosest fits on stage performing live and collaborates with companies like Crocs to promote custom, comfy sandals. Of course, she’s gorgeous in anything she wears but you can’t help but feel shes being genuine and true to herself no matter how she looks. And for people to see all those multi-faceted aspects of her without conditions or apology is nothing short of revolutionary. 

It might seem obvious to attribute her success to her having a personality, being beautiful, and making good music. But when she’s doing it all in an industry that often does not value or respect or credit Black women, that tries to box them into certain genres or behaviors or larger societal expectations, that takes Black creativity for granted and even uses it to benefit non-Black artists, and she’s saying “fuck that” in response, how can we not marvel at the extraordinary woman she is? 

Since its release in December, the release and subsequent release of her sophomore album SOS has broken numerous streaming and chart records, and built upon and bettered what originally made CTRL so successful. Many of the songs have become viral sounds on TikTok–a new indicator of a song’s success these days–spoken even more frankly on themes of love, insecurity, relationships, jealousy, exes, healing, and redemption, and went on to become critically allauded for SZA’s vocals, production, and genre-hopping the forays of folk, country, and rock. 

SOS has further proven that SZA’s reign in the spotlight is by no means over, whether or not she ever releases another album in her lifetime, and that if you’re genuine and authentic to yourself beyond agendas and timelines perpetuated by the industry and even fans, people will listen and they will love you. After all, she’s given us two perfect albums–how many artists can say that and what more could we ever want? SZA, the woman you are.