SZA gives her all in her latest studio album, ‘SOS’
By Tiara Grace
Everyone’s in their ‘SZA era’ this season as the R&B artist returns to the musical forefront with her latest album, SOS. For those who have been patiently waiting, it’s about time. Since developing her fanbase, which has been buzzing since the 2017 release of CTRL, the artist’s debut album, there has been immense appreciation and admiration for the artist’s range and presence.
SZA is no stranger to bringing out the best and worst emotions of her listeners. The three singles, "Good Days", "Shirt", and "I Hate U", predated the album’s release, the latter being released on an anonymous SoundCloud account; But if CTRL wasn’t enough to solidify SZA as the musician and simultaneously helped solidify her existence in the industry and throughout her fanbase on social media, these were. Now that the album’s been released, new hashtags have since popped up on Twitter including “#NewSZA” and “#DamnSZA”.
The titular song, "SOS" is there to set the tone for the rest of the album and it does so flawlessly.
“Damn right, I'm the one / Comin' back, she so candid / Comin' back snatched like bandit / Comin' back, this ain't canned shit. SZA expresses that she has what it takes to be “the one”. The one who’s most influential, poised, yet isn’t afraid to speak her mind and truth. SZA also values protecting your energy.
Track 2 on the album is titled as a reference to filmmaker Quentin Tarantino’s famed project, "Kill Bill" examines SZA grappling with intense thoughts targeted toward her ex. The lines, “I might kill my ex, not the best idea / His new girlfriend's next, how'd I get here? / I might kill my ex, I still love him, though / Rather be in jail than alone” speak to that. Those intense feelings trickle into the rest of her tracks such as, "Notice Me" and "Gone Girl" which are not so far off in terms of similar themes.
SZA and indie-rock musician Phoebe Bridgers sync up for "Ghost In the Machine", a song that gives insight into SZA’s place in the music industry “machine” so she seeks comfort in her partner. SZA begs the following questions, “Can you distract me from all the disaster? / Can you touch on me and not call me after? / Can you hate on me and mask it with laughter?” How fitting that this song lives in, what I consider, her most vulnerable piece of work to date after being open in a Billboard article saying, “I hate the red tape analytics of dropping anything — it’s so stressful,” she grumbles. “I definitely have heard [the term ‘digital service provider’] more this week and last week than I have ever. I don’t like the way it sounds — it sounds stressful and like something that requires a lot of attention and maneuvering. I hate the word ‘single.’ It’s like, ‘What the f–k separates a single from other sh-t on my album that I like? Why does it have to be different?’”
This album proves that SZA doesn’t shy away from being “that girl” not only in her art, but in her public persona. Her listeners should feel the same way. Whether you feel like an empowered spirit from just listening to the highlighted singles or you decide to breeze through the entire album and are contemplating which track is your favorite, you’ll get something personal out of listening to any song on this album. While this newest addition to her body of work has been long-awaited, it is sure to have you in your feelings. Now, SZA seems to just be getting started, and with a tour on the horizon, it’ll be interesting to see what other energies she puts out with her music in the future.