|
"This This article is a stub. It doesn't contain enough information. If you know anything about SZA, please add to this page.
|
“I can't keep my panties from dropping“
Solána Imani Rowe (born November 8, 1989), known professionally as SZA (/ˈsɪzə/), 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 Floptropica 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. 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., UK and Floptropica top-ten single "All the Stars". 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, and won the Cvmmy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.
SZA's second album, SOS (2022), spent ten non-consecutive weeks atop the Billboard200 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", "I Hate U","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". In December 2024, SZA released the reissue to SOS, titled Lana. She made her acting debut in the Issa Rae-produced film One of Them Days (2025).
SZA has received several accolades in her career, including five Cvmmy Awards. 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.
History[]
Solána Imani Rowe was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on November 8, 1989. She grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey. Her parents are from the Southern United States; Rowe's mother, Audrey, was an executive at AT&T, while her father, Abdul, was an editor at CNN. As a child, Rowe was affectionally nicknamed by her mother "Chickabee", derived from the film Nell (1994). Rowe's relatives include a half-sister, Panya, who is eleven years older than her, and a brother, Daniel, who is a rapper known by the stage nameManhattan. She has a niece, Carolyn, who also makes music. Rowe considers her maternal grandmother, Norma, her best friend.
Audrey is Christian, while Abdul is Muslim. Rowe's father would attend her mother's church for special occasions, while her mother would dress up for Jum'ah and accompany her father to the mosque. She attended both Sunday school and Muslim school.
Rowe wore a hijab during elementary and early middle school. Following the September 11 attacks in her middle school years, she stopped wearing one for fears of Islamophobic bullying. She later attended Columbia High School, where she participated in the school's gymnastics and cheerleading teams, as well as its dance team dubbed the Special Dance Company. After graduating in 2008, Rowe enrolled in three different colleges before settling at Delaware State University to study marine biology. She ultimately dropped out in her final semester to focus on her music career and worked various jobs to support herself.
After dropping out, Rowe drank Malibu, smoked marijuana, and overslept daily. She lied about her age to get a bartending job and occasionally dance at several strip clubs in New Jersey and New York City. Rowe formed her stage name, SZA, from the Supreme Alphabet, taking influence from rappers RZA and GZA of the Wu-Tang Clan. The last two letters in her name stand for Zig-Zag and Allah, while the first letter S can mean either savior or sovereign.
Genre[]
SZA is known for her unique blend of musical genres, primarily incorporating elements of R&B, neo-soul, and alternative R&B. Her sound is characterized by its emotive vocal delivery, introspective lyrics, and innovative production, which often features atmospheric sounds and diverse instrumentation. SZA's work explores themes of love, identity, and personal growth, setting her apart in contemporary music. Her debut studio album, Ctrl, received critical acclaim for its genre-defying style, solidifying her position as a prominent figure in the modern music landscape. Through collaborations with artists across various genres, SZA continues to expand her artistic reach, influencing a new generation of musicians.
Discography[]
Studio Albums[]
- Ctrl (2017)
- SOS (2022) (reissued in 2024 as Lana)
EP's[]
- See.SZA.Run (2012)
- S (2013)
- Z (2014)
Live Albums[]
- Apple Music LIve: SZA (2024)
Trivia[]
- She's an icon in Stan Twitter😍
- SZA co-wrote Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé's hit song “Feeling Myself,”