SZA (Solána Imani Rowe) is an amazing singer, songwriter, and lyricist, with many songs falling under the distinctive category of alternative R&B. Since her breakout success with Ctrl and her Grammy-winning SOS, SZA has continued to amaze the audience with her catchy tunes.
Here’s a collection of my all-time favorite SZA songs (in no particular order)!
“Far”
This absolutely has to be my favorite SZA song ever. While many say that it is repetitive and sounds like every other SZA song, I HIGHLY disagree because the haters aren’t listening to the beat drops and the play on the words. They don’t understand the deep meaning of the song: pulling back from everyone because you’ve been burned too many times.
“Low”
I know that I said “Far” was my favorite SZA song, but this comes in a close second. The intro is genuinely so catchy and this song is super nostalgic for me because it would always be playing on the radio.
“Crybaby”
Possibly SZA’s most underrated song. Where do I even start? The song’s glory starts in the first 16 seconds where the background music begins because it fits the song’s mood so well. The lyrics may repeat, but each time there’s a small change (Murphy’s Law!), which I always appreciate in songwriting.
“2AM”
I want you to play this song and only listen to the background sounds. The intro’s scratching noise bleeds into the paragraphs but what makes it stand out is that it isn’t a steady beat, meaning it changes tune and speed based on SZA’s singing. Also, this song gets relatability points because you’d be lying if you told me that you haven’t been up at 2AM thinking about the most random thoughts.
“Another Life”
Everytime I hear this song, I feel like I’m floating because each note is so perfectly placed. Also the way her voice softens at certain parts to match with the lyrics of the song!!
“Drew Barrymore”
How can a human being make such a good song? THE BEAT DROP!! Also, if you compare this song to “Another Life”, you can see how different SZA’s voice is. It’s so much stronger here and even within the song she constantly changes it.
“Good Days”
A classic for a reason! It’s fast-paced compared to her other songs, and her vocal range is insane. Every time I listen to this song, I like it more and more. I am always in the mood for “Good Days”!
“The Weekend”
I don’t even have words for this song. Everytime I hear it I get this fluttery feeling in my stomach because it’s just so good. The “snapping” sound effect in the background is super satisfying and goes great with the song. Also the outro is super cool!
“Used (feat. Don Toliver)”
I guess I should start off with THE COLLAB? Perfect voices that fit perfectly together.
“Yes, I’ve been used to being used like this”
Starting off strong with a really emotional line. I have nothing more to say about this short song, it’s just really good and up there at the top!
“Gone Girl”
This song is easily in my top 3 and I assume you already have this in your playlist. I know I’ve talked a bunch about SZA’s openings, but I promise they are so important! This one is SO GOOD. It’s giving spooky haunted vibes which perfectly matches with the song name. See? Already hooked! And then SZA’s soft voice!! I missed it for the brief time I was listening to “Drew Barrymore”.