Rise to Success: Career Highlights of SZA

1998: Record Breaking

In 1998 Brandy and Monica had a record for "The Boy is Mine" before SZA broke it in 2021.

2011: Meeting TDE Members

In 2011, SZA first met members of Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), setting the stage for her future signing with the label.

October 29, 2012: Release of Debut EP See.SZA.Run

On October 29, 2012, SZA self-released her debut EP, See.SZA.Run, which garnered positive reviews and marked the beginning of her professional music career.

2012: Release of See.SZA.Run EP

In 2012, SZA garnered initial attention with the self-released EP See.SZA.Run, marking a key point in her early career.

April 10, 2013: Release of S EP

On April 10, 2013, SZA self-released her second EP, S, which was positively received and helped build her growing fanbase.

July 14, 2013: Signing with Top Dawg Entertainment

On July 14, 2013, SZA officially signed with Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), becoming the label's first female artist and marking a significant step in her career.

October 2013: Tour with Little Dragon

In October 2013, SZA joined Swedish band Little Dragon for a four-show tour, increasing her exposure and experience in live performances.

2013: Release of S EP and Signing with TDE

In 2013, SZA released her second EP, S, and subsequently signed with Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), solidifying a major step in her music career.

2014: First Song with Kendrick Lamar

In 2014, SZA and Kendrick Lamar released their first song together, "Babylon", from SZA's third EP Z.

2014: Contributions to Other Artists' Work

In 2014, SZA began writing songs for other singers, contributing to various artists' projects and expanding her role in the music industry.

2014: Move to Los Angeles and Meeting Mac Miller

In 2014, SZA moved to Los Angeles and met Mac Miller, who produced two songs from her album Z.

2014: Release of Z EP

In 2014, SZA released her third EP, Z, under Top Dawg Entertainment, further establishing her presence in the music scene.

2014: Release of "Teen Spirit" on SoundCloud

In 2014, SZA released the single "Teen Spirit" on SoundCloud, categorizing it as "Glitter Trap" and "Not R&B" to express her disdain for being solely labeled as an R&B artist.

2014: Features on Labelmates' Projects and Release of Z EP

In 2014, SZA was featured on multiple tracks from her labelmates' projects and released her third EP, Z, further establishing herself in the music industry.

2015: Initial Planned Release of Ctrl

In 2015, Ctrl was originally slated for release, but faced delays due to disagreements between SZA and TDE executives.

2015: Background Vocals on To Pimp a Butterfly

In 2015, SZA contributed background vocals to two tracks from Kendrick Lamar's acclaimed album To Pimp a Butterfly.

2016: Co-writing and Performing "Consideration" with Rihanna

In 2016, SZA co-wrote "Consideration" for Rihanna's album Anti and joined Rihanna for a live performance at the Brit Awards, enhancing her reputation as a songwriter and performer.

April 2017: Signing with RCA Records

In April 2017, SZA signed a contract with RCA Records, marking another significant step in her career.

August 2017: Promotion of Ctrl on Tour

From August 2017 to February 2018, SZA promoted her album Ctrl on a North American and Oceanic concert tour, engaging with fans and expanding her audience.

August 2017: Collaboration on "What Lovers Do"

In August 2017, SZA collaborated with Maroon 5 on "What Lovers Do", which became her first top-ten song in the US, marking a breakthrough achievement.

October 17, 2017: Opening for Bryson Tiller's Tour

From October 17, 2017, to November 30, 2017, SZA opened for the European portion of Bryson Tiller's "Set It Off Tour", gaining exposure to a broader audience.

November 30, 2017: End of Bryson Tiller Tour

On November 30, 2017 SZA concluded her appearances on the European portion of Bryson Tiller's "Set It Off Tour".

2017: Release of Ctrl

In 2017, SZA released her album Ctrl, which has since been credited with influencing the sound of contemporary R&B.

2017: Hurricane Harvey Relief

In 2017, following Hurricane Harvey, SZA invited fans to spend time with her after Ctrl the Tour in exchange for donating essential items.

2017: Soul Train Music Award for Best New Artist

SZA won the Soul Train Music Award for Best New Artist in 2017.

January 2018: Collaboration on "All the Stars"

In January 2018, SZA collaborated with Kendrick Lamar on "All the Stars" for the Black Panther soundtrack, achieving another top-ten hit.

February 2018: End of Ctrl Album Tour

In February 2018, SZA finished promoting her album Ctrl on a North American and Oceanic concert tour, marking a successful period of live performances.

2018: Release of "All the Stars"

In 2018, SZA and Kendrick Lamar released "All the Stars", which became a top 10 single.

May 2019: Featured on "Just Us"

In May 2019, SZA was featured on "Just Us" from DJ Khaled's album Father of Asahd.

2019: Financial Contribution to Fan's Chemotherapy

In 2019, SZA contributed financially toward a fan's chemotherapy treatments and helped find a kidney donor.

February 2020: Collaboration on "The Other Side"

In February 2020, SZA collaborated with Justin Timberlake on "The Other Side" for the Trolls World Tour soundtrack.

April 22, 2020: Participation in Benefit Concert for COVID-19 Relief

On April 22, 2020, SZA participated in a benefit concert to support New Jersey's COVID-19 pandemic relief efforts, contributing to community support during the crisis.

May 25, 2020: Interest in Releasing Unreleased Songs

On May 25, 2020, SZA expressed interest in releasing a collection of previously unreleased songs, hinting at potential new music for her fans.

September 4, 2020: Release of "Hit Different"

On September 4, 2020, SZA made her return as a lead artist with "Hit Different", featuring Ty Dolla Sign, marking a comeback and new release.

2020: Teasing of "Shirt"

In late 2020, SZA teased the song "Shirt", which later gained traction on TikTok and was featured in the music video for "Good Days".

April 2021: Featured on "Kiss Me More"

In April 2021, SZA was featured on Doja Cat's "Kiss Me More", which became a global success and broke chart records.

November 5, 2021: Release of "No Love" Collaboration

On November 5, 2021, SZA and Summer Walker released "No Love", a collaboration that gained success on R&B charts.

December 2021: Release of "I Hate U"

In December 2021, SZA officially released the single "I Hate U" after it went viral on TikTok, marking a digital-age success story.

2021: Partnership with Tazo and American Forests

In 2021, SZA partnered with Tazo and American Forests to address environmental racism, creating a corps trained in climate justice advocacy.

2021: Grammy Award for "Kiss Me More"

In 2021, SZA won her first Grammy Award for her feature on Doja Cat's "Kiss Me More", which also set a record as the longest-running all-female collaboration in the US top-ten.

March 2022: Re-release of "No Love"

In March 2022, "No Love" was re-released as an official single with an extended version.

June 9, 2022: Ctrl Deluxe Edition Release

On June 9, 2022, SZA released a deluxe edition of her album Ctrl to celebrate its five-year anniversary. This deluxe version included seven previously unreleased tracks.

September 2022: Included on Time 100 Next List

In September 2022, SZA was included as one of the rising stars on the Time 100 Next List.

October 28, 2022: Release of "Shirt"

On October 28, 2022, SZA released the single "Shirt", accompanied by a music video featuring LaKeith Stanfield. The song had previously gained popularity on TikTok.

November 8, 2022: Instagram Teaser "PSA" Release

On her 33rd birthday, November 8, 2022, SZA released a teaser titled "PSA" on Instagram, hinting at a new project with Morse code spelling out "S.O.S.".

November 16, 2022: SOS Album Announcement

On November 16, 2022, Billboard confirmed that SZA's second studio album would be titled SOS and was scheduled for a December release.

December 9, 2022: SOS Album Release

On December 9, 2022, after performing on Saturday Night Live, SZA announced that her album SOS would be released, incorporating various genres to showcase her versatility.

2022: Release of SOS

In 2022, SZA released her album SOS, which has since been ranked on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

2022: Release and Success of SOS Album

In 2022, SZA released her second studio album, SOS, which achieved significant commercial success, spending twelve weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 and breaking streaming records.

January 2023: Featured on Lizzo's "Special" Remix

In January 2023, SZA was featured on the remix of Lizzo's single "Special" from her 2022 album.

March 2023: Modeled for Kim Kardashian's Skims

In March 2023, SZA modeled for Kim Kardashian's fashion brand, Skims, representing the "Fits Everybody" collection.

August 2023: Announcement of Lana Album Title

In August 2023, SZA announced the title of her forthcoming album, Lana.

September 2023: Collaboration with Drake on "Slime You Out"

In September 2023, SZA collaborated with Drake on the single "Slime You Out" for his eighth album, which became her second song to top the Hot 100 chart.

2023: "Snooze" on Hot 100

In 2023, "Snooze" was the only one of SZA's songs to remain on the Hot 100 chart for the entire year, marking a significant achievement.

2023: Lizzo Releases Remix of "Special" Featuring SZA

In 2023, Lizzo released a remix of "Special" featuring SZA.

2023: Ranked on Rolling Stone's 200 Greatest Singers

In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked SZA at number 180 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.

2023: Number-One Singles in 2023

In 2023, SZA achieved another US number-one single with Drake's "Slime You Out", adding to her list of successes.

2023: Release of "Nobody Gets Me"

In 2023, SZA's single "Nobody Gets Me" was released, written about her ex-fiancé.

February 22, 2024: "Saturn" Release

On February 22, 2024, SZA released "Saturn," which preceded the announcement of her upcoming album Lana and became a major success.

April 16, 2024: Support for Palestine at SOS Tour Concert

On April 16, 2024, during the SOS Tour concert in Australia, SZA expressed her support for Palestine by holding the country's flag and calling out, "Free Palestine".

November 22, 2024: Featured on Kendrick Lamar's GNX Album

On November 22, 2024, SZA was prominently featured on Kendrick Lamar's sixth studio album, GNX, contributing vocals to "Luther" and "Gloria."

November 25, 2024: Album Announcement on Mafiathon 2

On November 25, 2024, SZA announced that she would release a new album before the end of the year on Kai Cenat's Mafiathon 2 Twitch stream.

December 20, 2024: Lana Deluxe Reissue Release

On December 20, 2024, Lana, the deluxe reissue for SOS, was released, including "Saturn", "BMF", "30 for 30", and "Drive".

2024: "Luther" Reaches Number One

In 2024, "Luther", featuring both SZA and Kendrick Lamar, reached number one in the US.

2024: Release of SOS Reissue Album Lana

In 2024, SZA released the reissue album of SOS, titled Lana, which included outtakes and new music, spawning two top-ten singles.

2024: SOS Tour Extends into 2024

SZA's SOS Tour, which began in 2023, extended into 2024, performing across North America, Europe, and Oceania with various opening acts.

February 9, 2025: Lana Rerelease and Super Bowl Performance

On February 9, 2025, Lana was rereleased with additional tracks and SZA was a featured performer in the Super Bowl LIX halftime show with Kendrick Lamar.