Rise to Success: Career Highlights of SZA
Discover the career path of SZA, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.
Solána Imani Rowe, professionally known as SZA, is an influential American singer-songwriter. She is known for her diaristic lyrics and genre-bending alternative R&B sound. SZA is a significant figure in contemporary R&B music.
2011: Meeting with Top Dawg Entertainment
In 2011, SZA first met members of Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) during the CMJ New Music Report, when her boyfriend's clothing company sponsored a show in which Kendrick Lamar was performing.
October 29, 2012: Release of See.SZA.Run EP
On October 29, 2012, SZA self-released her debut extended play (EP) See.SZA.Run, receiving positive reviews.
2012: Release of See.SZA.Run EP
In 2012, SZA garnered initial attention with the self-released extended play (EP) titled See.SZA.Run.
April 10, 2013: Release of S EP
On April 10, 2013, SZA self-released her second EP, S, which was positively received.
July 14, 2013: Signing with Top Dawg Entertainment
On July 14, 2013, SZA officially signed with Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), making her the label's first female artist.
October 2013: Tour with Little Dragon
In October 2013, SZA joined Swedish band Little Dragon for a four-show tour.
2013: Release of S EP and Signing with Top Dawg Entertainment
In 2013, SZA released her second EP, S. Also in 2013, after the release of the two EPs, SZA signed with Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) , becoming the label's first female artist.
2014: First song together with Kendrick Lamar
In 2014, SZA and Kendrick Lamar released their first song together, "Babylon" from SZA's third EP Z.
2014: Contributions to To Pimp a Butterfly
In 2014, SZA appeared on two tracks from Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp a Butterfly as a background vocalist.
2014: Release of Z EP
In 2014, SZA released her third EP, Z, through Top Dawg Entertainment.
2014: Features on Labelmates' Projects and Release of Z EP
In 2014, SZA was featured on tracks from Isaiah Rashad's Cilvia Demo and Schoolboy Q's Oxymoron. SZA also released her third studio EP, Z, on April 8, 2014.
2014: Tagged "Teen Spirit" with "Glitter Trap" and "Not R&B"
In 2014, when SZA uploaded the single "Teen Spirit" on SoundCloud, she tagged the song with the categories "Glitter Trap" and "Not R&B" to express disdain for being labeled as an R&B singer-songwriter.
2015: Initial Planned Release of Ctrl
Originally, SZA's debut studio album Ctrl was slated for release in 2015.
2015: Songwriting for Other Artists
While working on her own music in 2015, SZA began writing songs for other artists, including Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé on "Feeling Myself", and Travis Scott on "Ok Alright".
2016: Co-writing and Performing "Consideration" with Rihanna
In 2016, SZA co-wrote "Consideration" for Rihanna's album Anti, and also featured on the song. SZA later joined Rihanna for a live performance of "Consideration" at the 2016 Brit Awards.
2016: Frustration with Ctrl's Release Delays
In 2016, SZA expressed her frustration on Twitter about the delays of her album Ctrl, even considering quitting music.
April 2017: Signing with RCA Records
In April 2017, SZA signed a contract with RCA Records.
August 2017: Ctrl Album Promotion
From August 2017 to February 2018, SZA promoted the album Ctrl on a North American and Oceanic concert tour.
August 2017: Collaboration on "What Lovers Do"
In August 2017, SZA collaborated with Maroon 5 on their single "What Lovers Do", which peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, marking SZA's first top-ten song in the US.
October 17, 2017: Opening Act 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" in support of his album True to Self.
November 2017: Grammy Nominations
In November 2017, SZA received five Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist, making her the most-nominated female artist at the 2018 Grammy Awards.
November 30, 2017: End of Bryson Tiller's Tour
On November 30, 2017, SZA opening act for Bryson Tiller's "Set It Off Tour" came to an end.
2017: Release of Ctrl Album
In 2017, SZA released her debut studio album, Ctrl, which became a critical and commercial success, earning four Grammy Award nominations in 2018.
2017: Soul Train Music Award
In 2017, SZA won the Soul Train Music Award for Best New Artist.
2017: Fans Donate to 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 such as non-perishable food, diapers, gloves, masks, trash bags, and baby food.
January 2018: Collaboration on "All the Stars"
In January 2018, SZA collaborated with Kendrick Lamar on "All the Stars", the lead single from the soundtrack album of the film Black Panther, which peaked at number seven on the Hot 100, marking SZA's second top-ten.
February 2018: End of Ctrl Album Promotion
From August 2017 to February 2018, SZA promoted the album Ctrl on a North American and Oceanic concert tour came to an end.
2018: Grammy Awards
At the 2018 Grammy Awards, SZA did not win in any category, despite her multiple nominations.
2018: "All the Stars" release
In 2018, SZA and Kendrick Lamar released "All the Stars", which became a top 10 single.
2018: Collaboration on "All the Stars"
In 2018, SZA collaborated with Kendrick Lamar on the single "All the Stars", which achieved top-10 status in both the US and UK and garnered nominations for both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
May 2019: Feature on DJ Khaled's "Just Us"
In May 2019, SZA was featured on "Just Us", a track from DJ Khaled's eleventh studio album, Father of Asahd.
2019: Second Album Announcement
Back in 2019 SZA mentioned that her second album would be released soon.
2019: Financial Support and Merchandise Line Launch
In 2019, SZA contributed financially toward a fan's chemotherapy treatments and used her platform to help find a kidney donor. That same year, SZA launched a merchandise line called Ctrl Fishing Company, which included apparel featuring phrases such as "Puck Flastic" and "Sustainability Gang", as well as sea animals like blue whales and seahorses.
2019: Billboard Women in Music Rulebreaker Award
SZA received the "Rulebreaker Award" at the Billboard Women in Music event in 2019.
February 2020: Collaboration on "The Other Side"
In February 2020, SZA collaborated with Justin Timberlake on "The Other Side", a song from the Trolls World Tour soundtrack.
April 22, 2020: Participation in Benefit Concert
On April 22, 2020, SZA participated in a benefit concert to support New Jersey's COVID-19 pandemic relief efforts.
May 25, 2020: Interest in Releasing Unreleased Songs
On May 25, 2020, SZA expressed interest on Twitter in releasing a collection of previously unreleased songs.
August 2020: Label Tension Speculation
In August 2020, SZA sparked speculation about label tensions when she tweeted about TDE president Punch, hinting at delays in releasing new music.
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 and produced by the Neptunes.
2020: "Shirt" teased
In late 2020, the song "Shirt" was originally teased and later gained traction on TikTok through a viral challenge, leading to its official release in October 2022.
April 2021: Featured on Doja Cat's "Kiss Me More"
In April 2021, SZA was featured on Doja Cat's "Kiss Me More" from the album Planet Her. The song reached number one in New Zealand and the top ten in several countries, becoming the longest-charting all-female collaboration on the Hot 100.
November 5, 2021: Release of "No Love" with Summer Walker
On November 5, 2021, "No Love", a collaboration between SZA and Summer Walker, was released. The song found success on R&B charts and was later re-released as an official single with an extended version in March 2022.
December 2021: Official Release of "I Hate U"
In December 2021, SZA officially released the single "I Hate U" after it gained popularity on TikTok. The song was initially released on SoundCloud in August.
2021: Partnership with Tazo and American Forests
In 2021, SZA partnered with tea brand Tazo and American Forests to address environmental racism—disproportionate environmental harm affecting Black and brown communities. The corps comprised 25 locally hired fellows trained in climate justice advocacy, tree planting, and maintenance.
2021: Grammy Win 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: "No Love" re-release
In March 2022, the song "No Love", a collaboration between SZA and Summer Walker originally released in November 2021, was re-released as an official single with an extended version following its success on R&B charts.
June 9, 2022: Ctrl Deluxe Edition Release
On June 9, 2022, SZA released a deluxe edition of Ctrl to celebrate its five-year anniversary. This version included seven previously unreleased tracks.
September 2022: Inclusion 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 a new single, "Shirt", accompanied by a music video starring LaKeith Stanfield. The song had gained traction on TikTok through a viral challenge after being teased in 2020.
November 8, 2022: 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 set for a December release.
December 9, 2022: SOS Album Release
After performing "Shirt" and "Blind" on Saturday Night Live, SZA announced that her album SOS would be released on December 9, 2022. The album incorporates various genres, including R&B, rap, rock, and pop.
2022: Release of SOS Album
In 2022, SZA released her second studio album, SOS, which spent twelve weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 and set records for streaming.
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 of the same name.
March 2023: Modeling for Skims
In March 2023, SZA modeled for Kim Kardashian's fashion brand, Skims, representing the "Fits Everybody" collection, which includes size-inclusive T-shirts, bodysuits, and intimate apparel.
September 2023: Collaboration with Drake on "Slime You Out"
In September 2023, SZA collaborated with Drake on the single "Slime You Out" for Drake's album, For All the Dogs. The song became SZA's second to top the Hot 100 chart, after "Kill Bill".
December 2023: Lana album release suggestion
SZA suggested a release date around December 2023 for Lana, the deluxe edition of SOS, and posted images with a parental advisory sticker on social media, hinting at potential cover artworks. The year ended without any releases.
2023: "Snooze" on Hot 100
In 2023, "Snooze" was the only song by SZA to remain on the Hot 100 for the entire year. It was one of three extra singles from SOS, in addition to "Good Days", "Shirt", and "I Hate U".
2023: Lizzo releases remix of "Special" featuring SZA
In 2023, Lizzo released a remix of her song "Special" featuring SZA. The pair had previously befriended each other in 2013 on a Red Bull tour.
2023: Rolling Stone's 200 Greatest Singers List
In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked SZA at number 180 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.
2023: US Number-One Single with Drake's "Slime You Out"
In 2023, SZA achieved another US number-one single with Drake's "Slime You Out".
2023: Billboard Women in Music Women of the Year
SZA received "Women of the Year" at the Billboard Women in Music event in 2023.
2023: "Nobody Gets Me" Written About Ex-Fiancé
SZA's 2023 single, "Nobody Gets Me", was written about her ex-fiancé, as were many other songs from SOS.
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 on "Luther" and appearing on the closing track, "Gloria".
November 25, 2024: New album announcement on Mafiathon 2 Twitch stream
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, which also featured Lizzo.
December 20, 2024: Lana Deluxe Album Released
On December 20, 2024, Lana, the deluxe reissue for SOS, was released. It included "Saturn", "BMF", and "30 for 30" with Kendrick Lamar, as well as the promotional single "Drive".
2024: "Luther" release
In 2024, SZA and Kendrick Lamar released "Luther", which became a US number-one song.
2024: Receipt of Hal David Starlight Award
In 2024, SZA received the Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
2024: Release of SOS Reissue Album
In 2024, SZA released Lana, the reissue album of SOS, which included outtakes and post-SOS music. The reissue spawned two top-ten singles: "Saturn" and "30 for 30" with Lamar.
2024: SOS Tour
To promote the album SOS, SZA embarked on the SOS Tour from 2023 to 2024, performing 63 shows across North America, Europe, and Oceania.
February 9, 2025: Lana rerelease, Super Bowl performance, and chart success
On February 9, 2025, Lana was rereleased with additional tracks, including "PSA" and "Open Arms" without Travis Scott. SZA was also a featured performer in the Super Bowl LIX halftime show with Lamar. Following this, "30 for 30" reached a new peak, and Lamar's "Not Like Us" broke the record for the longest number-one on US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
2025: Grammy Award for Best R&B Song
At the 2025 Grammy Awards, SZA won Best R&B Song for her single "Saturn".
2025: "30 for 30" release
In 2025, SZA and Kendrick Lamar released "30 for 30", which became a top 10 single.
2025: Second US Number-One Single and Acting Debut
In 2025, SZA had another US number-one single with Lamar's "Luther". Also in 2025, SZA made her acting debut in the comedy film One of Them Days.
June 9: Release of Ctrl Album
On June 9, SZA released her debut studio album, Ctrl, to universal critical acclaim.
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