SZA’s Newest Album: SOS
Read Davia Rode’s (’23) take on the SZA’s highly-anticipated album SOS
SZA has finally released her second long-awaited R&B album, SOS, but has it lived up to her fans’ standards? Well, seeing that 12 of the 23 songs are holding up places on Billboard’s Top 100 over a month after the album’s release date and the fact that her tour sold out almost immediately, I would say it has well exceeded the standards.
Not to mention, the album’s tracks have completely taken over TikTok, viewed by thousands of users every day. Her first album set enormous records and won her many awards such as the BET award for best new artist and Billboard Music Award for Top R&B Female Artist. She has become one of the most influential R&B female artists and continues to release incredible music—just look at SOS.
So why is this album so successful? The main reason is its relatability. SZA writes about her conflicting feelings about her past relationship—something that almost anyone who has been in a relationship can relate to. She misses her ex and is filled with rage about his new girlfriend, which she articulates in “Kill Bill” when she sings, “I might kill my ex, not the best idea, his new girlfriend’s next.” This is undoubtedly her most popular song on the album, and for good reason: Even after replaying it 100 times, I still can’t get over how mesmerizing the flow of the song is.
With absolute solo masterpieces combined with features by renowned artists Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, and Travis Scott, SZA already seems to have mastered the album-making process.
The vibe in all of these songs reflects SZA’s newfound sense of confidence and maturity combined with a sense of vulnerability that empowers other women experiencing the same feelings to take control of their lives and realize their worth. SOS is only SZA’s second studio album, which is almost unimaginable considering the amount of fame she has made for herself. With absolute solo masterpieces combined with features by renowned artists Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, and Travis Scott, SZA already seems to have mastered the album-making process.
SOS’s top hit “Kill Bill” has already surpassed over 300 million streams on Spotify and is currently sitting at Billboard’s second most popular song. “Kill Bill,” “Shirt,” “Low,” “Snooze,” and—in my opinion—her best song “Good Days” are so beautifully written that it’s practically impossible to skip them. The album has almost zero misses, excluding “Far” and “F2F,” which sound like they belong in a cringey 2000’s Disney movie. But, considering that 21 of her 23 songs are hits in just her second album, it’s clear that this is just the beginning of an amazing career for SZA.
