SZA sure knows how to get people excited. After a long wait and the nail-biting anticipation of fans all over the world, SZA dropped her album “SOS Deluxe: LANA” on Dec. 20, 2024. After much wait, including a dramatic 15-hour delay leaving fans on the tip of their seats, SZA dropped an album that was definitely worth the wait. From heartache ballads to upbeat pop, this album has it all.
A fitting start to the album, “No More Hiding” finds SZA manifesting as she sings, “No more hiding / I wanna be in love for real, though / Don’t care what it costs me.” This song opts for a quieter start for the album, showing fans that SZA is a changed woman and that this album will be much tamer than her last.
Switching it up, “30 for 30,” featuring rapper Kendrick Lamar has been a fan-favorite with the song already hitting top 20 on the Billboard charts. SZA talks about asserting herself and sings, “I swear I’d be at peace if it weren’t for you” and “Only want the love if it’s solid.” The song depicts her journey to get rid of toxic things in her life and be confident in herself. The catchy beat and uplifting lyrics definitely explain its appeal.
Changing the pace, the track “Chill Baby” features a slower beat, as SZA continues to describe her journey searching for peace amidst the chaos of life. The song features the line, “I’m so sick of all of this s***, damn, let’s dip / Yeah, yeah I think we found a bit of peace right here,” which embodies the spirit of the album.
Finding herself almost trapped in a cycle, in “Kitchen,” SZA talks about repeatedly going back on a promise to dump a boy and move on. She sings the verse “Dancing and kissing, the kitchen / makes me forget / I forgive him,” talking about how even though she knows she needs to break up with him, being with him makes her forget. This song’s euphoric melody and intoxicating beat make it feel like you’re stuck in a fever dream while listening.
A change from the rest of the album, “BMF” shows SZA lovestruck and crushing over a boy and has a more lighthearted theme than the rest of the songs on the album. SZA talks about not being able to keep her mind off him singing, “Young and fine and dark and handsome / The boy from south Detroit keeps bossing,” an interpolation of Stan Gertz’s hit, “The Girl From Ipanema.” This song is a fun, upbeat breather from the heavier themes that come from the rest of the album.
Ultimately, “SOS Deluxe: LANA,” shows SZA’s growth and progression as a person, learning to put all the childish thoughts and actions portrayed in “SOS” behind her to focus on herself. Even while mixing it up with songs like “BMF,” she maintains a constant message throughout the album: prioritizing growth and tranquility. In the end, the long wait was definitely worth it, and SZA has proven to us all that even as she matures and finds peace in her life, she’s far from the end of her career.