At the 2024 Grammy Awards, singer-songwriter SZA was the most nominated artist of the night with nine nominations. These included Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Progressive R&B Album. By the end of the night, SZA went home with three Grammys for R&B Song of the Year, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Urban Contemporary Album. Social media feels that she was snubbed for Album of the Year by her musical peer Taylor Swift.
Fans on social media platforms like X said that this snub was a disrespectful move to not only Black music, but Black women in music.
"The disrespect to black music especially black women and R&B music is actually offensive. SZA should've taken this award for objectively having the best album of the year," X user Sisa said in a Feb. 4 post.
Other fans online saw it as another example of Black women having similar success stories as their white counterparts, but not the same accolades.
"Taylor Swift has an amazing catalogue. My issue with the Grammys is they reward White artists but don't reward Black/Urban artists for similar feats … Beyoncé, SZA, Mariah Carey, Rihanna, Usher.. all have been denied Album of the Year even though they had paralleled success," X user Khalil said in a Feb. 4 post.
Rapper Jay-Z made related criticisms while accepting the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award hearkening to 1989 when actor and rapper Will Smith and even himself boycotted the awards in 1998 due to the disrespect shown to other Black artists whose categories weren't even televised. He also used his wife Beyoncé as an example of Black disparities at the award show.
"I don't want to embarrass this young lady but she has more Grammys than everyone and still has not won Album of the Year. So even by your own metrics, that doesn't work," he said in his speech.
The issue of racism in the Grammys has been going on for years, and it is not an easy fix.
These institutions that are seen as "white supremacist" like the Grammys do the same thing every year, according to Brooke Obie in a 2023 article for theGrio.
"Sprinkling a few wins for colored folks here and there to make [us] believe that the door to the ultimate white validation prizes is still open … Black artists pour their hearts into their art, breaking records and literally creating the culture that makes every industry move, only for the door to be slammed in their faces," Obie said.
Nevertheless, SZA expressed her gratitude for the awards that she received during her acceptance speech for Best R&B Song for "Snooze."
"You don't really understand. I came really, really far, and I can't believe this is happening, and it feels very fake … And hi Taylor! I love you. I'm just really grateful. And I'm not an attractive crier. Have a good evening," she said.
SZA is representative of Black women across the globe, breaking down their layered experiences through her music. Her impact goes far beyond golden gramophones. From advocating for mental health awareness to championing diverse voices in music, she's built a loyal community and shattered expectations. Her ability to blend R&B, pop, and alternative influences into a sonic tapestry resonated with a generation yearning for something raw and real.
Whether or not she took home Album of the Year, SZA has already won in the hearts of millions. As she continues to evolve and redefine what it means to be an artist, one thing is certain: the music industry, and the world, are better off with her in it.
Here are 5 reasons why:
Mental health advocacy
SZA has been open about sharing her mental health journey through her music and in candid interviews.
"The physical exhaustion, the mental exhaustion does not come from making music. I love making music. I love creating. It's kind of my own source of therapy and meditation, but the exhaustion really comes from expectations, berating, and dehumanizing from outside forces," SZA said in a 2022 interview with Finish Line's Community Voices series.
She dedicated her debut 2017 album, "CTRL", to her personal struggles with relationships, anxiety and depression. Later in 2023, she teamed up with the shoe brand Crocs to release a limited line during Mental Health Awareness Month in May. Together, they "partnered with three people that advocate for Black mental health and positive change in their own community and across the world," according to the Crocs website.
SZA's vulnerability in her music helps destigmatize these feelings and emotions that help those, including her fans, feel seen and heard.
"'Ctrl' is the vessel SZA uses to spill her soul for everyone to see, and she acts as a vessel for her listeners who find it difficult to do the same. For me, 'CTRL' felt like validation. It felt like a sanctuary where I was allowed to be weak … To allow myself to feel all these emotions that I haven't had the mercy of embracing before," Medium author Aluoch said in a 2021 post.
Fashion and identity
There are numerous social media accounts online that track SZA's fashion, from men's jeans to baggy jerseys. Her clothing choices, which she has called "deep Brooklyn normcore," have evolved as her streetwear style has become edgier and sexier.
Yet, on red carpets according to a Feb. 3 article from Byrdie, "we often see fairytale princess vibes with pink ballgowns and plenty of sparkle, plus she's a fan of cutout dresses that blend sexy with sophisticated."
In terms of sustainability, SZA has made her own outfits in the past and collaborated with the organization Slow Factory in 2021 to work on the sustainable brand "CTRL Fishing Company."
"We created our own fabric based off [of] quilted pieces of landfill fabric in different colorways. We're just trying to make sh*t that I really want to wear, but also in a way that doesn't f*ck up our carbon footprint or my karma, and that's really difficult," SZA said in a 2021 interview with POPSUGAR.
When it comes to society's beauty standards, SZA has her own unique perspective.
"Beauty is a comfortability within yourself and a joy about being yourself in the highest degree, almost to the point where you're not even concerned about being yourself - you're just radiating and giving love to other people … I know so many different types of people who don't look anything alike but all represent that," SZA said in a 2018 interview with Glamour.
Songwriting and vulnerability
Through her lyrics, SZA is able to have a relatability with her audience while showcasing her authentic self. Her process of creating these types of songs is quick.
Her song "I Hate U" was written in only 15 minutes, SZA's producer, Cody Fayne, shared in a 2023 interview with POPSUGAR. Similar to a rapper, SZA has the capability to start freestyling what the potential song could be.
"Her creative process is literally her and her engineer, in the studio, just hammering and beating and sculpting away at a song," Fayne said.
Her vulnerability in her music is seen as one of her greatest strengths by her fans.
"She abandons [the] customary lyrical structures of verse, chorus, verse, etc., and presents the lyrics in a stream of consciousness manner … The connection between SZA and listeners derives from her fearless display of emotion, exposing her humanity and imperfections," The Modern Renaissance said in a 2018 article.
Her power through vulnerability and her songwriting is also seen from a more business perspective of music as well.
"SZA is one of very few artists who makes relatable music that isn't just as surface-level as a breakup or feeling 'different.' Her lyricism often tackles the common insecurities and experiences of women that are usually labeled as too taboo to discuss," Preston "Bxmbi" Poindexter, music booking agent and managerial consultant, said.
Genre-bending soundscapes
SZA's 2022 sophomore album, "SOS," was seen as a blend of genres including "early 2000s pop rock, pop, R&B, [and] rap, according to Medium writer J. Sullivan in a 2022 post.
However, this blend in her sound can be seen in her earlier projects as well.
In 2015, with songs like "UR" from her 2014 debut EP "Z" had a mix of "R&B, synth-pop and alternative," Joy Dumas said in a 2015 article for the Yakima Herald-Republic.
Her sound has grown as she has continued to evolve as an artist, changing the landscape of the music industry overall.
"Now that she's adopted a mainstream sound but retains her poetic writing style, she's opened the door for a more vulnerable form of femininity in mainstream media. The competitiveness and male-centric themes often found in female-led artistry have slowly started to fade away in large part due to SZA's contributions," Poindexter said.
Collaborations and community
Throughout her career, SZA has done collabs with other musical artists across genres. The 2018 song "All The Stars" with SZA and Kendrick Lamar was nominated for Best Original Song at both the 76th Golden Globes and the 91st Academy Awards.
Her collaboration with artist Doja Cat, "Kiss Me More," won the 2022 Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. Along with her collaborations, she has built a community with her fans and other artists of mutual respect.
"She always finds a really cool, beautiful way to say what we're all thinking. That's something I strive for, and I think that's what every artist wants: we really want to get the purest form of our emotions out," rapper Doechii, who is TDE labelmates with SZA and collabed on the "Persuasive" remix, said in an 2023 interview with NME.
After this year's Grammy wins, the anticipation for SZA's next album, LANA, is up more than ever.
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