After five years, the long wait for new SZA music is over: SOS is here. Released Dec. 9, SZA's sophomore album unveils how the singer has transformed over the years, packing in a generous 23 songs in the hour-plus run time. SOS includes singles "Shirt," "I Hate U" and "Good Days," while Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, and Travis Scott make up the few features scattered across the project.

SZA's music is relatable, honest, and emotional — themes that permeate through her catalog.  The release of her critically acclaimed debut album Ctrl in 2017 solidified the artist not only as an R&B mainstay, but soundtracked the heartbreaks and growing pains of millions of young people. With her eloquent vocals and layered storytelling abilities, listeners felt every word like it was their own.

SZA is one of the few modern musicians who can stay relevant without releasing music often, but she’s stayed busy regardless. Since Ctrl, she collaborated with Kendrick Lamar on the iconic Black Panther soundtrack, graced magazine covers, and won a GRAMMY in 2022  for Best Pop Duo/Group performance alongside Doja Cat for "Kiss Me More." While her presence is always tangible, the release of a full project hits like a holiday for SZA fans.

Now that SZA’s long awaited sophomore album has arrived, here are five takeaways from SOS.

 

She Weaves Genres Effortlessly

Though SZA’s sound is often dubbed alt-R&B, SOS can not be ascribed to one genre. Although her R&B roots remain strong, the album has remnants of rock, melodic rap and gospel. SZA spits bars on the opening track "SOS," goes full grunge on "F2F," and her moody, crooning vocals come in swinging on the R&B and folk-pop "Blind." Each new song is unpredictable, making SOS an intriguing listen. 

The Movie References Stand Out

SZA didn’t hold back when discussing how she’d been wronged on previous  projects, and she creatively ties in film references to bring these stories to life. On standout track "Kill Bill," she blatantly sings "I might kill my ex" — alluding to Quentin Tarantino's 2003 film of the same name. She references Scarface on "Snooze"singing "Like that white bitch with the bob, I’ll be your main one.""Gone Girl"references the hit 2014 movie, and she even sneaks a Despicable Me reference on "Conceited": "All these bitches is minions, despicable, like oh." The pop culture references add more personality to the album while showcasing the breadth of SZA's inspiration SZA. 

It’s Vengeful And Adventurous

As some of the titles and lyrics suggest, SZA explores strong feelings of hurt, lost love, and revenge for wrongdoing. There’s no filter on her disappointment with past lovers, as titles "Smoking on my Ex Pack" and "Forgiveless" suggest. The movies referenced share common themes of powerful women forging their own path and engaging in dangerous activities. 

"I don’t care about consequences, I want my lick back," SZA rap-sings on "Forgiveless." Though many songs on the album are more mellow and ethereal, SZA gives herself space for freedom of expression and directness. Whether you’re feeling sad or angry, there’s a track that can fit your mood on SOS. 

It Explores The Highs And Lows Of Love

SZA's music has always displayed vulnerability but her journey with self-love has clearly evolved since Ctrl. Though  songs like "Special" take a more emotional toll on listeners — SZA sings of dating a loser and feeling like one herself — she also very clearly takes up for herself. On "Conceited," SZA raps "I just got my body done, ain’t got no guilt about it/ I just heard your opinion, could’ve did without it." 

The mood shifts throughout SOS as SZA captures how complex love can be — both with oneself and with others. At the end of the day, it seems SZA wants to own her choices, whether others approve or not.

There’s A Lot Of Artistic Growth

Overall, this is not the same SZA we first met through her mixtapes and debut album. SOS demonstrates  a mastery of her craft through the use  of multiple genres, and cohesive yet varied themes. She held nothing back, and clearly the five-year wait was well worth it. 

Although SZA’s musical future is uncertain, her work has served as a timeless diary of heartbreak, insecurity, and growing up with universal appeal, and SOS further expands on this.  Regardless of how long we may have to wait for new music, her current discography has impacted many and stands out as some of the best in our current musical landscape. SZA bared her soul on SOS, and her message was received.

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