SZA, actual name Solána Rowe, is a Grammy-winning R&B performer best known for the hits “Kill Bill,” “Good Days,” and “Snooze.” Her independently published music piqued the interest of Top Dawg Entertainment, and she became the label’s first female artist in 2013. Her debut full-length album, 2017’s Ctrl, gained critical acclaim en way to platinum certification.
However, her 2022 album SOS was an even larger triumph, topping the Billboard 200 album chart, having her first No. 1 song “Kill Bill,” and garnering a 2024 Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. The musician has worked with popular musicians including Rihanna, Drake, and Kendrick Lamar. Her duet with Doja Cat, “Kiss Me More,” earned her a Grammy in 2022.
Early Life
SZA was born as Solána Imani Rowe on November 8, 1990, in St. Louis. Her stage name, pronounced “siz-za,” is derived from a division of Islam’s ultimate alphabet that provides meaning to letters of the Roman alphabet. S stands for sovereign or savior, Z for zig-zag, and A for Allah.
Rowe spent most of his childhood in Maplewood, New Jersey, a suburb of New York City. Her parents pursued similar careers as media executives. Her mother, Audrey Rowe, worked for AT&T, and her father, Abdul Mubarak-Rowe, for CNN. However, they disagreed on their personal religion. Her father insisted on raising their children as Orthodox Muslims, and her Christian mother agreed, even attending mosque prayers.
Abdul restricted Solána’s access to music, including Miles Davis and Billie Holiday, by prohibiting television and radio. Her older half-sister, Panya, introduced her to contemporary music when she moved in with the family, bringing her own collection of Wu-Tang Clan and Lil Jon. Rowe’s interest was heightened by having access to a gymnastics teammate’s iPod, which included additional hip-hop from Common, Mos Def, and the strange vocals of Björk.
Rowe, one of Maplewood’s few Muslims, faced verbal harassment during the 9/11 terrorist attacks. She eventually abandoned her customary religious attire and tried to blend in with her peers, becoming a cheerleader at Columbia High School.
Rowe briefly attended Delaware State University to study marine biology, but she spent much of her time working as a bartender and dancer in adjacent clubs. She skipped out and spent one summer at the Fashion Institute of Technology before her musical career took off.
Music Career
In 2011, SZA worked for the clothing business 10Deep and was tasked to pass out merchandise at a Kendrick Lamar event. A friend was listening to some of SZA’s mixtapes when Terrence “Punch” Henderson, co-president of Top Dawg Entertainment, became aware of her music. The two remained in touch.
After leaving out of college, SZA independently released two EPs:See.SZA.Run in 2012, S in 2013. The Guardian compared the former’s ambient ballad “Country” to R&B titans Frank Ocean and The Weeknd.SZA’s song “Ice Moon” and samples from the horror film “Rosemary’s Baby” solidified her reputation as a rising artist. The buzz led to a record deal with TDE in 2013. She became the label’s first female artist.
SZA first appeared as a guest on tracks by TDE label mates such as Isaiah Rashad as she worked on new material. Her singing powers quickly were in high demand among other singers. She collaborated with R&B artist Jill Scott on “Divinity” in 2014, then co-wrote and performed on Rihanna’s “Consideration” in 2016.
The next year, the emerging musician signed a deal with TDE and RCA Records, released her long-awaited debut album, and increased her public popularity by partnering with Maroon 5 on the song “What Lovers Do.” SZA collaborated with Lamar on the 2018 single “All the Stars” from the Blank Panther movie soundtrack, Justin Timberlake on “The Other Side” from the Trolls World Tour (2020), and Drake on the 2023 Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper “Slime You Out.”
Along with her piercing honesty in lyrics, SZA has been praised for her voice, which has been characterized as “ethereal” and “dripping with honey.” However, the pressures of continual touring took a toll on her earnings, as she announced her withdrawal from TDE’s The Championship Tour in May 2018 due to swelling voice chords. She scared fans when she tweeted that her voice cords were permanently destroyed, but this was not the case, as she returned to the stage at the Firefly Music Festival in Delaware in June.
SZA has headlined two of her own tours since the release of her two studio albums. In 2023, she embarked on her first arena performance series, the SOS Tour, which took her to locations in Europe, the US, and Canada.
Songs and Albums
SZA’s big tracks include the No.1 singles “Kill Bill” and “Slime You Out,” a collaboration with Drake. Other hit songs include “Love Galore,” “Snooze,” and “Good Days.” SZA has released one EP, Z (2014), and two studio albums, Ctrl (2017) and SOS (2022), supported by big labels.
Grammy Award
SZA won one Grammy for her work with Doja Cat on the 2021 smash single “Kiss Me More.” It got them the award for Best Pop Duo Performance.
Throughout her career, SZA has gotten 24 Grammy nominations. This includes three nominations each in the Song of the Year and Record of the Year categories.
She enters the 2024 Grammy Awards event as the year’s most nominated artist, competing for nine awards. Her single “Kill Bill” is nominated for Record of the Year, single of the Year, and Best R&B Performance. SOS also garnered nods for Album of the Year and Best Progressive R&B Album. She may potentially win Best R&B Song for “Snooze,” Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Love Language,” Best Melodic Rap Performance for “Low,” and Best Pop Duo Performance for “Ghost In The Machine,” a collaboration with Phoebe Bridgers.
Net Worth
SZA’s total value is estimated to be $6 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.