SZA “Snooze” released as sixth single from SOS

Snooze SZA

Writer(s): Solána Rowe, Kenny B. Edmonds, Khris Riddick-Tynes, Leon Thomas, Blair Ferguson (see lyrics here) Released: April 25, 2023 First Charted: December 24, 2022 Peak: 2 BB, 13 BA, 11 RR, 32 A40, 32 AA, 132a RB, 18 UK, 11 CN, 21 AU, 22 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 4.0 US, 0.4 UK, 5.51 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 380.41 video, 1189.30 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: R&B singer/songwriter Solána Imani Rowe (known as SZA) released her second album, SOS, at the end of 2022. It had already been promoted by three singles, two of which reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100. After the album’s release, three more top-ten singles followed, including the #1 hit “Kill Bill,” and “Snooze,” the sixth and final single from the album. It has spent a record-breaking 33 weeks atop the R&B/hip-hop airplay chart. “Snooze” was not originally intended for SOS, but for Babyface’s ninth studio album, 2022’s Girls Night Out. His concept for the album was all songs with female collaborators. As such, Babyface and SZA did work together on the song and are both credited as songwriters. He also produced the song and it became his first top-ten hit as a producer in 23 years. SF The song has been described as “a dreamy ballad” in which SZA reflects on a relationship where she wants to devote all her feelings to make it work. WK She “doesn’t want to fall asleep and waste theprecious moments she has with her love interest.” SF However, the song also takes on a violent tone with her fantasizing about being Elvira Hancock, the partner of Scarface, a movie character based on gangster Al Capone. She goes so far as to say she would kill and hide bodies for her lover, which conflicts with the tone of the song and emphasizes it as satire. Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for SZA SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia First posted 3/24/2024; last updated 10/15/2024.

SZA's "Kill Bill" hit #1 on the R&B chart for the first of 21 weeks

Kill Bill SZA

Writer(s): Solána Rowe, Rob Bisel, Carter Lang (see lyrics here) Released: January 10, 2023 First Charted: December 21, 2022 Peak: 11 BB, 14 ST, 11 RR, 30 AC, 7 A40, 121 RB, 3 UK, 3 CN, 11 AU (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 8.0 US, 1.2 UK, 11.47 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 316.87 video, 2121.68 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: R&B singer/songwriter Solána Imani Rowe (known as SZA) was born in 1989 in St. Louis, Missouri. After several EP releases, she signed with RCA Records and released her debut album, Ctrl in 2017. It was certified three times platinum despite the absence of any songs to chart as high as the top 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. Five years later, she was back with her SOS, her second album. It topped the Billboard album chart and gave SZA another triple platinum album. It also gave her five top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100. It was the album’s fifth single, “Kill Bill,” which met with the greatest success. It was released in January 2023 because of its successful streaming numbers. Three months later, a remix with rapper Doja Cat boosted the song’s success. The song spent eight weeks at #2 before finally triumphing over the Billboard Hot 100. It only spent one week on top, but was a major success on the R&B chart, spending 21 weeks at #1 and breaking the previous record by “Old Town Road.” The song title is taken from the martial arts movies Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003) and Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004), directed by Quentin Tarantino and starring Uma Thurman as an assassin out for revenge against her ex-boyfriend. Similarly, the song follows the protaganist’s fantasy to kill her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend. Some critics “found her murder fantasites extreme but relatable to a degree.” WK “The song’s candid exploration of…unfiltered, violent emotions were a point of praise” WK for some critics. Interestingly, though, SZA has been annoyed by the song’s success. She said she put little heart or energy into making the song. As she said, “’Kill Bill’ was super easy – one take, one night.” SF Despite her feelings, the song wasn’t just a commercial success but has been well received critically as well. It garnered Grammy nominations for Record and Song of the Year. Billboard magazine called it her “first totally ubiquitous smash.” SF Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for SZA SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia First posted 1/4/2024; last updated 10/14/2024.