SZA

Solána Imani Rowe, known professionally as SZA, is an American singer-songwriter born on November 8, 1989. Recognized for her diaristic songwriting and genre explorations, she is regarded as a prominent figure in contemporary R&B and alternative R&B. She gained widespread recognition through her acclaimed studio albums, high-profile collaborations, and record-breaking chart success.

Rowe was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and raised in Maplewood, New Jersey, by a Christian mother and a Muslim father. She attended both Sunday school and Muslim school, wearing a hijab during her early youth. After graduating from Columbia High School in 2008, she attended multiple colleges, eventually studying marine biology at Delaware State University before dropping out to pursue music. Her stage name was inspired by the Five Percent Nation and Wu-Tang Clan members RZA and GZA.

SZA began her career with the self-released extended plays See.SZA.Run in 2012 and S in 2013. In July 2013, she became the first female artist signed to Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE). Her third EP, Z, was released in 2014 and marked her chart debut on the Billboard 200. During this period, she featured on tracks by labelmates, opened for tours by Jhené Aiko and Coldplay, and began co-writing songs for artists including Nicki Minaj, Beyoncé, Travis Scott, and Rihanna.

In 2017, SZA signed with RCA Records and released her debut studio album, Ctrl. The critically acclaimed album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and produced hit singles like "Love Galore" and "The Weekend". It led to five Grammy nominations, including Best New Artist. Following Ctrl, she achieved top-ten singles with Maroon 5 on "What Lovers Do" and Kendrick Lamar on "All the Stars", the latter garnering Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations.

SZA released her second album, SOS, in 2022. It became the first album by a woman to spend 100 weeks in the top ten of the Billboard 200 and set the record for the longest-running US top-ten album by a Black musician. The release featured the Hot 100 number-one single "Kill Bill". Her other notable successes include the Grammy-winning duet "Kiss Me More" with Doja Cat, singles from the 2024 deluxe release Lana, and the record-breaking 2025 Grand National Tour co-headlined with Lamar.

Throughout her career, SZA has won seven Grammy Awards, a Brit Award, three American Music Awards, and Billboard's Woman of the Year. In 2024, she received the Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.