SZA’s Most Relatable Lyrics For When Life Is Lifing

One of SZA’s many superpowers is her hyper-specific lyrics, which make fans feel connected to her because it shows she does things just like the rest of us. “Drew Barrymore” is a somber record that marked the first official taste of Ctrl., setting the tone by drawing parallels between SZA’s upbringing and Barrymore’s film roles — not quite always fitting in. 

“Somebody get the tacos, somebody spark the blunt/ Let’s start the ‘Narcos’ off at episode one/ Bring the gin, got the juice, got that, too/ Won’t you shut up? Know you’re my favorite, am I?”

Considering everything life throws at us, who wouldn’t want to just unwind after a long day with some tacos and an intense Netflix series?

Everywhere women look, there are not only beauty standards they are expected to follow, but behavioral ones, as well. But what exactly does being a “normal girl” mean? SZA tackles the dilemma in this Ctrl. fave, asking herself how she can fit into the mold that her partner desires, or rather, was she even meant to.

She begins the record by acknowledging her man likes certain traits about her, like when she “gets aggressive,” “loses her cool,” and “pops her top.” Throughout the song, her mind constantly maneuvers between sticking to her true nature, or having to tone herself down to appear “normal.” 

“Wanna be a type of girl, you take home to your mama/ The type of girl, I know your fellas they’d be proud of… Normal girl, oh, I wish I was a normal girl, oh my/ How do I be, how do I be your baby?”

It’s safe to say plenty of people have also felt the pressure to exclude parts of themselves to appease others. By the end of the record, SZA is ready to “quit on the world,” so she reminds everyone that we are our own version of “normal”, as it should be.

At one point in life, most people are bound to face some hard truths about aging. As we grow older, we start to feel the weight of the world on our shoulders. Dynamics are rapidly changing and society has told people they better have their ducks in a row by age 25. The most relatable theme throughout all of Ctrl. is SZA admitting that she doesn’t have it all together, and that’s okay.

“How you ain’t say you was movin’ forward? Honesty hurts when you’re gettin’ older/ I gotta say I’ll miss the way you need me, yeah/ Why you ain’t say you was gettin’ bored?/ Why you ain’t say I was fallin’ short?’ How you lead me out so far away?”

In the hook of “20 Something,” a vulnerable SZA boldly acknowledges she’s still alone, still running from love, and doesn’t have anything in her name. This is the reality for a lot of her fans, and it’s comforting to hear she’s going through the same battles. She opens the door for healing, as the first step is always acknowledgement of the situation and unresolved feelings.

Within a relationship, it’s only a matter of time before the two parties involved start mirroring each other. Putting each other onto new music, style, and late-night food spots is a given, but after the situationship runs its course, actually, give me all my sauce back. 

At least that’s what SZA feels she is owed, as made clear in her sophomore album title track “SOS.” In this record, the singer kicks off her LP with no remorse, ready to send an invoice for her services and time. By now, she’s sick of being the uncredited blueprint for so many others. 

With an air of “I taught you everything you know,” SZA speaks for every girl that was too cool for the man she gave a chance to, rapping, “That’s right I need commissions on mine/ All that sauce you got from me, all that sh*t I gave for free/ And I want it back, want it back/ This ain’t no warnin’ shot, ‘case all you h*es forgot/ Know you been more than lost.”

While her Ctrl. chapter had her basking in uncertainty, by the time her sophomore album rolled around, SZA knew one thing for sure: she’s done playing nice. On the Ol’ Dirty Bastard-assisted cut “Forgiveless,” the songstress enters her villain era, not worried at all about the consequences of her impulsive actions.

“I don’t care ’bout consequences, I want my lick back/ I don’t mind who’s watchin’, get to pushin’ your wig back/ I don’t mind burnin’ bridges that my enemies, center peace/ Call that b**ch my kid, she ain’t no kin to me.”

The mature decision is often the choice we should make. Sometimes, however, we lean into our bad decisions and deal with the mess later. SZA knows this, and isn’t afraid to say it.

Before the fame, SZA also dealt with the mundane cycle of forcing herself to go to a job she wasn’t fond of, barely getting by, and being surrounded by “sh*tty news.” In conjunction with the constant nature of a depressing cycle, rejection from her dream life was prevalent, as well, and she’s tired of it. 

“Run fast from my day job, runnin’ fast from the way it was/ Jump quick to a pay check… Never going back, never going back (Nah)/ They never take me/ I’ve paid enough of petty dues, I’ve had enough of shitty news/ I’ve had a thing for dirty shoes since I was 10,” she sings on “Broken Clocks.”

In order to reach success, one must “pay their dues,” but it’s okay to admit the road getting there isn’t always scenic. However, there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel, and Solána injects the honest record with a reminder in the hook to “just take it day by day.”

When SZA gets in her confident bag, there’s really no stopping her. On SOS’s “Conceited,” she shows growth and freely “pops her sh*t.” After years of feeling like she wasn’t enough, in this next phase of her life she’s adopting the “me, myself, and I” attitude and finally betting on herself.

“I got no reason to depend on you, no reason to make friends, I’m cool/ I got everything that I need, and I want more/ I can’t take my foot off they neck, it’s an encore/ I got everything and I’m living off of revengе/ I been burning bridges, I’ll do it all over again/ ‘Cause I’m bеtting on me, me, me, me, me, me.”

Traversing through insecurities and identity crises are part of the human experience, but eventually, progress is made. For 34-year-old SZA, she has graduated from the tumultuous times of her 20’s and is well into her unapologetic era, where she’s more sure of herself than ever before. This one’s for the fans who made it through with her.