SZA‘s record-breaking sophomore effort SOS is full of emotionally intense songs – and she’s found that the waterworks often come while performing them.
The New Jersey singer is Billboard‘s Woman of the Year for 2023, and in an interview with the publication, she opened up about what to expect from performing such heavy material.
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“I never know [what to expect],” SZA admitted. “When I was performing ’20 Something’ before my grandma died, it didn’t hit me the same. And then after my grandma died, I could barely get through it at rehearsal. Who knows what any of these songs will bring up for me in real life? Shooting the video for ‘Nobody Gets Me’ was really fucking sad. I cried a lot. I’m just going to wing it and see.”
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The video for “Nobody Gets Me” was released in December and features SZA atop a New York City building dressed in baggy clothes as she sings to an ex she can’t forget.
The striking simplicity of the black and white video reflects the mood of the melancholy, guitar-driven ballad, on which SZA attempts to salvage her relationship.
SZA is now bringing SOS on the road in her first-ever arena tour, which kicked off on Tuesday night (February 21) in Columbus, Ohio. Just before departing, SZA told Billboard that she’s nervous to perform for such a big crowd – but she’s ready for the challenge.
“It’s interesting because my other shows were intimate, and I felt like people were really coming to see me,” she explained. “But I know certain people are just coming to see what the hype is about, and that makes me nervous. But I just want to put on the best show that expresses my theatrical side.”
She continued: “I am deeply excited to pop ass and cry and give theater. I want it to feel like a play on Broadway, but more like Suspiria and Cirque du Soleil in the weirdest way. I want it to be smart and exhilarating and exhausting and exciting like a party, but also like a therapy session.”
