Here are 5 things to know about SZA
Singer-songwriter SZA is performing at Block Party on April 27 in the Carrier Dome, hosted by University Union.
Tickets go on sale Monday for full-time Syracuse University and SUNY-ESF students, and doors open at 6:30 p.m. the night of the concert. SZA will be joined by Gucci Mane and Dj Medasin. Here are five things to know about SZA ahead of her performance at SU:
SZA is pronounced “sizz-ah”
SZA is an acronym derived from the supreme alphabet — part of the religious belief system of the Nation of Gods and Earths. The name stands for “sovereign” or “savior,” “zigzag” and “Allah.” Her real name is Solána Imani Rowe.
Her debut album “Ctrl” debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 Chart
“Ctrl” was released on June 9, 2017, with songs featuring collaborations from artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott and Isaiah Rashad. She also partnered with Lamar on the “Black Panther” soundtrack. “Ctrl” underwent many delays before it was finally released.
“There’s been like three different albums, three completely different versions of this album over the span of the last three years,” SZA told Vulture. “I did like a whole boom-bap phase. Then I wanted to make all trap everything. Then I wanted all organic everything.”
She was the most-nominated female artist at the 2018 Grammy Awards
The 27-year-old was received a total of five nominations, including Best New Artist, Best Urban Contemporary Album, Best R&B Performance, Best R&B Song and Best Rap/Sung Performance, but she went home empty-handed.
Fans were mad about the outcome and vented their frustrations on social media. In a statement after the awards show, Recording Academy President Neil Portnow said that women with the creativity to get involved in the music industry, whether as artists, engineers or executive, should “step up because I think they would be welcome.”
She grew up in Maplewood, New Jersey
She was born in St. Louis but grew up in New Jersey and was raised Orthodox Muslim. Her father was an executive producer at CNN, and her mother was an executive at AT&T. She attended Columbia High School — the same high school of singer-songwriter Lauryn Hill.
Originally, she wanted to own a marketing firm and once worked at Sephora. Music was her hobby, and it eventually became more serious for her when she realized she was talented and became intrigued.
When she was a high school sophomore, she was ranked 5th in the nation as a gymnast
SZA was “heavy into sports,” and was a dedicated gymnast for 13 years. She was the captain of her team and ranked fifth in the nation in 2005. But the extreme exercise was overexerting and she decided to shift her focus to other passions.