In April 2013, SZA released her S EP to good critical reviews— in July of that same year, it was announced she was signed to Top Dawg Entertainment and began working on her Z EP, which would eventually become a full-fledged album. Z was released in April 2014.
Her debut album, CTRL was released on June 9, 2017 through Top Dawg Entertainment and RCA Records. The album features guest appearances from Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, James Fauntleroy, and Isaiah Rashad. Upon release, CTRL was a massive critical and commercial success, and catapulted SZA into fame. The record debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200. The album then received acclaim from music critics, many praised its cohesiveness and production, as well as SZA's vocal delivery. In 2018, CTRL received 4 Grammy nominations. She was then nominated Best New Artist. The album was ranked at 472 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list, her first to do so.
After a 5 year hiatus from music, SZA released her second studio album, SOS on December 9, 2022 through Top Dawg Entertainment and RCA Records.The album features guest appearances from Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, Travis Scott, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. Six singles were released between 2020 and 2023 to promote SOS, five were top-ten hits on the US Billboard Hot 100. The fifth, "Kill Bill", was SZA's first song to hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, SZA's first to do so, and also broke the record for the largest streaming week for an R&B album in the US alone. Several media publications ranked it as one of the best albums of 2022 and 2023. In 2023, it was ranked number 351 in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, joining her debut album CTRL on the list.
To continue to promote the album, SZA had embarked on a North American, European, and Australian arena tour, the SOS Tour, from February 2023 to April 2024.
At the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, the album and its tracks received a total of nine nominations, including Album of the Year, and won Best Progressive R&B Album. The record was a total commercial success.
“LANA" is the upcoming third studio album/deluxe of SZAs second studio album “SOS" released through Top Dawg Entertainment and RCA Records. “Saturn" was released as the album's lead single on February 22, 2024, and was teased and performed at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. SZA said herself that this deluxe became a whole other album. The album will be approximately 15 songs, and will include leaked songs from SOS. The deluxe was hinted at on December 10, 2023 through various photos posted on her Instagram captioned “LANA”.
Although there is no release date set, SZA did confirm the record will be released sometime in 2024.
20 Something
SZA Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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?
How could it be? 20 something
Ain't got nothin', runnin' from love
Only know fear
That's me, Ms. 20 Something
Ain't got nothin', runnin' from love
Wish you were here, oh
Stuck in them 20 somethings, stuck in them 20 somethings
Good luck on them 20 somethings, good luck on them 20 somethings
God bless these 20 somethings
(God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh)
Hopin' my 20 somethings won't end
Hopin' to keep the rest of my friends
Prayin' the 20 somethings don't kill me, don't kill me
Weird, took us so long to separate
I feel, it's permanent like a riptide, this time
Waves crashing fast, I try
Think of the past, please stay
(How could I be?) How could it be? 20 something
All alone still, not a phone in my name
Ain't got nothin', runnin' from love
Only know fear
That's me, Ms. 20 Something
Ain't got nothin', runnin' from love
Wish you were here, oh
Stuck in them 20 somethings, stuck in them 20 somethings
Good luck on them 20 somethings, good luck on them 20 somethings
God bless these 20 somethings
(God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh)
Hopin' my 20 somethings won't end
Hopin' to keep the rest of my friends
Prayin' the 20 somethings don't kill me, kill me
(God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh)
(God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh)
(God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh)
And if it's an illusion, I don't want to wake up
I'm gonna hang on to it
Because the alternative is an abyss, is just a hole, a darkness, a nothingness
Who wants that? you know? So that's what I think about control
And that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it
That was beautiful mommy, that was perfect
In SZA's song "20 Something," the singer reflects on the challenges and uncertainties of being in her 20s. The lyrics explore a range of emotions, from the pain of a breakup to the fear of failure and the desire for love and companionship. The song begins with SZA questioning why her ex didn't communicate his feelings before ending the relationship, and expressing her sadness at losing someone who once needed her. She then moves on to reflect on her own struggles, feeling stuck and alone in her 20s, unsure of her path forward and afraid of making the wrong choices.
The chorus repeats the phrase "stuck in them 20 somethings," emphasizing the feeling of being trapped in a difficult and confusing period of life. SZA wishes to hold onto the illusion of control and the hope that her 20s won't end, fearing the emptiness and darkness that may come if she lets go. The song ends with a touching conversation between SZA and her mother, where the singer finds comfort and support in her mother's words.
Overall, "20 Something" is a poignant and relatable reflection on the challenges of young adulthood, capturing the pain and confusion of trying to find one's place in the world while holding onto hope and dreaming of a brighter future.
Line by Line Meaning
How you ain't say you was movin' forward?
Why didn't you tell me you were moving on with your life?
Honesty hurts when you're gettin' older
Telling the truth becomes harder as you age and can cause pain.
I gotta say I'll miss the way you need me, yeah
I will miss feeling needed by you.
Why you ain't say you was gettin' bored?
Why didn't you communicate that you were losing interest?
Why you ain't say I was fallin' short?
Why didn't you tell me I wasn't living up to your expectations?
How you lead me out so far away?
Why did you guide me so far from where I wanted to be?
How could it be? 20 something
I can't believe I'm still in my twenties and haven't accomplished anything yet.
All alone still, not a thing in my name
I am still alone and haven't achieved anything significant.
Ain't got nothin', runnin' from love
I have nothing and am afraid of love.
Only know fear
I am consumed by fear.
That's me, Ms. 20 Something
I am, unfortunately, just a lost twenty-something trying to find my way.
Wish you were here, oh
I wish I had someone here with me.
Stuck in them 20 somethings, stuck in them 20 somethings
I feel stuck in my 20s with no direction.
Good luck on them 20 somethings, good luck on them 20 somethings
It's going to take a lot of luck to get through this difficult period of life.
God bless these 20 somethings
May God help us get through our 20s.
(God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh)
A prayer for guidance and support from God.
Hopin' my 20 somethings won't end
I hope my 20s won't end without any significant achievements.
Hopin' to keep the rest of my friends
I hope to maintain my friendships throughout this challenging time.
Prayin' the 20 somethings don't kill me, don't kill me
I pray that these struggles don't break me.
Weird, took us so long to separate
It's strange that it took us so much time to break up.
I feel, it's permanent like a riptide, this time
This time, the break up feels permanent and overwhelming, like a powerful ocean current.
Waves crashing fast, I try
I am trying to cope with the fast and overwhelming emotions.
Think of the past, please stay
I wish the good times from the past could stay forever.
And if it's an illusion, I don't want to wake up
I don't want to face reality if it's worse than my current illusions.
I'm gonna hang on to it
I'm going to cling to these illusions to avoid feeling lost and hopeless.
Because the alternative is an abyss, is just a hole, a darkness, a nothingness
The alternative to my illusions is a feeling of emptiness and nothingness.
Who wants that? you know?
Who would want to feel that way?
So that's what I think about control
I'm trying to hold onto any sense of control in my life, even if it's an illusion.
And that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it
This is how I feel, and I'm standing by it.
That was beautiful mommy, that was perfect
A compliment from a child to their mother, unrelated to the rest of the song.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Solana Rowe, Tyran Donaldson, Carter Lang
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Bella-gg4oz
Lyrics:
[Verse 1]
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?
[Pre-Chorus]
How could it be?
20 something, all alone still
Not a thing in my name
Ain't got nothin', runnin' from love
Only know fear
That's me, Ms. 20 Something
Ain't got nothin', runnin' from love
Wish you were here, oh
[Chorus]
Stuck in them 20 somethings, stuck in them 20 somethings
Good luck on them 20 somethings, good luck on them 20 somethings
But God bless these 20 somethings
(God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh)
Hopin' my 20 somethings won't end
Hopin' to keep the rest of my friends
Prayin' the 20 somethings don't kill me, don't kill me
[Verse 2]
Weird, took us so long to separate
I feel, it's permanent like a riptide, this time
Waves crashing fast, I try
Think of the past, please stay
How could it be?
[Pre-Chorus]
How could it be?
20 something, all alone still
Not a phone in my name
Ain't got nothin', runnin' from love
Only know fear
That's me, Ms. 20 Something
Ain't got nothin', runnin' from love
Wish you were here, oh
[Chorus]
Stuck in them 20 somethings, stuck in them 20 somethings
Good luck on them 20 somethings, good luck on them 20 somethings
But God bless these 20 somethings
(God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh)
Hopin' my 20 somethings won't end
Hopin' to keep the rest of my friends
Prayin' the 20 somethings don't kill me, kill me
[Outro]
(God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh)
(God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh)
(God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh)
And if it's an illusion, I don't want to wake up. I'm gonna hang on to it. Because the alternative is an abyss, is just a hole, a darkness, a nothingness. Who wants that? You know? So that's what I think about CTRL, and that's my story, and I'm stickin' to it
That was beautiful mommy, that was perfect
Taken from (Genius lyrics)
@biancamendoza19
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?
How could it be?
20 something, all alone still
Not a thing in my name
Ain't got nothin', runnin' from love
Only know fear
That's me, Ms. 20 Something
Ain't got nothin', runnin' from love
Wish you were here, oh
Stuck in them 20 somethings, stuck in them 20 somethings
Good luck on them 20 somethings, good luck on them 20 somethings
But God bless these 20 somethings
(God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh)
Hopin' my 20 somethings won't end
Hopin' to keep the rest of my friends
Prayin' the 20 somethings don't kill me, don't kill me
Weird, took us so long to separate
I feel, it's permanent like a riptide, this time
Waves crashing fast, I try
Think of the past, please stay
How could it be?
How could it be?
20 something, all alone still
Not a phone in my name
Ain't got nothin', runnin' from love
Only know fear
That's me, Ms. 20 Something
Ain't got nothin', runnin' from love
Wish you were here, oh
Stuck in them 20 somethings, stuck in them 20 somethings
Good luck on them 20 somethings, good luck on them 20 somethings
But God bless these 20 somethings
(God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh)
Hopin' my 20 somethings won't end
Hopin' to keep the rest of my friends
Prayin' the 20 somethings don't kill me, kill me
God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh
God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh
God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh God bless, oh
And if it's an illusion, I don't want to wake up
I'm gonna hang on to it
Because the alternative is an abyss, is just a hole, a darkness, a nothingness
Who wants that? You know?
So that's what I think about CTRL, and that's my story
And I'm sticking to it
That was beautiful mommy, that was perfect
@llymarquez
21, homeless, 6 months pregnant, feeling like a burden on people.. I’m on my own.. this song helps me get through all the bs..☀️
@myiaht.d491
I hope that your ok 💗
@lineavictoria2631
Hi Lily, how are you and your baby doing? ❤️🙏🏽
@janiyahjones4959
I hope you’re doing well 💕 I love you
@charlix5611
sending you loads of love and blessings x you will get there x love you
@user-wo2hr2oj9i
ur so strong queen. God bless and keep you. i'll keep u in my prayers
@ziibiwanmahgagahbow6405
This track got me fucked up - too real and relevant for us young adults. This whole album just has a nostalgic vibe.
@RealKillSasukeHaters
20 Something almost made me cry reflecting on myself....
@XxQueenChristinaxX
I'm only 16 and already feelin' this with life.
@kellywright1489
Y'all gotta check out Tori Kelly if you like SZA. "Dear no one" will have you crying by her. Lol Or any of her acoustic songs.