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.
SOS Deluxe: LANA is SZA’s re-issue of her sophomore album SOS (2022). The album was released on December 20th, 2024 through Top Dawg Entertainment and RCA Records. LANA was delayed due to final changes to the album's mixing. “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 album became a whole other album. The album has 15 songs and includes leaked songs from SOS. The deluxe was hinted at on December 10, 2023, through various photos posted on her Instagram captioned ‘LANA’.
Power is Power
SZA Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With the winter wolves, in the dark alone
The wildest night, I became the one
And you'll know you're mine when the silence comes
Heavy is the crown, only for the weak
A knife in my heart couldn't slow me down'Cause power is power, my fire never goes out
I rise from my scars, nothing hurts me now
'Cause power is power
Now watch me burn it down
I been down for the coldest war
And I'll know where I been 'cause I bled before, yeah
How do I know if I let you stay?
How do I know if we did it your way?
You wouldn't take my place
Put me away, I'd die lookin' up at your face
How do I ever know? Who can I trust?
Feelings of emptiness
Only love could kill me, God bless
A knife in my heart
Couldn't slow me down (couldn't slow me down)
'Cause power is power ('cause power is power)
My fire never goes out
I rise from my scars
Nothing hurts me now (nothing hurts me now)
'Cause power is power ('cause power is power)
Now watch me burn it down
Breathe, feel the air that I breathe (yeah)
Air that I, air that I breathe (ooh)
So swamped by high water, keep your head up, you might drown (ooh)
In this world it's way colder, by the day, we count it down
Been around, just been waitin' up, she gon' come around
I took a drag, bust it out the gates, my lil' baby slay
I wore the flag, put that on my face, ain't nobody safe
Lift the mask, they gon' have to see what they can't erase
I took a lie, so I took it back (do-do-do-do-do, yeah)
Danger's on my mind (ah)
Ain't no knife, dagger, bullet that can do it
For you, yeah you know, I go right up straight through it (yeah, yeah)
Heavy is the crown, but never for a queen (oh, yeah)
A knife in my heart
It couldn't slow me down (couldn't slow me down)
'Cause power is power ('cause power is power)
The fire never goes out (oh)
I rise from my scars
Nothing hurts me now (nothing hurts me now)
'Cause power is power ('cause power is power)
Now watch me burn it down (ooh, yeah, yeah)
Now watch me burn it down
The lyrics of SZA's "Power is Power" speak of strength, dominance, and resilience. The song starts with a strong introduction of birth in the midst of darkness and coldness. The singer's voice reflects pain and isolation as she narrates her story. She was born in winter with the wolves, and the toughest night of her life establishes her as the "one" to be feared. Power, the underlying theme of the song, shows up in lines like, "power is power, my fire never goes out," indicating that nothing can stand in the way of her power.
However, it is clear that the power is not something easy to hold on to, and the crown can become heavy. The song lyrics suggest that only the weak seek to maintain the crown, and it is only meant for the strong. The knife, which could be used to destroy and cripple at the same time, could not slow her down. She burns from the scars, making nothing hurt her, and now she watches as everything around her burns at her command.
The song has intense emotions, and the lyrics are ambiguous in nature, possessing a lot of symbolism that can be interpreted differently. It's all about taking control, having the poise and grace to carry a heavy crown, to be the transformer who rises above all of it, and a call to take control and never back down when things get tough.
Line by Line Meaning
I was born of the ice and snow
I originated from a cold, harsh environment
With the winter wolves, in the dark alone
I was raised with wolves in a challenging and lonely environment
The wildest night, I became the one
I emerged victorious and became powerful on the most chaotic and challenging night
And you'll know you're mine when the silence comes
When everything is quiet and still, you'll know that I'm in charge
Heavy is the crown, only for the weak
Being a leader is not easy; it requires strength and resilience
A knife in my heart couldn't slow me down
Even if I'm hurt, I won't let it weaken me
'Cause power is power, my fire never goes out
My power is what keeps me going, and it never fades away
I rise from my scars, nothing hurts me now
I've overcome my pain and nothing can hurt me anymore
Now watch me burn it down
Watch as I dominate and take control
I been down for the coldest war
I've been fighting in the toughest battle
And I'll know where I been 'cause I bled before, yeah
I know where I've been because I've experienced pain before
How do I know if I let you stay?
How can I trust you if I allow you to be around me?
How do I know if we did it your way?
How can I be sure that following your advice is the right decision?
You wouldn't take my place
I'm irreplaceable and you wouldn't be able to handle my duties
Put me away, I'd die lookin' up at your face
If you try to remove me from power, I'd rather die than let you succeed
How do I ever know? Who can I trust?
It's hard for me to trust anyone and know who to rely on
Feelings of emptiness
Despite my power, I sometimes feel empty inside
Only love could kill me, God bless
The only thing that could harm me is love, and I thank God for it
Breathe, feel the air that I breathe (yeah)
I take a moment to appreciate my surroundings
Who's hotter? Been a monster with a crown (ooh)
I'm the hottest and most powerful, like a monstrous ruler
So swamped by high water, keep your head up, you might drown (ooh)
It's easy to get overwhelmed and drown, but I remind myself to stay afloat
In this world it's way colder, by the day, we count it down
The world is a harsh place, and we're constantly losing time
Been around, just been waitin' up, she gon' come around
I've been patient and waiting for something I want, and it will come eventually
I took a drag, bust it out the gates, my lil' baby slay
I started slowly but then went full force, like my little baby slaying
I wore the flag, put that on my face, ain't nobody safe
I represent my power and am not afraid to show it
Lift the mask, they gon' have to see what they can't erase
I reveal who I truly am, and they won't be able to undo or forget it
I took a lie, so I took it back (do-do-do-do-do, yeah)
I lied once but then corrected it and took responsibility
Danger's on my mind (ah)
I'm aware of the risks and danger I face
Ain't no knife, dagger, bullet that can do it
No weapon or harm can bring me down
For you, yeah you know, I go right up straight through it (yeah, yeah)
I face obstacles head on, especially for you, because you know that about me
Heavy is the crown, but never for a queen (oh, yeah)
Being a leader is heavy, but queens thrive under that pressure
The fire never goes out (oh)
My power and strength never fade
Now watch me burn it down (ooh, yeah, yeah)
Watch me dominate and conquer everything in my path
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Hipgnosis Songs Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Abel Tesfaye, Ahmad Balshe, Jacques Webster, Jason Quenneville, Mike Dean, Myles Martin, Ricky Reed, Sam Harris, Solana Rowe, Victor Dimtosis, Zachary Cooper
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@user-lk1ot7je7x
'a knife in my heart'
'watch me burn it down'
'only love can kill me'
'i'd die lookin' up at your face'
'who can i trust'
'you wouldn't take my place'
Me:(watched the finale of GOT)
Hey..........wait a minute
@creamcheesecakes7500
Weeknd- I was born from the ice and snow
SZA- I rise from the scars
Travis- TUTUTU
@thenorthremembers02
Bad copy
@glitchinthematrix3559
Creamcheese Cakes Scooby-Doo Pot pot
@art1524
Creamcheese Cakes had to leave a like coz it had 666
@brantallison8558
You forgot Tu
@gilbertoayala6503
Definitely not in the same level as them. Travis is just alright...
@killernemesisgaming9317
Weeknd: A knife in my heart, couldn’t stop me now.
SZA: Only love could kill me, god bless
Travis: TUTUTUU
@dukes1993724
Monstermushmush Cause he is
@edemdogbe856
😂😂😂😂
@rismasfn5237
Lol