• November 8, 1989
• SZA was born Solána Rowe in St. Louis and raised in Maplewood, New Jersey. She grew up listening to classic and avant-garde jazz, alternative rock, and rap.
• Rowe was raised as an orthodox Muslim. She found inspiration for her stage name from the Wu-Tang Clan's RZA and the Supreme Alphabet. The S stands for either savior or sovereign, the Z for zig-zag, and the A for Allah.
• SZA studied marine biology at Delaware State University. She earned straight A's for two semesters before losing interest and dropping out. "I'm like, 'I told you I was smart and I proved my point. I have to leave now.'" SZA told Elle.
  
  SZA started taking random jobs to make money. During one brief stint at clothing company Diesel, her employment was abruptly terminated after she wolfed down two marijuana-laced brownies, and had a bad reaction.
  
  In hindsight, SZA regrets the stress she put her parents through during that time.
  "I really disrespected my parents for a long time... Me telling my mom I would rather go run in the streets and bar tend at the strip club so I can pay for studio time (than go to school). It's crazy," she shared.
• She first met members of Top Dawg Entertainment label, during the CMJ 2011. A friend attending the show with her persuaded TDE president Terrence "Punch" Henderson to listen to some of SZA's material, which he liked. In July 2013 it was announced that SZA was the first female act on the TDE roster.
• SZA had to borrow money from her parents to cash the first check she received after becoming a Top Dawg Entertainment artist in 2013. "The day I got signed, I was broke as f--k," she told Rolling Stone. "I didn't have bread to get to the bank and cash my check. I just looked at it and took pictures of it for, like, three days until I could get to my parents' (house), and they drove me to the bank. I told them I signed to (Dr. Dre.'s label) because they didn't know who anyone else was."
• SZA helped write Nicki Minaj and Beyonce's "Feeling Myself" in 2014 and wrote and performed on Rihanna's Anti single "Consideration" two years later.
• SZA attended Columbia High School in Maplewood, New Jersey. Lauryn Hill went to the same high school 15 years earlier.
• At Columbia High School, SZA was active in sports, including gymnastics. She was ranked as the fifth best gymnast in the US when she was a sophomore in high school, but gave it up after realizing she wouldn't make it to the Olympics. "If I can't win, then I don't play," SZA told Nylon.
• When SZA sits down to write a song, she doesn't have a specific topic in mind. "I just let the beat tell me what to do, and then I start babbling and making words, and it starts to form itself," she told Variety.
  
  SZA added her phone is filled with memos and voice notes, and she treats the songwriting process like a puzzle. Despite jotting down phrases, she admitted, "Sometimes I write down phrases, but I never go back to those - even though they're always good-ass phrases!"
• Because she lacks formal training in music theory or songwriting structures, SZA's creative process is like that of a scientist, experimenting and learning through trial and error. This raw, experimental approach helped her evolve into the celebrated songwriter she is today.
• Musically, SZA pairs well with Kendrick Lamar, softening his edges on tracks like "All The Stars" and "30 For 30." They came together when they were both signed to Top Dawg Entertainment but kept their collaboration going after Lamar left the label. In 2025 they embarked on the co-headling Grand National stadium tour, which became the highest-grossing co-headlining tour of all time.
• SZA's SOS Deluxe: Lana broke the record for the album with the most individual tracks that have received Grammy nominations, with nine different songs nominated. These nominations were spread across four Grammy eligibility periods, from "Good Days" being nominated as a standalone single in 2022 through to nods for "30 for 30" and "Crybaby" in 2026.

Comments: 3

• Laurya from At My HouseI can't believe sza is 31. Anyways... I love her.
  
• $zastanI love SZA's music she's way better than Dixie, stop giving her views...
• $!m0n3I love SZA, and I feel like if you're to yourself a lot you should listen to SZA.

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