Famous American singer-songwriter Solana Rowe, most commonly recognized as SZA, has touched many with her music over the years. Her music is most popular amongst younger generations, and many teenage girls can see themselves in her through her songwriting.
Solana was born in St. Louis, Mo. but grew up in Maplewood, N.J. with her older brother Daniel and half sister Panya. She grew up in a predominantly white neighborhood, and in a devout Muslim household despite her mother being Christian. Following the 9/11 attacks, Solana was bullied for coming from a Muslim household, as society became extremely Islamophobic following the attacks. This kickstarted her feelings of isolation, and outsider syndrome that she expresses in her music today. Although she hit some rough patches in regard to religion, she always stayed devout to Islam.
Growing up, her parents were always cognizant of her musical ability. Her dad exposed her to various jazz artists such as Miles Davis and John Coltrane, and her mother always supported her vocal abilities. Throughout high school Solana held a leading role on her school’s gymnastics team, which would later become nationally ranked. After high school, Solana enrolled in three different colleges, before pursuing Delaware State University to study Marine Biology. In the last semester of her college career, she dropped out of school as a result of failing multiple courses. Many claim this is due to excessive drinking and smoking.
Moving forward, Solana decided to focus on her music career. This being said, in the early stages of making music, she had a bartending job at a local club to support herself. Additionally, she interned for various clothing brands for brief periods of time to make quick money. Eventually, Solana signed with Top Dawg Entertainment, and became known as SZA. After the release of her debut album, “Ctrl,” in 2017, it’s safe to say Solana gained a solid fan base. She relates her music to teens across the world who fell more and more in love with her songwriting following the release of this album.
After Ctrl was released, SZA’s career took off instantaneously. The album connected with so many people because of how honest and real her lyrics were. Songs like “The Weekend” and “Love Galore” became super popular, especially with young women who related to the things she was singing about—like relationships, insecurity, and finding yourself. She was nominated for several Grammy awards, and critics praised her for bringing something new and fresh to the R&B community.
Even through all the fame, SZA has stayed open about the struggles she has faced. She’s talked in interviews about feeling anxious, dealing with self-doubt, and not always feeling confident in her own skin. A lot of her fans admire her even more for being so vulnerable and honest about her personal life. Her vulnerability is admirable amongst many, as people can easily relate to her.
In 2022, she released her second album, “SOS”, which ended up being a huge hit. Songs like “Kill Bill” and “Nobody Gets Me” showed how much she had grown both musically and emotionally. The album stayed at the top of the charts for weeks. On top of her music, SZA is also known for her unique style and for speaking out about mental health and self-love, which makes her a true role model for many young people today.
SZA’s rise from a quiet upbringing in a small town in New Jersey to becoming one of today’s most influential voices in R&B is nothing short of admirable. Through her music, she’s shared her struggles, growth, and emotions in an honest, and relatable way. With Ctrl, she opened up and was able to showcase her vulnerable side through her songwriting, and with SOS, she’s shown how much she’s grown as an artist and a person. Music aside, SZA’s impact goes above and beyond. She’s become a voice for people trying to figure themselves out, speaking openly about mental health and self worth, and shedding light to the messy parts of life that most celebrities try to conceal. She shows her fans that being different can be your biggest strength. As she continues her career there’s no doubt that SZA will continue to share her story and keep inspiring others.
