SZA is an R&B artist who made a name for herself with her poetic and vulnerable lyrics, pleasant vocals, and features on the records of popular artists such as Drake, Travis Scott, Rihanna, and many more. While her most successful album Ctrl was released back in 2017 and I’ve had her most recent album SOS on repeat since it came out in 2022, I still find myself going back to the tracks on Ctrl — especially now that I am in my 20s.
After my first year of university, I found myself becoming more and more puzzled about where I was supposed to be in life. Though I was well aware that I wasn’t the only one feeling that way, I somehow still felt isolated in my experience. Young adults are often told by people older than them that their 20s are a time for exploration and a time to be non-committal. While there is truth to that statement, the competitive atmosphere of university can often make you feel like you are not doing enough for your career, academics, and extracurriculars compared to your peers. It’s like a constant battle between choosing to focus on enjoying yourself in the moment and laying out the plans for the rest of your adult life. As someone who has recently been plagued by this mental battle, I find SZA’s music to be a source of catharsis. Here are two SZA songs with lyrics that accurately speak to the experience of young adulthood.
“20 Something”
This song perfectly encapsulates the feeling that you are falling behind your close friends in your 20s. I interpret the lyrics as being expressed in the context of a breakup from a long-term relationship. This is demonstrated in the first verse:
“I gotta say, I’ll miss the way you need me, yeah / Why you ain’t say you was getting’ bored / Why you ain’t say I was fallin’ short? / How you lead me out so far away?”
In this verse, SZA expresses the frustration she feels with her ex-partner who (presumably) left her after failing to bring up any issues that were occurring during their relationship. What’s left is a feeling of confusion; a thirst for closure despite both partners sharing the feeling that they have outgrown one another. That’s what this song truly explores: the challenge of accepting that you are outgrowing some of your closest relationships and the sense of uncertainty that follows.
The chorus goes on to express this uncertainty in addition to the hope that most of the special people/things from your childhood and adolescence will stay with you throughout your adult life. Altogether, I would say that “20 Something” effectively captures the dichotomy of feeling scared of your twenties, yet also being grateful that you’re in such a carefree and transformative time of your life, where you can choose whether or not you want to outgrow a relationship.
“Prom”
“Prom” is my go-to song from Ctrl. The layering of the vocals is enticing, and it has a catchy beat, but its lyrics are the star of the show. The lyrics precisely capture the feeling of being a burden to those around you. SZA expresses a feeling of longing to become just as mature as her partner and the stress that comes with trying to “catch up” on your self-improvement in the pre-chorus:
“Promise to get a little better / as I get older / And you’re so patient, you’re / sick of waitin’ / Promise to do better / Should’ve, could’ve, / probably wanna let me go / But you can’t, oh”
The repetition of “promise” suggests that SZA is constantly trying to prove to herself and her partner that she is committed to self-improvement. Despite her promises, she can’t help but feel like she is straining her relationship and pushing herself closer to the possibility of a breakup. The last line of the verse implies that the couple already has so much history behind them, that it would be too difficult to let go.
In a way, it is comforting to hear about this feeling of being behind your peers and being a burden explored by an artist who is so successful and talented. The lyrics of “Prom” remind us that no matter who you are, you will always experience moments of inadequacy; moments that remind us of our humanity and desire to be liked by others.
Your twenties may not be your “mid-life crisis”, but it does come with its own set of complexities that you didn’t have to worry about when you were a teenager, and navigating these complexities can feel like an uphill battle. To any exhausted young adult/Queen’s student who is reading this, know that you are not alone and that it is okay to take your time.