Review Summary: SZA’s debut album is nothing short of a new classic in the world of R&B.
Following up three EPs, SZA released her debut album, Ctrl, under Top Dawg Entertainment; also becoming the first female artist to sign with them. Starting with an eerie guitar intro and recording of a call from SZA’s mother, “Supermodel” sets the tone for the album impeccably. “Wish I was comfortable just with myself”. On “Supermodel”, “Normal Girl”, and “Drew Barrymore” especially, SZA tells the intimate details of all her insecurities. She shows off her lyrical chops as she tells the tales of being the side chick, not being good enough, and cheating on Valentine’s Day. The album also has features from notable musicians such as fellow label mates Kendrick Lamar and Isaiah Rashad, Travis Scott, and James Fauntleroy. These features, however, are the lowest points on the album with the exception of the light and fun interlude, “Wavy” with Fauntleroy. Kendrick Lamar spits a low effort bar with little to no lyrical substance, and the other feature tracks were just boring. “Go Gina” is a track that seemed more like a filler song than something that can stand beside album hits like “Drew Barrymore” and “The Weekend”. Ctrl features top-notch production and songwriting. The biggest single, “The Weekend” is the story of wanting more but just being the other woman that will never get the man the way she wants, and then switching perspectives to the main girl, who is trying to realize she doesn’t need this guy who’s just going to cheat again and again. The highest point on the album is “Drew Barrymore”. “She’s perfect and I hate it” . SZA is relating to the quirky, insecure characters Drew Barrymore played in many teen movies of the 90’s. She’s lonely and just wishing she could be someone else, forgetting all of her own qualities that make her who she is. In a lot of female voiced R&B, it’s focus is saying how much of an empowered woman you are and how you don’t need anyone else. That just isn’t reality for a lot of people, and if that is your reality, it probably took a lot of self discovery to get there. SZA is embracing her confusion and dependence on others, and it is reaching an audience that relates to insecurity and hardship rather than modern R&B’s repetitive feminist anthems. She confronts her confusion and path to self discovery on the closing track, “20 Something”. “How could it be?/ 20 something, all alone still/ not a thing in my name” . Being in your twenty-somethings is a difficult time for a lot of young people, especially now, when no one knows what they want because they’re so overwhelmed by choice. SZA has nothing to show for herself, not even a relationship. She’s afraid of going through this important time in her life alone. Everyone needs someone, and she’s embracing vulnerability and using her voice to tell people her story, that I’m sure most of her fans can relate to. SZA is a vital voice in modern R&B and there is only more to come for her. Ctrl is just the beginning, and when she finds herself, it will make her from a promising young artist to an established voice in music.
