SZA: influences, peers and legacy

Every connection with its receipt

SZA's music is a collage: New Jersey Muslim upbringing, Wu-Tang worship (her name is a riff on RZA and GZA), jazz standards heard at home, Björk's maximalism, and the TDE rap house that signed the only singer on its roster. This mix traces how that collage assembled into Ctrl and SOS, and the generation of confessional R&B writers now working in its wake.

The Kynda mix for SZA

• Key Influence · The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill (1998). The template for SZA's whole approach: a New Jersey woman braiding rap cadence, soul singing and unguarded diary writing into one record, interludes and all. SZA has repeatedly named Hill among her formative listening, and Ctrl's structure — spoken interludes from her mother and grandmother threading between songs about insecurity and desire — directly echoes Miseducation's classroom skits. Both albums made vulnerability the production choice.
• Influencia Obscura · Homogenic by Björk (1997). SZA has named Björk among her favorite artists, and the debt shows in texture rather than genre: Homogenic's collision of string arrangements with brutal electronic low end is the ancestor of the warped, hazy production on Z. Björk also licensed SZA's model of the singer as sound designer — vocal layering treated as an instrument, emotional extremity delivered in an intimate register rather than a belted one.
• Local Roots · Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) by Wu-Tang Clan (1993). Solána Rowe took her stage name from the Wu-Tang alphabet, the same construction as RZA and GZA — Sovereign Zig-Zag-Zig Allah, drawn from Five-Percent Nation terminology circulating through the New York/New Jersey area she grew up near. Beyond the name, the Clan's model of a crew with a shared mythology and distinct solo voices prefigures how she operates inside Top Dawg Entertainment.
• Beyond the Medium · Kill Bill: Volume 1 by Quentin Tarantino (2003). SZA's biggest hit borrows its title and its revenge-fantasy conceit outright: a jilted woman calmly narrating murder over a sweet melody, the comic horror of The Bride's rampage translated into R&B deadpan. The song's power comes from the gap between Tarantino's stylized violence and SZA's unbothered delivery, proving a film's whole moral posture can be imported into a three-minute pop record.
• Peer · Blonde by Frank Ocean (2016). The other defining document of post-2010 alternative R&B: sung diary entries, pitch-shifted vocals, song structures that abandon choruses, released a year before Ctrl into the same critical conversation. Both artists made ambivalence the subject and treated the album as a mood piece with interludes from family voices. Blonde's commercial success cleared the path Ctrl walked through.
• From the Canon · Ctrl by SZA (2017). The album that made her: four years of label limbo distilled into songs about jealousy, settling and twenty-something self-doubt, with her mother and grandmother's voicemail-style interludes binding it together. Its guitar-led, unhurried production and its refusal to posture reset the register of mainstream R&B writing, and nearly every confessional singer who followed is working inside the space it opened.
• Key Collaborator · DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar (2017). SZA's labelmate at Top Dawg and her most consequential partner: she sings the hook on DAMN.'s 'LOYALTY.', they share 'All the Stars' from the Black Panther soundtrack, and he appears on Ctrl's 'Doves in the Wind'. DAMN. showcases what the TDE house offered her — Sounwave-led production, a crew ethic of obsessive revision, and a rap context that pushed her singing toward rhythmic rather than melodic thinking.
• Legacy · Over It by Summer Walker (2019). The most direct inheritor of Ctrl's register: whispered, unglamorous singing about jealousy, infidelity and self-worth, structured as overheard confession. Walker has spoken about SZA's influence on her willingness to write that bluntly, and the two later recorded together. Over It's commercial scale — one of the biggest R&B debuts by a woman in years — measures how wide the door Ctrl opened actually was.

What influenced SZA

• Ella Fitzgerald. SZA identifies Fitzgerald as a vocal influence. (also via SZA, Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook) “SZA listens to Ella Fitzgerald for vocal influence [ 197 ] and has said that Lauryn Hill is one of her personal influences.” (Wikipedia)
• Lauryn Hill (1975). SZA has named Hill as a personal influence. (also via The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill) “In an interview with Vogue , R&B singer SZA , stated "The only girl that I could look to for natural hair inspiration growing up was Lauryn Hill."” (Wikipedia)
• Kendrick Lamar (1987). SZA calls Lamar her sensei, and he has inspired her musical experimentation. (also via All the Stars, DAMN.) “But when I heard Mr. Morale, I was like, “I’m not digging [deep enough in my art]. I’m running from so many things.”” (Harper’s Bazaar)
• Björk (1965). SZA cites Björk as an inspiration. (also via Homogenic) “SZA also cites Meelah , the Red Hot Chili Peppers , LFO , Macy Gray , Common , Björk , Jamiroquai , and "a lot of Wu , Nas , Mos Def , Hov " as inspirations.” (Wikipedia)
• Jamiroquai. SZA directly expresses Jamiroquai’s importance to her musical tastes. (also via Travelling Without Moving) “Jamiroquai is just, like, the shit for me.” (Wikipedia)
• Summer Walker (2017). The page says Summer Walker has been influenced by SZA’s songwriting. (also via Over It) “Many of her contemporaries like Summer Walker , Tink , and Ari Lennox have been influenced by her songwriting;” (Wikipedia)
• The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill (1998). The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (Lauryn Hill) — titan for SZA (also via CTRL) “SZA listens to Ella Fitzgerald for vocal influence and has said that Lauryn Hill is one of her personal influences.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Wu-Tang Clan. The quoted reference to Wu identifies Wu-Tang Clan among SZA’s inspirations. (also via Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)) “SZA also cites Meelah , the Red Hot Chili Peppers , LFO , Macy Gray , Common , Björk , Jamiroquai , and "a lot of Wu , Nas , Mos Def , Hov " as inspirations.” (Wikipedia)
• Baduizm by Erykah Badu (1997). Baduizm (Erykah Badu) — titan for SZA “Or perhaps Bill Murray in The Life Aquatic." Along with her music, SZA's image has been compared to neo-soul artists Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Homogenic by Björk (1997). Homogenic (Björk) — ghost for SZA “SZA also cites Meelah, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, LFO, Macy Gray, Common, Björk, Jamiroquai, and "a lot of Wu, Nas, Mos Def, Hov" as inspirations.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Travelling Without Moving by Jamiroquai (1996). Travelling Without Moving (Jamiroquai) — ghost for SZA “SZA also cites Meelah, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, LFO, Macy Gray, Common, Björk, Jamiroquai, and "a lot of Wu, Nas, Mos Def, Hov" as inspirations.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• RZA. SZA took influence from RZA when forming her stage name. “She took cues from the Supreme Alphabet , [ 19 ] taking influence from rappers RZA and GZA of Wu-Tang Clan .” (Wikipedia)
• GZA. SZA took influence from GZA when forming her stage name. “She took cues from the Supreme Alphabet , [ 19 ] taking influence from rappers RZA and GZA of Wu-Tang Clan .” (Wikipedia)
• Ashanti. SZA cites Ashanti as a major inspiration. “SZA has expressed admiration for singer Ashanti , citing her as a major inspiration and someone she has loved since childhood.” (Wikipedia)
• Meelah. SZA cites Meelah as an inspiration. “SZA also cites Meelah , the Red Hot Chili Peppers , LFO , Macy Gray , Common , Björk , Jamiroquai , and "a lot of Wu , Nas , Mos Def , Hov " as inspirations.” (Wikipedia)
• Red Hot Chili Peppers. SZA cites Red Hot Chili Peppers as an inspiration. “SZA also cites Meelah , the Red Hot Chili Peppers , LFO , Macy Gray , Common , Björk , Jamiroquai , and "a lot of Wu , Nas , Mos Def , Hov " as inspirations.” (Wikipedia)
• LFO. SZA cites LFO as an inspiration. “SZA also cites Meelah , the Red Hot Chili Peppers , LFO , Macy Gray , Common , Björk , Jamiroquai , and "a lot of Wu , Nas , Mos Def , Hov " as inspirations.” (Wikipedia)
• Macy Gray. SZA cites Macy Gray as an inspiration. “SZA also cites Meelah , the Red Hot Chili Peppers , LFO , Macy Gray , Common , Björk , Jamiroquai , and "a lot of Wu , Nas , Mos Def , Hov " as inspirations.” (Wikipedia)
• Common. SZA cites Common as an inspiration. “SZA also cites Meelah , the Red Hot Chili Peppers , LFO , Macy Gray , Common , Björk , Jamiroquai , and "a lot of Wu , Nas , Mos Def , Hov " as inspirations.” (Wikipedia)
• Nas. SZA cites Nas as an inspiration. “SZA also cites Meelah , the Red Hot Chili Peppers , LFO , Macy Gray , Common , Björk , Jamiroquai , and "a lot of Wu , Nas , Mos Def , Hov " as inspirations.” (Wikipedia)
• Mos Def. SZA cites Mos Def as an inspiration. “SZA also cites Meelah , the Red Hot Chili Peppers , LFO , Macy Gray , Common , Björk , Jamiroquai , and "a lot of Wu , Nas , Mos Def , Hov " as inspirations.” (Wikipedia)
• Jay-Z. SZA’s reference to Hov identifies Jay-Z among her inspirations. “SZA also cites Meelah , the Red Hot Chili Peppers , LFO , Macy Gray , Common , Björk , Jamiroquai , and "a lot of Wu , Nas , Mos Def , Hov " as inspirations.” (Wikipedia)
• Spike Lee (1957). SZA says she was particularly inspired by Spike Lee. “she has looked up to people who were not "typical artists" including her "favorite gymnast, ice-skater, saxophonist, painter, or movie director", continuing to say she was particularly inspired by film director Spike Lee .” (Wikipedia)
• Moonrise Kingdom by Wes Anderson. SZA names Moonrise Kingdom as an inspiration for how she would dress. “a large amount of her style inspiration comes from movies, including Wes Anderson films, praising his use of "pantone color palette" and that she "would love to dress like a character from Moonrise Kingdom . Or perhaps Bill Murray in The…” (Wikipedia)
• The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou by Wes Anderson. SZA cites Bill Murray’s appearance in The Life Aquatic as a style reference. “a large amount of her style inspiration comes from movies, including Wes Anderson films, praising his use of "pantone color palette" and that she "would love to dress like a character from Moonrise Kingdom . Or perhaps Bill Murray in The…” (Wikipedia)
• Bellah. Bellah describes the impact of SZA’s Ctrl on her. ““When ‘Ctrl’ dropped, it literally altered my brain chemistry,” London R&B upstart Bellah explains to NME today.” (NME)
• Baby Rose. Baby Rose describes how SZA’s honesty influences her approach to storytelling. ““By being very honest, SZA encourages me and a lot of others to find their voice and get specific with intention and storytelling,” says Baby Rose.” (NME)
• Dreamer Isioma. Dreamer Isioma credits SZA with encouraging their frank self-expression. ““As a young artist, SZA makes me feel better about saying wild shit,” says the Chicago-based singer-songwriter and guitarist. “She encourages me to speak my mind and not give a fuck.”” (NME)
• One in a Million by Aaliyah (1996). One in a Million (Aaliyah) — titan for SZA (musicbrainz.org)
• Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook by Ella Fitzgerald (1956). Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook (Ella Fitzgerald) — culture for SZA “SZA listens to Ella Fitzgerald for vocal influence and has said that Lauryn Hill is one of her personal influences.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring by Peter Jackson (2001). The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Peter Jackson) — culture for SZA (themoviedb.org)
• Kill Bill: Volume 1 by Quentin Tarantino (2003). Kill Bill: Volume 1 (Quentin Tarantino) — culture for SZA

Peers and kindred spirits

• Lizzo (2010). SZA and Lizzo co-wrote F2F, and SZA featured on Lizzo’s songs. “Lizzo and SZA are a musical dream team on the newly released remix of “Special” from Lizzo’s 2022 album of the same name.” (Rolling Stone)
• Rihanna (1988). SZA featured on Consideration after it was given to Rihanna. “In 2015, Top Dawg Entertainment decided to give the track to Rihanna , who added the “Snooze” singer ‘s vocals as a feature instead.” (Vibe)
• Doja Cat. SZA collaborated with Doja Cat on Kiss Me More. “They dropped their first-ever collaboration on Friday (April 9), which is the first taste of the Doja’s upcoming third album Planet Her , due this summer.” (Billboard)
• Kali Uchis (1994). Uchis collaborated with SZA on 'Fue Mejor'. “Uchis released the single "Fue Mejor" with SZA” (Wikipedia)
• Phoebe Bridgers. Bridgers collaborated with SZA on Ghost in the Machine. “Bridgers appeared on the track " Ghost in the Machine " with SZA , on her second album SOS .” (Wikipedia)
• Beyoncé. SZA — Collaborator (Producer or writer for Beyonce) for Beyoncé · hand-labeled by Tony Brancato, 2022 “Beyoncé might be the most perfect, beautiful being I've ever met in my whole life. She's the most inspirational woman on earth, next to my mother” (Wikipedia)
• Blonde by Frank Ocean (2016). Blonde (Frank Ocean) — peer for SZA “SZA's other muses include singer-songwriter Frank Ocean and rapper Future.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• A Seat at the Table by Solange (2016). A Seat at the Table (Solange) — peer for SZA “In December 2017, Knowles directed the video for the song "The Weekend" by SZA.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Souled Out by Jhené Aiko (2014). Souled Out (Jhené Aiko) — peer for SZA “By the end of the year, SZA opened for Jhené Aiko's Enter the Void Tour and Coldplay's Ghost Stories Tour.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• DAMN. by Kendrick Lamar. DAMN. (Kendrick Lamar) — collaborator for SZA “These included the top-ten singles "All the Stars" (2018) with Kendrick Lamar, which garnered Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations, and "Kiss Me More" (2021) with Doja Cat, which won SZA her first Grammy Award.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• The Sun's Tirade by Isaiah Rashad (2016). The Sun's Tirade (Isaiah Rashad) — collaborator for SZA “Throughout 2014, SZA was featured on multiple tracks from her labelmates' projects, including two songs on Isaiah Rashad's debut EP, Cilvia Demo, and a collaboration on Schoolboy Q's debut album, Oxymoron.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Mac Miller. Mac Miller collaborated with SZA by producing two songs on Z. “One of her earliest collaborators was rapper Mac Miller , who produced two songs from Z .” (Wikipedia)
• Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) by Wu-Tang Clan (1993). Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (Wu-Tang Clan) — geography for SZA “She took cues from the Supreme Alphabet, taking influence from rappers RZA and GZA of Wu-Tang Clan.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Whitney Houston by Whitney Houston (1985). Whitney Houston (Whitney Houston) — geography for SZA (musicbrainz.org)
• Whut? Thee Album by Redman (1992). Whut? Thee Album (Redman) — geography for SZA (musicbrainz.org)
• Drunk by Thundercat (2017). Drunk (Thundercat) — collaborator for SZA (musicbrainz.org)

Who SZA influenced

• Doechii (1998). Doechii cites SZA as influential representation figure from her high school years. (also via Girl, Get Up, SOS, girl, get up.) “she has cited Kanye West , Tyler, the Creator , Kendrick Lamar , and SZA as her major musical influences” (Wikipedia)
• Ari Lennox (2012). The page says Ari Lennox has been influenced by SZA’s songwriting. (also via Shea Butter Baby) “She talked about the rise of women in R&B over the last few years and gave credit to SZA for the reemergence.” (Black Truth News)
• Over It by Summer Walker (2019). Over It (Summer Walker) — legacy for SZA “Many of her contemporaries like Summer Walker, Tink, and Ari Lennox have been influenced by her songwriting; Baby Rose described her as "a radical light".” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Shea Butter Baby by Ari Lennox (2019). Shea Butter Baby (Ari Lennox) — legacy for SZA “Many of her contemporaries like Summer Walker, Tink, and Ari Lennox have been influenced by her songwriting; Baby Rose described her as "a radical light".” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Alligator Bites Never Heal by Doechii. Alligator Bites Never Heal (Doechii) — legacy for SZA “In the meantime, SZA appeared on the songs "IRL" by Lizzo, "Take Me Dancing" by Doja Cat, "PT Cruiser" by Moruf, "Girl, Get Up" by Doechii, "Boy in Red" by Isaiah Rashad, and "Is It Cool?" by Steve Lacy.” (en.wikipedia.org)
• Tink. The page says Tink has been influenced by SZA’s songwriting. “Many of her contemporaries like Summer Walker , Tink , and Ari Lennox have been influenced by her songwriting;” (Wikipedia)