SZA is ready to control the summer.
The TDE songstress has officially announced the release date for her much-anticipated debut album, Ctrl.
Due out June 9, the set has been preceded by the recent single “Love Galore” featuring Travis Scott, along with “Drew Barrymore.”
Previously speaking about the album with Billboard, SZA explained the LP will feature songs about her life experiences and lessons learned.
“I [wrote about] my younger life, which was haphazard,” the 26-year-old said. “Being at sleepaway camp away from my parents, being the only black girl, not even noticing until I got older, dealing with boys, self-hate, growth, and God. It’s the first time I’m literally writing about my life instead of figuratively writing about it.”
While life was the basis for much of her songwriting, the album was also influenced by notes from legendary producer Rick Rubin. “I had this mentality that ‘more is more’ — more reverb, more background [vocals],” she said. “I played [Rubin] a bunch of songs, and he would tell me, ‘The more you take away from any piece, the more room you create for everything else to be beautiful and grow.’ I never felt that before, the editing urge. Once you strip everything down, you’re forced to say something.”
Taking to her Instagram to announce the new release date, SZA shared 3 30-second clips which find her posing outside in a rural local in front of a heap of vintage computer monitors. Accompanying the visuals is a track featuring Wu Tang leader RZA, who encourages the singer/songwriter, “Her, SZA / Cut through the paper thin / Open up their ears and let the melodies enter in,” he raps.
