2025 has already proven itself to be the year of SZA. Fresh off of her 2024 “SOS Tour,” the 35-year-old R&B phenom has been hard at work; dominating pop culture, SZA has climbed the Billboard 200 with her album “SOS” at #2, starred in the critically acclaimed film “One of Them Days,” received Best R&B Song at the Grammys for her single “Saturn” and performed alongside Kendrick Lamar at the Super Bowl halftime show.
But SZA won’t stop there. To the delight of her fans, she has recently released “SOS Deluxe: LANA,” an updated double album containing all 23 songs from 2022’s “SOS,” as well as 19 new tracks. The album is a thoughtful and dreamy reflection on what it means to be human, in love and just trying to get by. It is perfectly curated to create an atmosphere of profound longing but one resolute in independence, and while every song is memorable, a few rise to the top.
“30 for 30 (with Kendrick Lamar)”
Sampling R&B group Switch’s song “I Call Your Name,” SZA and Lamar reflect on their personal growth in relationships and the music industry, rejecting those who do not fulfill them anymore. The song is calm and laid back, neatly intertwining Lamar’s contemplative lyrical style with SZA’s atmospheric and smooth backing beats. It’s an easygoing track that’s perfect for a night drive while leaving you with a little to think about too.
“BMF”
With an upbeat staccato backtrack and swift and bubbly lyrics, SZA interpolates Stan Getz and João Gilberto’s “The Girl from Ipanema” to express the excitement of new love. Similar to the funky blend of kickdrum and rhythm guitar of “I Feel It Coming” by the Weeknd, this song will jolt you awake like a 4 p.m. cup of coffee, though it won’t keep you up at night.
“Scorsese Baby Daddy”
This song’s strange title may leave unwitting listeners to question how distinguished film director Martin Scorsese could have such a connection to SZA. But, rest assured the question is answered, as SZA clarifies that she wants a relationship filled with all of the drama that characterizes Scorsese’s films, yet she yearns for a stable romance. This track showcases SZA’s versatile vocal style, as its frequent and sometimes abrupt changes in pitch masterfully complement the song’s overall theme.
“Open Arms (SZA)”
Perhaps the best of the new songs on the album — and my personal favorite — “Open Arms” is a vulnerable and ethereal meditation on what it means to lose yourself and change who you are for a love that won’t end well. 2022’s “SOS” also includes this song but with a feature from Travis Scott, and SZA’s choice to re-record the song by herself was a smart one, as Scott’s auto-tuned and frankly stale verses felt like an unwanted intrusion into SZA’s heartfelt reflections. Alone, the longing and desperation in SZA’s voice are more clearly palpable, and her impassioned vocals can be better appreciated as they are in a vacuum, devoid of an unnecessary and ill-fitting perspective in a song about the female experience.
Although 2025 certainly has been good to SZA already — and rightfully so — “SOS Deluxe: LANA” cements that even bigger things are in store for the singer. She has proven herself to be a force of nature in the music industry, consistently topping charts and subverting expectations, and if this album is any indication, something tells me she’s not done yet.
