At the top of the Billboard 200, SZA takes a moment to remember her struggles during the COVID-19 pandemic. Talking to fans on X, formerly Twitter, the singer recalls suffering from depression and "not eating" while in quarantine. She revealed to fans how grief and isolation shaped her mental health and creative journey. “COVID was hard… my granny had just died. I was hella depressed and masking. Not eating. Overworking out. But I always had my childhood home to escape to and get lost. Still do. Grateful to be in a much better mental space now. [heart emoji] S/o to those days tho [heart emoji].”
This isn’t the first time SZA has spoken about her mental health. In 2020, she discussed how anxiety impacted her creative process. “I just really want to put out more music… everything sounds different, but it all sounds like me,” she said. “As long as the essence of me is in it, I’m not stressed about continuity or making sense to anybody. I’ve been making a sh*t ton of music. If you leave it up to me, ain’t no telling when sh*t’s gonna come out because I have anxiety… I’ve never felt so loose in the world before.”
SZA Remembers Depression During Quarantine
Fast forward to the present, SZA has transformed those struggles into triumphs. With her raw honesty and undeniable talent, SZA has proven once again why she remains a defining voice in contemporary music. Her newly released SOS Deluxe: Lana—a long-awaited expansion of her 2022 album SOS—has propelled the original record back to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. This marks the album’s 11th week at the top, the first since March 2023, and a stellar way to kick off the new year. The chart dated January 4 confirms that SZA holds the first No. 1 album of 2024.
SZA hits the road with Kendrick Lamar in 2025 on the Grand National Tour. Together, the superstars have released three new collaborations, including "30 For 30," "luther," and "gloria." Their tour kicks off in April.
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