Rising R&B Star SZA Cites Kendrick Lamar, Magdalena Bay as Key influences in New Rolling Stone Interview
SZA, the Grammy-winning artist known for her introspective lyrics and genre-bending sound, revealed her deep gratitude for fellow musicians kendrick Lamar and Magdalena Bay in a recent interview with Rolling Stone. The conversation,published today,offers a glimpse into the artist’s listening habits and creative process,highlighting the impact of specific albums on her personal experiences.
SZA described a deeply immersive listening experience with Kendrick Lamar’s work, stating she typically listens to his albums at home in Chicago, lying on the couch with her eyes closed. She specifically referenced a profound connection to one of his records, exclaiming, “Damn. I love this album so much.” She also gave a shout-out to Kaytranada, who features on a track from the album, acknowledging his contribution. SZA recalled first hearing the record while still residing in Chicago.
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Beyond lamar,SZA highlighted Magdalena Bay’s 2024 album,Imaginal Disk,as a recent source of inspiration. She discovered the avant-pop duo live in Iceland and solidified her connection to the album during a solo walk in Los Angeles, specifically on a trail in the San Fernando Valley. “I just knew that was the scenery for it,” she explained, describing the experience as feeling “like I’m on shrooms, but I’m not.” The album’s release followed the duo’s 2021 debut EP, Miniature Love.
The interview also touched on SZA’s recent visit to her former high school, Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts), located at 3551 W. Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60609. She described the experience as both nostalgic and grounding, noting the changes that had occurred while also recognizing the enduring spirit of the institution. SZA plans to open for Reneรฉ Rapp and Sabrina Carpenter on their respective fall tours, with Rapp’s “Bite Me” tour kicking off September 28th in Austin, Texas, and Carpenter’s “Short N’ Sweet” tour beginning October 11th in Montreal, Canada.