On December 9, 2022, Solána Imani Rowe, more commonly known as SZA, released her album SOS, which contains songs such as the vulnerable “Open Arms,” enchanting “Shirt” and the ultra-popular “Kill Bill.” After multiple teasers and two sold-out stadium tours, SZA released the much anticipated LANA, the reissue of SOS, on December 20, 2024. In an interview with Variety, SZA states, “It’s called ‘LANA’ — my name, but it’s [also] the first tattoo that I ever got when I was 13. It was ten bucks a letter and I only had 40, so that became my nickname for no reason.”
Since early on after its release, SOS has remained on the Billboard 200 for over 100 weeks. It stayed at No. 1 for ten weeks and has never left the top 20 ranking since. LANA claimed its No. 1 spot starting on January 4. LANA is one of the only R&B albums by a female artist to hold the No. 1 ranking spot for so long, and it is now close to surpassing Whitney Houston’s 14-week streak from 1986.
Although LANA is the deluxe version of SOS, there are also very similar beats and themes from her earlier albums Ctrl and Z. In LANA, SZA embarks on a journey of self-discovery, reflection and understanding.
“No More Hiding,” the album’s opener, contains a gentle and lush bossa nova guitar beat and synth, leading listeners into a deep hypnosis. SZA also includes soulful and sensitive melodic lyrics: “No more hiding / I wanna feel sun on my skin / Even if it burns or blinds me / I wanna be purified within.” With her narrative storytelling and emotional themes, “No More Hiding” is sure to resonate with listeners, touching on topics of self-acceptance and growth. “No More Hiding” sets a tone for the rest of the album, amplifying its introspective themes of finding one’s true self and shedding away past burdens.
Most notably from LANA, track five, “BMF,” previously known as the unreleased “Boy From South Detroit,” has gained the most traction. With interpolating melodies from Antônio Carlos Jobim’s 1964 bossa nova jazz hit, “The Girl From Ipanema,” “BMF” is a lighthearted blending of modern pop with influential jazz. Eden Stewart (III) notes, “SZA’s spin on [“The Girl From Ipanema”] really brought jazz into more of pop culture.” “BMF” quickly rose in popularity following her free show, held in Brooklyn in early September of 2023. With the song’s catchy lyrics, “Young and he fine and he tall and he handsome / Talkin’ so fine, I might hold it for ransom,” SZA was sure to have its lyrics stuck in everyone’s head!
Similar to SOS’s “F2F,” “Scorsese Baby Daddy” is a playful indie rock song and definitely a hidden gem within LANA. Her shouty lyrics, “I’ma crash out, baby, don’t slow me down / I hate to be the one (Be the one) / Hate to be the one doing the most,” expresses SZA’s overwhelming emotions and chaos in previous relationships. With the track’s vibrant vitality and lyrical play, “Scorsese Baby Daddy” is a refreshing and unique track.
From “Doves in The Wind” to “All The Stars,” LANA would be incomplete without a feature from Kendrick Lamar. Track three, “30 For 30,” is an affirmation of their strong bond and musical synergy. Arguably, the song contains the most unique instrumental and beats, with a sample from the 1979 song “I Call Your Name” by Switch. Moreover, the track’s soulful and upbeat R&B funk tunes paired with Lamar’s reflective lyricism make track three a standout. With production from J. White Did It, who previously produced songs for Cardi B, Beyonce and J. Cole, the song uniquely blends hip-hop and R&B tunes.
Track ten, “Crybaby,” is a testament to SZA’s musical growth and opulent production, deserving our No. 1 out of the 15 tracks. SZA’s ability to perfectly articulate the pressure to suppress emotions and the challenges of guilt further symbolizes her profound mastery of transforming struggle into art. “Crybaby” embodies an aimless duality between self-awareness and heartbreak.
Griffin Hastings (III) describes his interpretation: “It brings a sense of unity to herself, her relationships with others and the artist she has become through SOS.” The most striking lyrics of “Crybaby,” “‘Cause all I seem to do is get in my way / Then blame you, it’s just a cycle, I’m so psycho / You so sick, I’m so sick of me too,” reflect an incredibly deep and relatable wave of self-reflection. Moreover, the instrumentation of soft melodies symbolizes this intense yearning for self-understanding and adds a very intimate energy to wrap up LANA.