SZA is one of the most appreciated R&B artist of the last decade. She began her career in 2012 with the release of her debut EP, “See.SZA.Run.” Over the years, she has achieved significant success with her debut album “Ctrl” in 2017, won a Grammy Award in 2022, and recently released her second chart-topping album, “SOS.”
Just a week ago, SZA concluded her SOS Tour, and today, on November 8, she celebrates her 34th birthday. Have you ever wondered how she came up with her stage name, SZA? What does it stand for? Let’s delve into the story behind SZA’s unique stage name.
Before she became SZA, the artist was known as Solána Imani Rowe. More than a decade ago, in an interview with Complex, the 23-year-old singer revealed the meaning behind her stage name. At the time, she had just been signed by Top Dawg Entertainment, an independent record label renowned for discovering talents like Kendrick Lamar. During the interview, Solána discussed her family, her college experiences, and the intriguing origins of her stage name.
SZA explained that her stage name, SZA, is rooted in the supreme alphabet, inspired by Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA. RZA was renowned for his profound influence on hip-hop and music production, making him an intriguing source of inspiration. “SZA is from the supreme alphabet,” Solána revealed. “The RZA is Rulers, Zig-zag, Allah. You have rulers like sovereignty over one’s self and the world around you.” She went on to explain that “S” in the supreme alphabet stands for “savior,” but that didn’t quite resonate with her. So, she decided to interpret it as “sovereign” or “savior,” leaving the interpretation open to how individuals feel about it.
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