SZA Is Taking a Break From Performing
R&B singer-songwriter SZA is hitting pause on her live performances for the foreseeable future.
The “Kill Bill” singer made the announcement on social media following her headlining set at Montreal’s Osheaga Festival on Aug. 5.
“Yesterday was my last show for a while,” SZA wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Finally bout to get my life together thank u God.”
The unexpected news comes after an extensive run of festival appearances and tour dates for the Grammy-winning artist.
SZA has been on the road since early 2023, performing 63 shows across the globe for her SOS Tour before launching into a packed summer festival schedule. Recent high-profile sets included Lollapalooza in Chicago, Glastonbury in the U.K., and her final performance at Osheaga.
Despite stepping back from the stage, fans shouldn’t worry about a lack of new music. During her Lollapalooza set, SZA debuted an unreleased track titled “Cry Baby,” telling the crowd, “It’s not out, but it will be.”
She’s also been teasing a new project called Lana, which she says will feature previously unheard material.
“Will be dropping the leaks and outtakes from SOS as promised as the deluxe asap,” SZA shared on X in March. “Lana deserves more time and music no one’s ever heard before.” She’s also previously hinted at a potential collaboration with Paramore.
SZA’s creative juices continue to flow even as she takes a break from performing. She recently shared her admiration for fellow artists on Instagram, notably posting about Chappell Roan’s performance at Lollapalooza.
“She makes me wanna keep making new music n art forever,” SZA captioned a video.
The singer’s decision to take a break comes at a time when she’s at the peak of her commercial and critical success.
Her sophomore album SOS, released in December 2022, has been a chart powerhouse. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and has shown remarkable staying power.
SZA’s chart dominance extends beyond albums. Her single “Kill Bill” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 2023, becoming her first chart-topper as a solo artist. The track showed stamina on the charts, spending multiple weeks in the top 10.
Jessica Lynch
Billboard
