SZA’s ‘SOS’ could have featured Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and more
SZA’s recently released second album ‘SOS’ could have featured collaborations with the likes of Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and more, according to a new documentary.
‘SOS’ sees SZA team up with the likes of Phoebe Bridgers (on ‘Ghost In The Machine’), Travis Scott (‘Open Arms’) and Don Toliver (‘Used’). The album’s closing song, ‘Forgiveless’, features the late Wu-Tang Clan rapper Ol’ Dirty Bastard.
However a recently released behind-the-scenes video titled ‘SOS: Where The Hell Have You Been?’ reveals that at one point, SZA was considering more collabs.
One scene of the documentary sees a whiteboard of potential features that lists the likes of Doja Cat, Drake, Finneas, Frank Ocean, Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, Halsey, Harry Styles and Kacey Musgraves.
According to SZA’s whiteboard, collaborations with Kendrick Lamar, Olivia Rodrigo, Tyler, The Creator and Rosalía were also considered.
Ahead of the release of ‘SOS’, SZA confirmed that the record could have included more features but artists didn’t “show up”. In an interview, SZA said the collabs came about through “DMs and like begging people.”
“Sometimes people turn in their verses and sometimes they don’t. And a lot of people just did not turn in their verses, but I’m grateful for who did,” she explained. SZA went on to say she didn’t take it personally though because “for a lot of these people, I didn’t turn in my verse [either] so I can’t be too mad.”
Speaking to NME about working with SZA, Phoebe Bridgers said: “It all happened so fast. I wasn’t really used to that in the pop world, because vinyl isn’t so much of a consideration until way later, it’s just like, ‘Do you want to be on this record? Okay, it’s out next week’, which I really like. I like that turnaround time.”
“Personally, I sit on stuff for so long, it takes me years to make albums,” Bridgers continued. “I like being involved, I like seeing someone else’s world from that angle. She’s definitely my favourite rapper [and] that record is insane.”
SZA has also announced a 17-date arena tour of North America in support of ‘SOS’. The run of shows kicks off February 21 in Columbus and will conclude March 22 at Los Angeles’ Kia Forum.
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Ali Shutler
NME
