SZA dishes on ‘SOS’ success with Taylor Swift’s ‘Midnights’ comparison

SZA is opening up about the release of her second studio album SOS, and its timing colliding with Taylor Swift’s tenth studio album Midnights.

The record-breaking R&B singer has now disclosed the warning that her record label gave her before the album was released and the way that it was relevant to the chart-topping global popstar.

In the cover story interview for i-D's The Lore Issue, the All The Stars singer stated, “My label told me that it was likely that I wouldn’t beat Taylor Swift, and I should prepare for that."

"I was laughing by week three. It was just like, ‘What is this? I never even imagined I could be on the radio,'" she added, since she ended up beating Taylor and instead achieving unprecedented levels of fame in 2023.

SZA, whose real name is Solána Imani Rowe, remained on top of Billboard’s charts with her songs Kill Bill and Snooze, with the album spending thirteen nonconsecutive weeks atop the Billboard 200, doing so in three separate years.

By 2025, the 36-year-old’s SOS became the first album by a woman to spend 100 weeks atop charts as well as achieving other impressive accolades.

Notably, SZA and Taylor maintain a friendly relationship and have been vocal with their support for each other’s success.

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